The CNZ South Island GC Championships were held in Marlborough at Brooklyn Croquet Club from 5 to 8 February.
The championships saw the doubles event held on the first two days, with four pairs competing for the title. Day 1 saw a block of best of three matches being played to determine placings in the knock-out to be played on day 2. Eventual finalists Ricky Clement & Ricardo Pintor (Taranaki) and Nicola Clement & Te Kiri King (Taranaki) topped the block with both pairs winning two matches. R. Clement & Pintor’s only loss came against Helen Reeves & John Watson (Central Districts), while N. Clement & King dropped one game against fellow Park Croquet Club members Clement & Pintor.
Clement & Pintor marched into the final with a straight 2 games win (7:2 & 7:5), while Clement & King dropped the first game against Reeves & Watson 1:7, to bounce back and win the next two games 7:5 &7:2 to reach the final.
In the final Clement & King started strongly winning game 1 7:2, before being pushed to 13 hoops in game 2 and ultimately losing that game 7:6. Nicola Clement & Te Kiri King took again control in game three to win 7:3 and securing the South Island GC Doubles Championship.
The Doubles Plate Event was won by Helen Reeves & John Watson who beat Sue Cleveland & Brian Goodwin 7:2 & 7:0.
The Singles event was held on Saturday and Sunday with a single block of eight players playing a single round robin. The top four players qualified for the knockout while the remaining four players continued in the Plate event.
The best of three knockout saw the three players from the Park Croquet Club in Taranaki and one player from Central Districts. Te Kiri King finished on six wins from seven games, followed by Nicola Clement on five wins and Ricardo Pintor and John Watson on four wins each.
In the semifinals the top finishers King & Clement proved too strong for their opposition, with both qualifying in straight games. King beat Watson 7:4 & 7:3, while Clement beat her club friend Pinto 7:2 & 7:6.
In the final Clement pushed King to 13 hoops in game 1 before losing 7:6. Game 2 was less competitive with Te Kiri King controlling play and winning 7:2 to secure the South Island GC Singles Championship in addition to the doubles title won a few days earlier.
The Singles Plate event was won by Helen Reeves who won all games in the Plate block.
Congratulations to all the winners and thank to the manager Peter Burt, referees, all volunteers and the Brooklyn Croquet Club and Croquet Marlborough Nelson West Coast for a very well managed tournament!
