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Heart of Austin Pétanque Club

HOT Petanque Tournament

On April 1, 2012, the Heart of Texas Petanque Club will host its annual Open Doubles Tournament at the Mueller-Browning Hangar in Austin, Texas. The Browning Hangar, built during the Second World War when there was a shortage of steel, is a historically unique structure remaining from Austin’s Robert Mueller Municipal Airport. The renovated aircraft hangar of glued laminated wooden arches has a clear span of approximately 130 feet, rising to a height of 37 feet which accommodates 15 petanque courts inside and another 8 courts outside with a playing surface of decomposed red granite.
Sign up while team openings are available and come to experience the thrill of playing in one of the world’s truly awesome venue as a boulodrome.. Teams will be coming as far as France, Morocco, Greece, Colombia, as well as national teams from TX, FL,CA,LA,Mi etc...
It is open and free for the general public to watch the games. We have food vendors on site.
PASS IT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. TO SIGN UP EMAIL ME BACK OR CALL 512 468 0957
THANK YOU.
--
A + LOVE Arsene
Arsene Dupen

Heart of Texas Pétanque Club

Valley of the Moon Pétanque Club

Friends, Romans, Countrymen (and women):

Mark your calendars for our next event, the Ides of March mêlée, taking place on Sunday March 25th. As per usual, registration ends at 10:00 am for a random draw tournament ($5 per person, doubles format). Lunch will be prepared by the lovely Narin with "Hail Caesar" Salad and Clam Chowder served with sourdough bread on the menu ($8 per person). Bring your plateware, cutlery and beverage. We will serve iced lemon water. Please reserve by Friday, March 23rd via the club hotline (707) 343-9465 or website www.vompc.org. Beware the random draw!

California Commemorative Cup- Slideshow

The California Commemorative Cup took place at LPM's Pierre Joske courts in San Rafael, last Sunday the 11th, and from all appearances, despite the threat of rain, was a resounding success.

Twenty teams from clubs as far away as Mendocino and Lafayette, not to mention Sonoma, Petaluma and of course our own, battled for the honor of having their names engraved on the cup.

In the end, LPM's Claudie Chourré and Lamorinda's Etienne Rijkheer triumphed over the field to win the honors. Their struggle was great, given that the competition was fierce, yet their perserverance and spot-on performances enabled several unexpected upsets.

LPM would like to congratulate, not only the winners, however all of the contestants who participated in making the competition exciting and the day enjoyable.

Dan Feaster of the Redwood Empire Boules Club took some fantastic images of the days events and can be viewed by clicking on slideshow.

California Commemorative Cup

Lamorinda Pétanque Club - Mardi Gras

EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER

A Note From Nan Walter

Last Sunday Dan and I went to the oldest pétanque club in America La Boule d'Or of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco for a tournament. We played on separate teams. The courts are veneralbe and as Finn can attest, very challenging to play. Dan's team came in third. There was a young French woman, a SF State student from Poitiers, who was doing a documentary film on the tournament there. She selected our team to follow for the day. Some of her footage is available on line. The team is yours truly; pointer; Higgins, tall guy in hat, former owner of Glendeven Inn, Little River, shooter and captain; Steve Jones, chiropractor, Petaluma, middle. We had a wonderful day and were pleased with our results. We were the only team to beat the winners! We also beat the second place team. Of the teams that finished in the money only Dan's third-place team beat us. The way the points are tallied accounts for our not finishing in the money.

The weather was gorgeous and much fun was had by all. Interesting to note, we were the only exclusively Anglophone team in the competition. Dan was the only native English speaker on his team. All the other teams were Francophone. Announcements were made in French and the handbill was in French.

Nan

La boule d'or contest from Alice Debois-Froge on Vimeo.

Nationals in Fresno

If you plan to play in the nationals coming up in Fresno, the following is information that might help you deciding where to stay.

Nationals in Fresno April 28 & 29

Stay 1 block from the pistes!

The Ramada Inn

324 E. Shaw Ave.

Fresno, CA. 93710

559-224-4040

$70 rate

under: Fresno Petanque Club

CODE #: FRES-00

La Boule Cadienne de Lafayette

Last year, we had a very good time and enjoyed hosting you all. The
competition was good, the entry fees modest, the trophies and awards
were from France and supplemented by merchandise donated by Obut. The
demonstration rounds by Bernard Champey, a former world champion from
France, will again take place. The food here in Lafayette, we believe
is better than New Orleans and the hospitality, well, it's Cajun. The
tournament occurs in the middle of Lent, the time of year that lots of
restaurants have seafood dishes. Even steakhouses carry seafood
specials. It's also crawfish season. So bring an appetite .

