Honiton Petanque Club

07/11/2016

The Devon League is over for this year, we did not win games but were not outclassed, so next year we can build on this. We are always welcoming new players, why not come along and join us. We do play all year but if its too cold or wet we stay home.

10/06/2016

CLUB CHALLENGE MATCHES:

Following our match on 28th May against touring side Royal Oak PC, which we won 6-2, we played a second match against East Devon PC (Sidmouth) on 8th June. This was another enjoyable but competitive match played in the right spirit, and we came out 5-3 winners. All our players contributed and played well. EDPC have invited us to their place for a return match, probably in September.

Vs Royal Oak (wins): 2/2 games Andy/Mo/Doreen 2/2 Costa/Tony 1/2 Chris/Lesley 1/2 Larry/Bill/Linda

Vs EDPC: (wins): 2/2 games Costa/Lesley/Charlie 2/2 Chris/Mo 1/2 Bill/Anne/Cecily 0/2 Andy/Ben/Liz

DEVON LEAGUE:

Some of you might have already read reports in the local press about the latest Devon match away at Ottery on the 22nd May. We again lost 3-2 for the third consecutive time. Yet again we came very close which is quite frustrating! This time we managed to win one of the two triples and were in fact up in all 3 doubles at one stage, but in the end lost two of them. However all the team played well and improving all the time.

Triples: Chris/Andy/Mo lost 13-6 Charlie/Costa/Lesley won 13-8
Doubles: Charlie/Costa lost 13-6 Andy/Mo lost 13-8 Chris/Lesley won 13-6

Next match is against Torridge U3A.

SOUTH DEVON TWINNING LEAGUE:

The latest round of matches took place at Exminster last Sunday. Though the result was familiar i.e. Bovey on top with Feniton second - this time it was extremely close. Feniton's A team,which included Andy & Mo, won all six of their matches and the B team, including Doreen won three out of their five. Overall the team only lost to Bovey by one point. Obviously already established as the main challengers, Feniton continue to improve and Bovey must be worried now! Well done again to Andy, Mo, Doreen & co.

EPA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:

This event was held at ISCA this year over the bank holiday 28th-30th May, singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Three of us (EPA members) took advantage of it being local and entered the doubles on Sunday. I managed to team up with a very good partner in the mens doubles and very pleased to make it into the main draw knockout last 16 (eventually finishing 11th) with 38 teams competing from all over England. Lesley also made it into the ladies doubles last 16 main knockout with her partner (eventually finishing 13th) with 22 teams competing.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

The Devon Triples take place this Sunday and we have one team taking part from our club. There are also the Devon doubles and singles to come later in the season. These are events for EPA members only, but club members may be interested in some other upcoming events:

Keith Brealey Memorial Pairs Sunday 26th June at Isca PC, Exeter
Ann Paterson Memorial Pairs Sunday 24th July at Isca PC, Exeter
John Baxter Memorial Pairs Sunday 7th August at Chudleigh PC

All three of these doubles events are open to all (leisure boule allowed) and are very similar all day affairs to the East Devon Charity Shield held at Ottery in May. Please let me know if you are interested in taking part.

EARLY NOTICE - There will be no session on Sunday 3rd July. Every year a regional FA youth tournament takes place at Mountbatten, the whole field being turned to mini pitches with something around 1000 players/spectators there. Parking anywhere near is impossible with Ottery Moor Lane coned off as well (kids are bussed in from the town's outskirts). That's quite apart from all the people and noise!

04/06/2016

Sunday we played our first ever home match in the Devon League, entertaining our friends from Ottery. They managed to beat us by the same score as Isca did last week 3-2. But this one was even closer with one of the doubles coming down to the last boule in the last end. Could so easily have been a 3-2 win! However we are still happy to have had a very solid start to the league and the team performed well again.
Triples: Larry/Costa/Tony lost 9-13 Chris/Charlie/Lesley lost 1-13

Doubles: Chris/Lesley won 13-9 Larry/Tony won 13-11 Charlie/Costa lost 11-13

04/06/2016

Membership renewal has been very good, as well as one or two new players. We expect to be near the 30 mark very soon. Thanks to all for your continued support.

