Sheridan Stopps
We’ve had perfect conditions at the Noosa Croquet Club this winter with members and visitors playing in record numbers.
There were six competitors with a chance of finishing in the top three when we played the final round of our Saturday Singles Series on 5 August – Will Godsall, Lorry Ryan, Barry Mclaughlin, Margaret Hudson, Teresa Martin and Nigel Read.
Nigel Read (Nambour) had led the field from Day 1, and gained 13 more points on to win with 106 index points.
Margaret Hudson (Coolum) came second with 85 points, and Lorry Ryan was in third place with 82.
When our Shield Team played their last match on 14 August, they were in second place behind Bribie Island. They had to win and Bribie had to lose, if they were to triumph in this year’s competition.
And that’s what happened! We beat Coolum 7 to 3, and Bribie Island lost to Nambour.
Our Plate Team this year were all relatively new players with little or no competition experience, so it was no surprise that they lost their first five matches. But they learned quickly and really hit their straps at the end of the season, winning their last three matches.
In the Jan van der Linden Memorial Doubles the result could not have been closer. Lorry Ryan and Will Godsall won with four games and 10 net hoops. Teresa Martin and Ann Glynn were runners-up with four games and 9 net hoops.
There was also a close result in the club championships. Aniko Osvald gained two hoops more than runner-up Rob Moncrieff, to win the Division 1 Championship.