Last year, we had built a two court addition to our existing two
courts. The courts were hard packed and difficult and challenging. The
new courts have mellowed and are softer now. We've added a fine layer
of sand to all of the courts and the result is consistent surface.
Additionally, we have an excellent area to play au sauvage. As you
remember, we play under live oaks so its usually cool.

We have a large french speaking community here and you can hear
francophones speaking Cajun and Creole Louisiana French as well as
accents from Europe and Africa.

If anyone needs to advice on where to stay, what to eat or what to
wear, then please contact me at this email address: Michael LeBlanc with a phone

number. I'll call you and we can make some plans for your visit.

Je souhaite que vous autres peux venir ici a Lafayette et jouer dans le tournoi.

Merci/Thanks

Mike LeBlanc

Valley of the Moon Pétanque Club - Calendar 2012

Join The Club

Click on form to highlight, then print.

Valley of the Moon Pétanque Club - 2012 Season

After our moderately mild winter, VOMPC is ready to begin our 2012 season of play with the traditional singles tournament on Sunday, February 26th. This year, we've changed it up a bit by offering chili and cornbread with all the accoutrements. Chefs Narin Garrett cooks a mean chili and Barbara Hall is queen of cornbread. A mere $5 lets you play and $7 gets you fed. Registration ends at 10:00 am. If there is interest and the numbers allow we will have a casual division. Director Peter Wellington will be at the helm. Please RSVP for chili by Thursday of this week via

the website vompc.org (event registration) or the Hotline: 707 299-0484.

Prior to the tournament we shall have a teeny-weeny court clean-up on Saturday, February 25th from 10:00 am to Noon, just to make sure the oak leaves don't outnumber the guests. PLEASE try to donate an hour of your time. Merci, Thank You.

If you're looking to play tomorrow, February 19th, our friends in Lafayette are hosting their "Sunday Funday." The Lamorinda Petanque Courts are located at480 St. Mary's Road. Registration ends at 10:00 am. Although the entry fee is $7. (that includes coffee & croissants), they are refunding bridge tolls for out-of-towners dubbing this their "Two-Buck Chuck" tournament: for $2 you get to chuck your balls around their beautiful courts. Call Etienne (925) 891-4756 for more details or email lampet@lamorindapetanque.com.

Next up is our first league of the season: Winter Mixed Doubles. People are already signing up so start forming your teams. This is for members only, one of the incredible benefits of joining the VOMPC. Six weeks of play, one game to 15 points, $20 per team entry fee. La grande finale (top four teams)and awards ceremony is slated forSaturday, April 21st, 11:00 am. The illustrious director Shannon Bowman is known for her unique prizes, another incentive. Registration ends March 1st so get cracking...

LASTLY, but not leastly, for those looking to travel for a challenge, Sarasota Florida is hosting the National Mixed Doubles (March 10th) and Mens & Womens Doubles (March 11th). Then in April, our friends in Fresno host the National Mixed Triples (April 28th) and Mens & Womens Singles (April 29th). For more information visit the FPUSA website (www.usapetanque.org).

Boule on everyone!

Valley of the Moon Petanque Club

March 2012 Tournament

LPM 2012 Calendar

2012 Bay Area & Beyond Calendar

Click on the desired page to view enlarged version

Bryant Park, NYC soundwalk

Here is a wonderful audio clip narrated by Matthew Broderick about the game of pétanque in Bryant Park located in New York City. It's done so well, that you can "see" the sights and sounds of the park he describes and actually imagine yourself to be there in person.
Bryant Park Soundwalk with Matthew Broderick

Santa Monica Update - Pétanque

Hymne des Fraternises- Joyeux Noel

Petanque club seeks funds for Zanesfield, Ohio project

Written by Nate Smith
Tuesday, 13 December 2011

The growing popularity of an obscure European lawn game has prompted a fundraiser to accommodate the increased number of people who wish to play.
Members of the Zanesfield Petanque Club seek donations to fund an expansion of the club’s lone existing petanque court at Hall-Fawcett Park.
“We’ve really outgrown the size that we have currently,” said Bo Johns, the club’s primary organizer. “We were getting 10, sometimes 20, people for our Wednesday night games and that can result in a lot of standing around for people.

For the complete article, click here

Palisades Park shuffle board courts now pétanque playground

PALISADES PARK — For a game that is far from familiar for most Santa Monicans, Mark Greenberg and his boules are starting to attract some attention.

It's Friday morning in Palisades Park and with the iconic Santa Monica Pier providing the perfect backdrop, pairs of tourists and locals in the middle of their workouts stop and stare as Geenberg crouches inside a small circle drawn in the sand. He pulls his arm back and lets fly a shiny metal boule (French for ball), sending it roughly 15 feet into the air. It lands in the dirt with a thud and rolls a foot toward a small, orange target.

Greenberg is pleased, not with the shot, but with the number of onlookers intrigued by the retired photographer's favorite pastime.

