Betty's Plate 2008

Betty's Plate was played on a warm Satuday morning with a chilly wind.
The winners where
1st Benny
2nd Christine
3rd Ingrid

Again well done to the three of you.
Sorry I was not there, I was running a "come and try day".

Peter has a video of the presentation, and will let you have a copy if you email him.

SCPA ABC Wasps v Limesdowns Marvels

The Wasps were at home to Limesdown Marvels. This was the teams that beat us to first place in the league last year.

After the triples the score was 1 - 1 and it was down to the doubles.

Jeff and Sonia took the first game and Mike and Christine lost theirs.

The score 2 - 2.

Last game Ian and David, score on the board 10 - 10, as the last boule was thrown it looked like 3 points to Limes, Ian asked for a measure, just before the measure one of the Limes team picked up his boule, one of those that was on. Result 2 points scored.

Final end Ian and David took 3 points to win the match..

Well done the Wasps our first win this season.

Wasps Team

Jeff, Sonia, Ian, David, Mike and Christine

Marvels Team

Derek, Mike, Linda, Jed, Mary and Paddy

SCPA ABC Hornets v Nomads

Captain's Log - stardate 25th June - Benny & Margaretha met up with Tony Riches, Kath, Ingrid & Carolyn at the White Hart at Holybourne tonight to play the Nomads. Having heard from the Hampshire Rose that they could never beat them, we were feeling a little less than confident! We went into the second round of doubles having won one game each of the triples. Their terrain is very difficult but as Captain I decided that the two stongest teams should play on the best pistes in the hope that they would win two of the three doubles. Kath & I (who I considered to be the weakest link) would play on the very rough third piste which was not in use for the triples. Needless to say both Ingrid & Tony and Benny & Margaretha managed to lose their games! However Kath and I triumphed on the C--- piste to win by 13 - 11 - I certainly think our experience of playing up and down the lanes of Southern France stood us in good stead!!! We have now completed 5 Matches
4 of which we have lost 2 - 3 and one we have won 4 - 1 giving us a total of 13 points! It was very nice to see Vernon Philbrow playing this evening he now lives at Arlesford and has talked his local council into providing a boule terrain! When it is up and running we will be invited to go down for some friendly boule which will be very nice - we can all go for a ride on Thomas the Tank engine whilst we are there!

Players this evening were - Triples - Benny, Margaretha & Ingrid who won their game. Tony, Carolyn & Kath who did not!

SCPA ABC Wasps v Southampton Pilgrims

The Wasp travelled down to Southampton for their return match with the Pilgrims
It was a nice night, there was also a Div 2 match taking place at the same time as ours.
We lost the two triples but won two of the doubles, pity we couldn't get one triple.
We collected another two points but now we need to get a couple of wins to get us off of the bottom of the league
Wasps.
Jeff, Sonia, Mike, Christine, David and Hazel

French trip final chapter vol 4.

Tuesday 3rd June.
The morning again was free and after a walk and a swim it was time for our game with Valras Plage.
As Valras plage’s piste is quite small they decided to use our piste and our restaurant for the evening meal.
We started the afternoon at 14 30. Again this was a melee with one Brit with two French this was all drawn before the start of the afternoon.
I was partner by a French guy and a Catalan lady, The French guy didn’t think much of UK boule and seem disappointed with his draw. After the first game I was promoted to premier pointer with lots of slaps on the back and Bon and Tres Bon. I think that we converted him. We won our 3 games but lost the forth, knocking us out of the prizes. He was happy and so was our Catalan partner.
The weather was good all day and got quite warm in the afternoon, it was good that they had laid on free beer for the day and plenty of water.
Our evening meal was a Bar B Q jambon cooked by David the chef at our resort (also one of my partners during the week a great shooter and a good chef.)
Following the meal we had the presentations.

First place
.

Ian and Margretha and a great French shooter

We gave Valras club our pennant and they gave Paul and myself T shirts from their club.
Fanny medals went to Paul, Jan and Linda.