EAST DEVON CHARITY SHIELD

In all 9 of our members took part in the Shield at Ottery's new terrain last Sunday. The piste was certainly very challenging and very different to our own! There were many good boulers there, not just from the Devon region, but also Bath (Great Western Region) and Cornwall (Kernow Region).

Not surprisingly, after the group stage, we all found ourselves in the Plate knockout! That is with the exception of Lesley who, partnered with a Kernow player, was in the Shield knockout - going out in the quarter finals. However, in the Plate both Anne & Bill and Tony & Linda reached the semi finals, and I just managed a stage further being runners up in the final with my partner from EDPC. This was all good experience for our members up against some very seasoned players. As well as the Shield and Plate there was also a shooting and a pointing competition for all. Well done to Anne Matthews who came second in the pointing, only just beaten in a play off.

Most importantly it was a very enjoyable day, played in good weather, and in the right spirit - and I believe Ottery raised around £400 for Hospiscare.

FENITON

The Feniton Twinners played their second round of league matches last week in the South Devon Twinning League. They were again placed second, but this time with 7 teams playing. They seem to have emerged now as the main challengers to Bovey Tracey and again Andy & Mo's team beat a Bovey triples team. Keep it up!

MATCHES

Apart from the forthcoming Devon League matches , we have also arranged 2 challenge matches:

Saturday morning 28th May 10:30 we are hosting a match against a touring side - Royal Oak PC from Shropshire (Severn Valley Petanque). So we are looking for 8-10 players to take part, the actual format won't be known till we find out their exact numbers. If anyone is available and wants to play please let me know. (The following day's session will be on as normal).

On Wednesday 8th June at our normal session (2pm) by way of a change we will be hosting a match against East Devon PC (Sidmouth) - and mine and Clive's former club! All those attending the session to play (if they want to), format to be arranged. It would be helpful if you could let me know if you intend coming to that session, by the day before if possible.

Both these games are intended to be friendly semi social occasions really, but with the edge of a bit of competition.

11/03/2016

At last we have a few dry days forecast so we should have a great session on Sunday at 10.30. If you want to join us to try out petanque get in touch, four free sessions for new players and some instruction as well. We share our space with Honiton Football and Crickets clubs in Ottery Moor Lane.

08/03/2016

We are looking forward to our first matches in the Devon League! We will play Ottery St Mary, Isca (Exeter) Chudleigh, Plymouth and two North Devon teams over the Spring and Summer. Home and away. We know it will be a challenge but it should be a lot of fun.

04/03/2016

Better weather recently has been so welcome! Now we can look forward to Spring, joining the Devon League and holding in-club competitions over the Summer. We are still offering four free sessions for new people wanting to try the game - come along on Sundays at 10.30 or Wednesdays at 2pm to give the game a go. Membership is only £25 a year with no playing fees and free loan of boules.

09/02/2016

Still having problems with the wet weather, its not the terrain - playing area which drains really well - its the field where we walk to get there which is totally water logged. Please call 07815 710810 to find out if play is possible.

07/02/2016

The wet weather has finally got the better of us! So far this winter we have been very lucky having only had to stop playing on couple of occasions. But today the field around the terrain was so wet and soggy we were asked to not go there. We are planning on putting down a pathway of 'plastic webbing' costing about £1300 and we need to raise some more money for that, any ideas welcome!

26/12/2015

I just read this and am going to start training for the Olympics in 2024 just in case. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-eu-34796086

An agreement has been signed for boules to be taught in French schools and fans are pushing for Olympic recognition too.

24/12/2015

If you fancy a bit of fresh air, gentle exercise and something different between Christmas and New Year how about joining us for a game of petanque on Wednesday afternoon at 2pm. As long as its not raining we will be there. We have boule to loan you and will offer you a warm welcome and a bit of guidance about how to play.

23/12/2015

Happy Christmas to all! We have enjoyed a very successful first year and are already looking forward to next year! Happy New Year!