For the complete article, click here

Pétanque Euro-Cup 2011 (CB Monegasque - Duc de Nice )

Panier de Noël - La Boule d'Or

Pétanque in Fernandina

(published, November 10th)

This Saturday and Sunday, downtown Fernandina Beach will look and sound like any typical town on the French Mediterranean. More than 260 competitors (in teams of two) will be playing p/tanque (pronounced pay-tonk), the French cousin of horseshoes and "bocce," the Italian bowling game. Teams are coming from 23 states, Canada and Europe to compete in the 2011 Pétanque America Open, a unique international pétanque tournament held for the third year in a row on Amelia Island.
For the rest of the article, click here.

Park Reopens in Menlo Park

After a 13-month closure, Flood County Park in Menlo Park is set to reopen Saturday afternoon(Nov. 12) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration, San Mateo County officials said.

The 21-acre park has been closed since fall 2010, county officials said, to repair and replace water supply pipelines.

Aside from the park's petanque court and baseball diamond, all park facilities will be open and ready for use, including the seven picnic areas, play structure, horseshoe pits, and volleyball and tennis courts.

The opening celebration is free and will begin at noon, led by San Mateo County Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson and Assemblyman Rich Gordon, D-Menlo Park.

After the ribbon-cutting, park group Friends of Flood Park will host family-friendly activities until 3 p.m., including live music, face painting and a scavenger hunt highlighting the park's history and flora and fauna.

Officials said the annual cost to operate the park is about $374,201 and in the face of funding shortages the county is working to keep the park reopened into the next year. Park officials are working with the Board of Supervisors and looking into moving park operations over to the city of Menlo Park.

The park is located at 215 Bay Road in Menlo Park.

Meet the Fresno Pétanque Club

Pétanque comes to Santa Monica

Pétanque America Open 2011 - Results

2011 PA OPEN RESULTS

CONCOURS A
1 Marco Foyot / Bernard Martin
2 Jean-Pierre Subrenat / Damien Hureau
3/4
Mario Gagné / Ben Gauthier
Peter Mathis / Antoine Geoffroy
5/6/7/8
Alec Sweet / Karim Guennoun
Jean-Pierre Hemery / Phil Hemery
Juan Garcia / Yanick Lauhlé
Joseph Hassoune / Khalid Mesbah

Concours AA
1 Gali Shriki / Alice Aviran
2 Yehuda Cohen / Margalit Ossi
3/4
Ed Porto / Frank Pipal
Guy Labourie / Michel Crouzillat

Concours B
1 Andre Strong / Cynthia Stroud
2 Jo Ella Manalan / Pierrette Sucur
3/4
Lucien Rakotojaona / Thorn Viryasiri
Jon Claessens / Cory Milliord

Consolante A
1 Alain Brunette / Alain Gagnon
2 Dan Feaster / Ken Lee
3/4
Justin Bo Johns / Josh Kotsaris
Francis Chéru / Pierre Lallinec.

Consolante B
1 Nicolas Lacand / Caroline Lacand
2 Gilles Canesse / Eric Moutard
3/4
Narin Garrett / Kate Brideau
Bryan Mason/ Jason Deringer

Consolante C
1 Ernesto Santos / Lorissa Rinehart
2 Steven Matzkin / Simon Adamsdale
3/4
Erin McTaggart / Mike Menefee
Michel Ribet / Jeannot Ruperti

Consolante AA
1 Earl Lovell / Trevor Lovell
2 Tony Lawless / Max Mattes
3/4
Kenneth Chance / Irina Perry
Aaron Naegely / Judith Naegely

Consolante BB
1 Patrick Hayes / Kate Unkel
2 John Hodge / Colleen Hodge
3/4
Lori Nischan / Michel Nischan
Rommert Kruithof / Carine Eijsbouts

Consolante CC
1 Stephen Johns / Fernando Triana
2 James Banks / Nancy Banks
3/4
Anthony Alejandro / Cindy Alejandro
Bill Harris / Joel Shifflet

Pétanque America Open 2011

Click on image for more information

Petanque - The Greatest Game You Never Heard Of.

Here is a great book, just published, about pétanque. Actually the first english language book to be written about the sport.

Pétanque is the world's most egalitarian sport. It can be savored by almost anyone, regardless of age, gender or physical constraints. Yet the complex biomechanics of advanced throws take years to master. Game play is so obvious that even a child can follow it. Yet strategy is multilayered and elusive, revealed only through the insight of skills and experience.

It's refreshingly low-tech and economical. The equipment to outfit 4 to 6 players is 12 baseball-sized steel balls (boules) and a small wooden target jack which can be ordered on-line for less than $75.

