EUROPEAN CLUB LEAGUE AT LEIGHTON LINSLADE
By Gwyn Grout
Leighton Linslade Croquet Club was very proud to host a heat of the European Club League over the weekend of 1st and 2nd August. This was our first venture into such a prestigious level of competition and, together with our landlords at Leighton Linslade Town Council, we had been preparing for it all year. The lawns were looking as best as they possibly could, given the dry weather. The ability to keep some green evident was helped by the purchase of a new sprinkler, and shed for hose storage, aided by a generous grant from the East Anglian Croquet Association. Our club house and surround were also shown at their best, despite a small incident the week before when a member got locked into a toilet cubicle and the door had to be broken down. Fortunately a member, talented in DIY, was able to make it usable. Four teams came together to compete in three matches; all playing all. It was a very close run thing with the team from Tolkis, in South West Finland, coming out a victors by winning all of their three matches. This is quite a feat, as they play their croquet on one artificial grass lawn in the middle of a pitch otherwise used for football. Tolkis were not the only team hampered by circumstance. The Spanish team, Golf XAZ, from North West Spain, arrived in the UK without their croquet mallets, which remained in Madrid airport for the duration. Some generous Leighton Linslade members, who were not playing, kindly donated a selection of mallets for the team to choose from. I must say that my mallet fared better in the hands of Angela than it ever does with me! Not to be left out, the team from Switzerland, Zurich, had to leave before all the games had been completed as they had a flight to catch. They still took second position. As you can see. it was an eventful competition all round. Despite these various setbacks, a great weekend was had by all. Tolkis go forward to the final in October in Carrickmines. All those who took part this weekend hope that they go on to win. Zurich and Leighton Linslade guaranteed themselves an opportunity to participate in the competition next year. We are already looking forward to that.
WOKING OPEN SERIES IN PICTURES
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