Wednesday 4th June.
Our last full day, the weather again was blue skies and very warm temperatures.
Today was the Doublettes title which had been postponed from Sunday.
John, Janet (Price) and I carried out the draw during the morning and arrange all of the paperwork ready to start at 1400. Just before the start of the games 6 additional French players asked to be included in the draw. After a quick switch and redraw we were ready to start at 1420.
The competition was 4 pools of 4 teams and the winners of each pool went into a knockout to decided the winners.
Ian and I decided that we needed to play very well to get into the prizes.
We won our pool and were drawn against two French ladies in the semi’s, their pointing was spot on time after time. We finally ground them down with good return boules and clean shooting.
This put us into the final against the two good French guys, after the ladies the guys were a pushover and they conceded the game at 10 – 4.
John proceeded with the prize giving and lots of people received tee shirts etc for various achievements not all for playing boule.

Ian and I received the trophy for the doubles and Tee shirts

I also won a plate for the slowest player in the melee.

It was with great pleasure that I present Carolyn with the Tee shirt that I had received from Valras club, she had prepared all of the pennants which we had presented to our guest clubs. Thank you very much for your help.
We all departed for dinner at a quite seafood restaurant in Valras. Only it was also a French ladies birthday bash and between our two groups there was lots of laughter, jokes and singing.
Roger the site owner had phoned ahead and placed a bottle of wine on each of our tables and later joined us for dinner. After dinner we returned to the site bar Roger show off his prowess at removing the champagne cork with a sword. This happen quite a few times, even showing our Paul how to do it.

A great evening was had by all.

Well done Paul

Thursday was the time to say farewell, to John, Janet, Daniel, Roger, his wife and all the people who made this a most enjoyable boules trip. If they will have us, we all would like to go again next year.
Sorry if I have missed out on any of the action or any names. If so please let me know and I will correct the mistakes.

France Trip vol 3

Sat.31st May
Open boules competition at our site.
This was arranged by John and consisted of a doubles melee in pools, with the BBC, local clubs and French players staying at the site.
Entrance fee was 20 euro, this included free beer all day, boule competition and evening meal at the on site restaurant. Also all entries received a bottle of wine whether you won anything or not.
The meal was a three course dinner with wine and coffee.
Can anyone let me know the results if they concern us
Sunday 1st June.
Day cancelled 24 hours of torrential rain. Val, Ray, Jan and Jeff did manage to take a walk in the afternoon under our umbrellas, Ray and Jan took the quick route home, Val and Jeff walked down to the beach and took the long way back.
Sunday evening we had a surprise soiree to congratulate Paul on him taking over as our club Chairman. We all brought a few snack and a bottle or two.. A very noisy evening. Nearly disastrous as Paul texted and asked if we still where going a head with the evening due to all the rain. 17 of us in our small dinning room, we did not have much room to move.
Monday 2nd June
We had the morning to ourselves, took time to walk up to the site and visit the supermarket and patisserie Carolyn again made friends with the local males ending up receiving a free doughnut from the shop keeper.
The afternoon started with a coach trip to Serignan to team up with the locals in a doubles competition.

Jeff played with the French ladies champion ( I think she was champion a few years ago) Tina Oliver
Carolyn played with Veron (owner of the local bar and he fell in love with Carolyn..her again).
Val played with a superb shooter.
There were three types of terrain here..1 Flat and easy for the pointers. 2. Thick gravel and rocks not so good for pointing. 3. Foot path down to the river . Rocks, gullies, and sand very tricky.
During the first game the cooks and porters set up the Bar B Q and started roasting the hog and it looked and smelts very good.
Half way through the second game we had a tremendous thunderstorm and torrential rain flooding everything and soaking all the players as it was to far to get back for our wet weather gear.
The chef’s also had a lot of trouble trying to keep the fires burning.
Ingrids partner when home to close his windows and she was left looking after him boule, so she said.
After the restart the competition lost its was as some of the French didn’t return.
When play was completed for the day trestles and chairs were placed on the piste and we all mixed up for a three course dinner.