Unlike its Italian cousin Bocce, Pétanque doesn't employ a formal, expensive, high-maintenance, groomed court. It's played on small patches of uneven, hard-packed dirt and gravel called "terrains." Bocce is a one dimensional bowling game, but ungroomed terrains force Pétanque players to reach for the sky and execute beautiful, soaring throws. Local club terrains are nearly indistinguishable from those that host international tournaments. Walking paths, public plazas, baseball infields and unpaved parking areas make fantastic terrains. That's why Pétanque is one of the world's most environmentally neutral sports. Terrains don't need water, fertilizer, pesticides, mowing, fossil fuels or maintenance. Multiuse terrains in a variety of shared public spaces are a great option for budget challenged Parks and Recreation authorities.

Also, the random bias of an ungroomed terrain is a great equalizer. Expert and novice may be teamed without diminishing intensity or the joy of competition. Pétanque is an ideal sport for athletically mismatched couples seeking to compete as peers, because style and tactics (usually) triumph over brute strength and unbridled aggression.

It's truly an international sport. Once again contrary to Bocce, Pétanque terrains, rules and terminology are universal. Whether you're in Paris, Cape Town, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City or San Francisco, with a few French words and phrases (used throughout the book) you will be embraced by locals and initiated into their Pétanque community.

That's why it's the greatest game that you never heard of - at least, until now...

From the Author

I love sports. From my early days as an iron pounding gym-rat I branched into technique orientated activities which demand precise bio-mechanics to ensure efficiency, effectiveness and to minimize repetitive motion injury: the astoundingly complex motion of a tennis serve, rolling a fully loaded 19-ft. long sea kayak in 3-ft. swells, the excruciatingly painful, yet artful hand and foot jams of a crack climber and yes, the beautiful flowing whip-like motion of Petanque's au fer shooting all require substantial time commitment and precise instruction to master and unerringly replicate.

That's why I was astounded to discover that a comprehensive Pétanque book had never been written in English or translated from the French. To compound the problem few U.S. Pétanque clubs offer formal or periodic throwing techniques and strategy classes, let alone a structured introduction to rules and etiquette which should be a prerequisite for every novice. This was either a huge oversight or a bizarre conspiracy to keep Pétanque information from the great unwashed masses of America. That's when the impulse to write the book first struck. Like a boxer slipping a punch, I pushed that impulse aside assuming that I simply didn't understand or appreciate the informal resources provided by fellow club members.

So I started playing at the esteemed Portland Pétanque Club and inquired about classes, hiring a coach and written training materials and was openly ridiculed by the regulars. Several months later it came as no surprise when I finally surrendered to the impulse and committed to writing this book that I was immediately shunned; none of the players that I spoke with had any interest in the project. I appealed to the president of the FPUSA (the American Pétanque Association) who is also a member of the Portland Pétanque Club to scour the U.S. membership for interested players - and as the saying goes, "the silence spoke volumes" or in contemporary terms, my emails went unanswered. Flat eyes and apathy greeted me each time I visited another west coast club to perform interviews and attempt to recruit collaborators.

The most disturbing aspects of American Pétanque that I discovered are its elitist and sexist attitudes which are rationalized as historical French cultural prerogatives. In opposition to formal mission statements many America Pétanque clubs are closed communities, accessible by invitation only. Most egregiously this applies to single women. Membership statistics are grossly inflated, in reality fewer than 1-in-5 regular U.S. Pétanque players are women. (I define "regular" as playing at least twice a month.) The Portland Pétanque Club illustrates the most abysmal example. Although they have 100 members, only one woman threw regularly during the entire summer of 2011; during that same period my Pig Iron Pétanque start-up group, which is only five miles from the Portland Pétanque Club, effortlessly recruited nine regular women players within the first six weeks of our inception. To hijack the famous Field of Dreams quote, "Build it and "they" will come, but only if "they" are invited, sincerely welcomed, respected and supported with periodic throwing and strategy training sessions."

The book started to take shape after a fall trip to Belgium and France which provided great exposure to both recreational and high-level play, and interviews with players who love the game and have no reservations about sharing their knowledge. What ultimately made the project so fulfilling and successful was the interaction of the members of my two start-up Pétanque groups. Together we drilled into Pétanque's essence and derived the critical techniques, strategies and etiquette that make it such an incredible sport and threw out all of the ridiculous misogynistic nonsense. The cynic may characterize this approach as "the blind leading the blind". My response is "res ipsa loquitur" (sorry, the benefits of a classics education) - the book "speaks for itself."

I would have greatly welcomed and appreciated support from the rank-and-file players and the American Pétanque Association, but that would have produced a much different book; a book that towed the line and supported the status quo - and I couldn't live with that. Consequently, it's been a bittersweet journey. But I speak for the entire membership of La Boule du Bono and Pig Iron Pétanque when I say that we are proud to help usher in a new inclusive, community-based era of "Pétanque American-Style". We hope that you come to love the game as much as we do.

The book is available at Pétanque America

boules, bier und brats - VOMPC

Hello Dearest Petanque Enthusiasts,

Don’t miss this the Valley of the Moon Pétanque Club Oktoberfest Celebration and tournament this Saturday, October 22. It’s a casual tournament with a focus on fun – perfect for beginners and intermediates as well as the more experienced. Newcomers are absolutely welcome and I encourage you to bring friends who might enjoy our sport.

Behind the grill will be the inimitable* Hans Kurz, famous for his sauerkraut as well as his authentic lederhosen and accent! There are a few spots left for the lunch – sign up right away on the website (vompc.org) or on the hotline (707-343-9465). Lunch includes homemade sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, bratwurst, smoked pork chops and complimentary beer. Wow!

Hope to see you there!


Tournament Director, Peter Mathis

County to buy San Rafael office building for public safety complex

After months of negotiations, Marin officials have agreed to spend about $82 million to buy a San Rafael office building, remodel and equip it as an emergency operations and sheriff's headquarters — and abandon controversial plans to build a new structure near the Civic Center.

Although the deal isn't due for formal approval until next month, county supervisors on Tuesday are expected to announce their intent to acquire the 315,000-square-foot building on 24 acres at 1600 Los Gamos Road, reversing a 2008 decision to erect a $102 million public safety facility in Santa Venetia.

"I'm ecstatic that we're able to bring this one over the finish line," said board president Susan Adams, noting the proposal to build a new safety building in Santa Venetia was opposed by the neighborhood "and we responded."

For the rest of the article, click here

Jacques Pépin Tribute Video

Our friend and fellow bouliste, Jacques Pépin...

Tino Lofaro Memorial Tournament

On October 9, 2011

You are invited to join the members of La Pétanque Marinière & La Boule d’Or In a day of honoring the memory of our Friend and Respected LPM Member

Tino Lofaro

Tournament a la Mélêe – $5.00 entry fee Registration ends 9:30 AM

Concours + Consolante Cash Prizes + Trophies

100 % registration toward prizes

Free Lunch Graciously provided by Sol Food

While there is no charge for this delicious, hot meal...

Reservations are Required!

Awards Ceremony and Aperitifs following tournament

For lunch reservations contact: Alain Efron by email at lutecemeister@gmail.com or 415-479-5820. Please leave the names of all persons reserving!!

Any questions: Call Christine at 415-302-5069 or email @ petanque.marin@gmail.com

Can Britain Come Out To Play

By James Crabtree

The easy-going culture of European public gaming reflects a society seemingly at ease with itself

Most summers when we were kids our parents took my sister and me on holiday to France. I remember being struck by the way young and old would gather in village squares of an evening to talk, drink and play boules. A thought lodged in my head: why didn’t we do that, too?

Britain lacks a culture of playing these sorts of public games. In Holland, strangers play chess in coffee houses. The same happens in public squares in the great American cities, while parks in Geneva are dotted with giant chess sets. Pétanque is part of the social fabric of France and Spain, while on any evening in Greece or Turkey men sit out on pavements, hunched over games of backgammon or dominoes. Not so in Britain.

Personally, I find the case of chess most galling. My dad taught me to play, and I came to love the game. But it wasn’t something anyone played at my school, and the idea of joining a club or league – bringing to mind images of awkward men scribbling down notation on obscure openings – never sounded much fun. So instead I scrounge the odd game here and there, occasionally persuading a friend to take out the pieces. Even then, if you pull out a chess board in a British pub, the other drinkers look at you askance, as if to say: “Oh, so you play chess?”

For the complete article, click here

Wine Country Classic - Tino Lofaro Memorial

Wrap-up of Fresno Juniors trip to Luxembourg

Courtesy of Michael Stasack,
Eugene International Pétanque Club


It was a wonderful experience and we are all glad to have had the opportunity to go represent the USA at an international tournament. We appreciate the support of all those who helped make it happen, especially the FPUSA, individual club donations, and the Fresno Petanque Club whose significant financial support reduced the burden for us all.
To give you all a brief overall impression, this was a well run tournament to which Paul and I believe we should consider sending teams again. We both especially appreciated that it was in the summer so the kids didn't need to be pulled out of school as they would have if we were to have gone to the recently scheduled World Championships in Turkey this October. Neither Paul nor I expect to go to Turkey. With national and local level teams participating, this tournament was a very good test of our level. We played against the best, but also got to play against other teams whose levels more closely matched ours.

The exposure for the FPUSA was positive with many teams expressing their appreciation for us being there and several inviting us to tournaments in their areas. For the kids, having seen the level of international play for boys, girls, and women, we believe they have been motivated to improve and do better next time. Both Paul and I look forward to improving the US junior program and being more competitive in the future. We have a long way to go to win an international tournament, but with a strong base in place we hope to move up in the standings quickly.