Starter

Main Course

This was finished off with chocolate eclairs...

After dinner we had the prize giving and sing song..Arrived home after midnight.

Val and partner won the cup

Benny and Janet came second

in the plate, Stewart and the French men’s champion beat Carolyn and Veron.
Carolyn for some reason didn’t get a plaque so her partner dashed off and came back with a trophy just for his Carolyn.!!!

THAT 'S ENOUGH OF THAT THERE ARE CHILDREN LOOKING AT THIS SITE

French Trip Vol 2

Thursday 29th May

Basically a free day, most of us went for walks, either along the lovely beach or up to check out the other sites. This was followed by a swim at the resorts pool.
After lunch there was a Melee between BBC members and a few guests.
Notable results....To much to drink can't remember

Friday 30th May

We had a quick visit to the town of Valras to check out the market and to sit on the boulevard and watch the world go by.
This evening we had our second away visit to Vandres again the bouleadrome was fairly smooth with trees and benches surrounding each of the piste one end dropped away to a stream.
The competition was a triples knock out with Cup and Plate competitions. Teams consisted of two Brits and one French in most teams.
Notable results

Ian and Margaret 2nd in Cup

Sue(on left) 1st in Plate (replaced ill player)

Paul and Melanie 2nd in Plate

During all of the play, in the back ground preparation for the Bar b q was quietly going on.

Recipe
Collect armfuls of vine cuttings and old vine trees and set alight until the charcoal is really red.
Take a large trough approx 4ft long 2ft wide and 2ft deep.

Add approx. 25 lts of white wine.
Add 3 cans of tomato and garlic puree.
Add handfuls of herbs all shapes and sizes.
Add approx 30 kg of fresh moule.
Place trough over charcoal and rake the moule with a garden rake.

Cook until truly fantastic moule and sauce are ready.

Eat with baguettes and wine until really stuffed

Sue, Paul and Ian had never eaten moule before today and they all will eat them again.
The evening ended with prize giving and both sides enjoying the evening.

French Trip Vol 1

Tuesday 27th May
Departed Gatwick for Montpelier arrived at Valras late afternoon weather terrible very heavy rain and flooding around campsite.
Met by the owner Roger (more about him later) to show us how the trip would continue the drinks where on the house. We were transferred to our Chalets by car and luggage went by golf trolley and trailer.

That evening we all met up for dinner and a social in the restaurant with the rest of the players.

Wednesday 28th May

We were taken shopping at the local market and supermarket to stock up with fresh veg and fruit etc. At lunch time our host John and his lovely wife Janet invited everyone to their chalet for smally eats and drinks. At this meeting all 35 of the party where introduced to each other. John laid out the plan of action for our holiday and said it would all start at Lesignan at 1630 this was to be our first evening match with supper afterwards.
The piste/bouleadrome was challenging. There were approx 40 french guys playing on our arrival, these were paired up to face our challenge. We had 3/4 games of doubles against the French with varying results. As the evening proceeded the French players slowly departed for aperitifs before dinner. We also where invited to join them for a pastis or two.

Notable results
Sonia and Ingrid 1 win
Jan and Jeff 1 win

Ian and Margaret with Fanny medal

Linda and Pat with Fanny medal

Jeff was delegated to collect the money for the meal and selling the lotto tickets for the club draw.
At dinner we were all mixed up with our French and Spanish guest, the food was homemade and the wine flowed all evening.
At the end of the evening there was and exchange of gifts ABC presented a pennant to the French club. British Boule Challenge present a bottle of pastis and T shirts and Lespignan presented club sweat shirt to most of the visitors.
The lotto was won by Jeff with number 69 (more about the number later) the prize was a set of boule given by this year’s winner of the Mondial, Roger Marigot.
We all departed at around midnight.

Re France Trip

Just to report that we are back mostly safe and sound. With an array of trophy's, plates, T shirts and wine coming out of our ears. A full report and pictures will be added over the next few days