This annual tournament is in its 7th or 8th year and had many sponsors, foremost of which was Ferrero who makes Nutella. (The president or vice-president of Ferrero used to be a member of the Kayl club.)

There were 32 women teams and 22 junior teams who played on 24 pistes with another section of the terrain reserved for a concurrent shooting contest. The pistes were small (approx. 3m x 12m) and the surface appeared to be of crushed limestone like you find on the pathways in most French parks.

The sponsoring club was in Kayl, a ten minute drive from Livange where our hotel was and a 25 minute drive from Luxembourg city center. Transportation was provided, but having a car was very advantageous for those who had them. Most teams drove to the tournament from France, Germany, or the Netherlands. Teams also came from Spain, Sweden, Denmark and Israel.

There were tents set up for eating, preparing the food for over 175 people, distributing and selling gifts and a daily snack, as well as petanque equipment. Dinner and lunch were provided each day, prepared by the Ferrero company cook flown in from Italy for this event. All participants received parting gifts including a jar of Nutella, hats, T-shirts, candies and a bottle of Italian wine for the coaches/delegates.

Trophies were given to each player in the top three finishing teams of the concours, consolante, and complimentaire. Substantial awards were given for many of the top finishers including a Wii for each 1st place player and MP3 players for 2nd or 3rd places of the concours. It was quite a production. The main organizer of the tournament, Fabio Foccacetti, begins preparing in January each year.

One drawback for the American teams was the amount of smoking that was tolerated everywhere, including on the pistes and in the dining tents. Since we were invited back, I spoke with Fabio about the issue of smoke. He said there is a good possibility that they could set up a non-smoking tent away from the others tents in the future if we request it.

FYI, Fabio is a former Luxembourgeois champion and one of the Ferrero chauffeurs, Joris Gilet, is a former junior national champion in pétanque and boules lyonnaises for France. Joris is probably in his early 20's now and left Friday to compete in the national boules lyonaises championship, in Lyon of course.

Competition
The first day went from 10:00 am to 10:30 pm with 7 matches per team including byes. Luckily, or mercifully, the US junior team got two byes which were scored as 13-7 wins. Unfortunately we played the eventual first and third place teams in our first two games. We only won one game all weekend, but we played well and got better with each game and were never fannied. There were some very good teams at this tournament who would give our adult teams in the US a run for their money. We are proud to have scored 3 points on France #2, the eventual champions, who got at least two fannies on other teams in the first day and didn't let anyone score more than three points until Germany #2, who eventually took third place, scored 4 on them. (We scored 4 on that German team!) France #2 even beat France #1 by a score of 13-1 on the second day. (The numeration of the two French teams was not indicative of who was better. For them, this was a qualifying tournament to help determine which combination of the 6 French players they brought would be on the national team in Turkey.)

Game 1
As we began the first match against France #2, we didn't know just how good they were. Sure they had just fannied a Luxembourg team of 10, 11, and 12 year old munchkins, and scored nine on us in the first two ends, but then they missed three shots on a great point by Hai and anything Pengsue didn't shoot out they left behind the coch like rookies. Hai had pointed in one early, then Carly had pointed in one later, and then Pensue pointed in one at the end after shooting one out earlier. They each got one against the champs!! Carly pointed in for two more points and the US juniors confidence edged up a notch as we brought the game back within reach, 9-3. With some of their butterflies settled, the US kids went into the next end with some hope that they really could compete at this level if they played like they knew they could. In fact, France seemed worried. Immediately after the US scored three on them, the French coach called them to a huddle and, calmly, but in no uncertain terms let them know that they could not, under any circumstances, let that happen again. (I happened to be sitting right next to them so I could hear it all.) He told them that they would point short, regardless of how short, then when we pointed in closer, shoot us out. That's exactly what happened and, in an impressive display of skilled shooting, they surgically removed our boules with carreau after carreau, ending our hopes of a Cinderella comeback in the next two ends.

Game 2
In the next game, despite losing to France, the kids were feeling okay because, after all, they lost to France. Even when Germany #2 took a 6-0 lead in the first three ends, it was clear to everyone that if we were competitive. In the fourth end we settled down and really showed what we could do. They had missed several shots from 8.5 meters and left some boules close, but on the side. We had one right next to the coch and one behind that was in third position. With two boules left, Carly pointed in a second point then added two more points by bringing the coch back 2 inches to boule sitting in third position. All of a sudden we were only down 6-4! We had already surpassed what we scored in the first game with more strong play. There was no team huddle for Germany #2, but clearly we had gotten their attention. The coach barked out some things in German and they scored 4 in the next end. Even though we held them to short gains from there, we never got another point. (FYI, the shooter for the German #2 team won the shooting competition this weekend with a score of 34 and holds the German record from last year with 58 points. The high score in the competition was 39 by one of the players from France #1.)

Game 3
There was a significant break between the round 2 and 3 for the juniors so after lunch they played a pick up game with a very young from Luxembourg that had lost to France #2 by a fanny. The US kids played loose and fun. They beat the little ones badly. Unfortunately, moments later in the real game, Luxembourg #2 showed that size doesn't really matter and in a very competitive round, they beat the US 13-10. The US was in control for most of the game and it always felt like they just needed to take advantage of one good end to finish them off. But they let Luxembourg hang around and build their confidence. It was a game they should have won, but a great lesson about competition.

Game 4


The kids were a bit tired by now because this game didn't start until about 8:00 pm. Nonetheless, the US knew they could compete with at least some of the teams here and started out well controlling the first two ends, though not taking advantage of all the points they could have gotten. This German team scored 5 in the next round and the momentum shifted. The game went to 8 ends, and again, the US juniors played well, but not consistently well in the same end. Final score, 13-3, Germany wins.

Game 5
Last chance to win something today and mother nature comes into play. Starting at 9:30 pm, skies that had threatened intermittently throughout the day opened up with a deluge that lasted the whole game. It changed both pointing and shooting considerably. Tirs à la raffle, low skim shots, bounced over their targets and carreaux turned to wasted boules. Shirts and shorts became jackets and warm-ups. At this point, with nothing really at stake, the kids played their best game while Haute-Savoie, another French team (but not one with national contenders), played their worst. We pointed and shot like champs most of the game winning the first three ends and going ahead 5-0. Haute-Savoie seemed lost and did not play as well as they had earlier in the day. They had won several games, but in this one they may have hit a shot or two in the whole game and consistently choked when pointing with plenty of space to point in. Even though it wasn't the best display of skills and they did creep back into it when we had a few lapses, the US controlled the game comfortably. Pengsue shot like a champ in this round making carreaux at 10 meters a foot from the out of bounds line twice in a row in one end. Hai pointed like a champ, especially in the last games when he was consistently making the shooter use his boules early. Carly did not need to shoot often, but she hit her shots when she needed to and pointed in for points after Pengsue cleared the opponents points out. Great way to end the day!

Sunday
Even with a 3-4 record on Saturday thanks to byes, the US juniors don't make it to the concours (pool seeding of +66 to +28) or the consolante (+24 to -2). They are at -15, in the middle of the complimentaire seeding which included teams from -13 to -28. With one more win the US could have made it to the consolante. The first round was a bye and we lost the second game to another German team, but played well. We toasted a respectable showing, great learning experience, and a fun, memorable trip.

Notes for this last game are included with the scoring details below.

Shooting Competition
Pengsue got 13 in the shooting competition but had a foot fault that cost him three more points. He ranked 12th out of 21.


Scoring Summary
Saturday
Round USA Score/Opponent
1 13 7 Bye
2 3 13 France #2
3 4 13 Germany #2
4 10 13 Luxembourg #2
5 13 7 Bye
6 3 13 Germany Dreiechenhain
7 13 8 Haute Savoie

Sunday (Single Elimination)
Round USA Score/Opponent
1 13 7 Bye
2 8 12 Germany (Called on time limit of 50 min. + one end)


Scoring Details
Saturday - 7 Rounds
Round 1 bye - US 13-7

France #2 v USA
4-0
9-0
9-3 Yea! No fanny!
10-3
13-3 Yea! We lasted 5 ends!

Germany 2 v USA
2-0
5-0
6-0
6-4
10-4
11-4
12-4
13-4 Getting better!

Luxembourg 2 v USA
13-10. Oh snap!

Round 5 bye 13-7

Germany Dreiechenhain v USA
0-1
0-2
5-2
6-2
7-2
7-3
10-3
13-3

Haute-savoie v USA
0-2
0-3
0-5
3-5
3-8
3-11
5-11
6-11
8-11
8-13. Yea!!! Our first win in a steady rain at 9:30 in the pm.


Sunday - Single elimination
Round 1 Bye - USA 13-7

Round 2

Germany v USA
5-0
5-1
5-3 Pengsue shoots two out at 9 meters, Carly points in one on the coch that they can't shoot out and puts in another.

8-3 Our shot nicked their boule and we didn't point in. Shooting is a lot harder on the wet ground. Carreaux are hard to come by.

8-4 Pengsue shoots out their boule at 9 meters with a chapeau that leaves the coch that was just behind by making their boule jump over the coch. What a shot!

9-4 Carly points short in front but does not get the point. Pengsue shoots and misses long on their boule behind twice but Hai pushes Carly forward. Great pointing! Germany shoots out its own boule, but finally takes the point by pushing us out with a point. Hai has to shoot and is close, but misses.

11-4 9 meters they point and Carly improves on their point. They take the coch and are 5" away. Carly points right on their boule and takes the unshootable point. They point in at 2". Pengsue shoots both their boules out using two boules. They point in again at 1". Hai pushes them. Not enough. Hai pushes again but takes the coch and they get two. Nice try.

11-7 Great pointing by us, poor shooting by other team with Hai's point and Carly's boule blocking. Pensue points in.

11-8 Carly points in 2 they use 6 to take it but, when shooting them out to clear and point in more, Pensue shoots Carly. Hai points in close, then Pensue shoots again and takes coch. We get one, but could have had more. Time limit is 50 minutes plus one end. The 5 minute warning whistle blows.

12-8 We point in and have two points. They shoot and miss badly, but randomly hit the coch which rebounds off a boule sending it backwards to about six meters and giving them the point, though within a pointable distance. We are down 3 points and have only three boules while they have two left. We miss our first two points. Pressure! With our last boule, we could shoot for carreau and take three to tie, but they would still have two boules to easily point in and either win the point or reduce our gain to two. With time running out and a bit of miscommunication from coaches to players, we point to prevent them being able to get two points and win, but we miss it just as time runs out anyway. They get one point for a final of 12-8.

Despite losing, we played well and had a great time in this last game as we overcame adversity and made a comeback run. We really felt we could win it with more time. But in the end, if we had won, we would have gotten a trophy, so it's actually not a bad thing to have lost. Who has room for a trophy in their luggage? This way, we got to watch the finals between France and Italy.

Finals
It was one of the most exciting finals they've ever had at this tournament, France #2 was surprised by Italy who took an unexpected 5-0 lead. With Italy in control most of the game, France nonetheless crept back and finally tied it at 12-12. It was quite a display of skill, strategy, and the effect of pressure. The second to last end was climactic. France was 2 inches in front of the coch at 9 meters and had a second off to the side. Italy was down in the count and having difficulty pointing in close enough to merit shooting. With three boules left, they had their middle shoot out the boule in front of the coch then their shooter came in and shot out the coch on a direct hit for a nul end. Despite the momentum Italy gained from this end, France won the next end when Italy could not point in and waited too long to shoot.

Emile Furlan Memorial Invitation

That's right folks! This is the best event yearly on the west coast.
It is annually hosted by Simone Furlan on her central valley ranch under the cooling shade of her walnut orchard in Knights Landing, California.
It is always an open, select mixed triples with a Saturday evening banquet co-hosted and put on by the

Club Français de Sacramento

Reservations and prepayment are preferred and required (imagine having 100 plus of your closest friends for dinner).
There are many acres available for the campers and motor home sites for those that are adventurist, and motels a short 15 minutes away in Woodland.

We’re looking forward to seeing you there.


Kevin McGill
Director of Petanque
Club Français de Sacramento

Pétanque in Bellevue Downtown Park

If you’ve ever strolled through Bellevue Downtown Park on a Sunday afternoon and wondered what people were playing on the east garden pathway, wonder no more.

The game is pétanque, a French lawn game that looks like a cross between lawn bowling and shuffleboard. The games at Bellevue's downtown park are organized by the Seattle Pétanque Club. The club also is organizing a doubles tournament that starts at 11 a.m. Sunday (registered teams check in at 10 a.m.) at downtown park, and anyone can come and watch. Teams from around the Puget Sound will participate in the tournament.

further reading

For Pepin, Cooking Is About Technique, Not Stardom

Back in the woods, behind the kitchen, French and American flags fly over Jacques Pepin's petanque court. He launches his heavy, metallic ball toward a visitor's, popping it off course with a sharp, expert crack.

"That is how you play petanque," he says, smiling at his pupil.

Whether it's lawn bowling or making an omelet as bright and unblemished as the noontime sun, Pepin is, above all things, a teacher. A trim, elegant 75, the greatest cooking instructor America has ever known has entered a genteel upper middle age. His hair is thinner, the limp from the car accident that turned him from chef to professor is a bit more pronounced. But the man who taught two generations of home cooks — and many of today's celebrity chefs — how to hold a knife can still out-chop a food processor and make boning a chicken look like magic.

"I tell a student that the most important class you can take is technique," Pepin says while chopping chives beneath a decorative tile that reads: "A great chef is first a great technician." ''If you are a jeweler, or a surgeon or a cook, you have to know the trade in your hand. You have to learn the process. You learn it through endless repetition until it belongs to you."

for the complete article

FPUSA NW Regional - Men's & Women's Singles

A last minute reminder:

This Sunday, Aug. 7, Sacramento is hosting the NW Regional Men's Singles and Women's Singles.

If you want to play in the event, call Colette or Reid Evans at (916) 362-0509 to register by phone - as the deadline to register is today.

Visit Club Français de Sacramento's website for the registration form which has the time and other important information.

Hope to see you there