These annual Gateball competitions were held at Southport Croquet Club from Saturday 25th to Monday 27th June, 2022. Six courts were laid out.  

Gathering for the start of the Competition

First of all was the Gateball Teams event with nine teams competing of which quite a few were composite teams. This is good because it allows people to participate even if there is not a full quota of players from their own Club. Three very keen players from Canberra (Margo and Andrew Davies plus Peter Wood) played with two players from Bribie Island. Joining two players from Moreton Bay were three of our regular participants from Rockhampton (Cheryl, Steve and Chris Kele). 

So, if enthusiasm to travel to compete is a prerequisite for success, it is no coincidence that these composite teams played very well and ended up as place getters. The team games were played all day Saturday and on Sunday morning. The winning team was Southport Red who went through the 8 rounds undefeated. Congratulations indeed to this very good but new combination- three of the usual members were unavailable for this weekend.  L-R  Peter Sweet, Kathie Grant, Gaye Pitman, Lee Wentworth (C.). Yoko from the Sponsor -Vision Michelle Hare Eyecare Plus Optometrists , Amanda Wentworth and Julia Tai

Southport Red Team wins the Teams Competition

Second place was taken by the team “Those Guys” which included the Kele Family, Emma Mauceri and Kaelan Sweetman. 

Those Guys came second.

Third place went to the Bribie Mixers which had two from Bribie Island Club- Sam Morris and Keith Chur- Hansen- and the three mentioned who were from Canberra- Margo and Andrew Davies and Peter Wood.

Bribie Mixers came 3rd.

The presentation was made by Yoko who represented the Sponsors of the event- VISION Michael Hare Eyecare Plus Optometrists. The competition was a very friendly and smoothly-run event with everyone enjoying the warm, calm winter weather.

Doubles Competition 

There were fifteen teams that were able to participate in this year’s Gateball Doubles in the MSOB event. Two Blocks were allocated to the entries. It began after midday on the Saturday and it was completed on Sunday afternoon. Thanks to all of the people not participating but who stayed to assist in the various tasks that are needed like attending the scoreboard, or being the recorder. 

The winner of Block A was the “The Two P’s” ( Peter Wood and Peter Sweet) and in second place was “The Kele Crew” ( Steve and Chris Kele). The winner of Block B was “Brains and The Brawn” ( Cheryl Kele and Kaelan Sweetman) while the runners up were “The Maroons” ( Kathie Grant and Barbara Northcott).

After the semi final games concluded,  the winners were the teams who came second in their Block- The Kele Crew and The Maroons. 

The Grand Final was quite a see-sawing game with neither team assured of the win.  However, The Maroons team was victorious scoring 14 points to 11 points for The Kele Crew. “It was an exciting game”, many spectators said.

Kathie Grant and Barbara Northcott came first and presenting the Trophy and prizes was Keith McLeod

Chris and Steve Kele with Keith McLeod

The presentation was made by Keith McLeod who has been the most influential person in developing the sport of Gateball since its introduction to Australia in the 1980’s. Third place went to The Two P’s.

Peter Wood and Peter Sweet came 3rd

Our Annual Gateball Tournament was held on 30th April, 1st, 2nd May. A lovely weekend with Teams and Doubles events. The weather was great and  would really like to thank the teams who came such a long way :- Eildon White, Caloundra, Toowoomba, Southport, and Capricorn Coast a little closer to home. Southport had 2 Rocky players in their team, and Towoomba also had a Rocky player.

Southport went through the teams event undefeated. Congratulations.

The winning team contained two players from Rockhampton and four from Southport. L-R Coral, Donna, Margaret, Rob, Lynne and Eunice

Second place went to the local Rockhampton Team.

The Rockhampton Team L-R John, Cheryl, Chris, Steve, Margie and Robyn

 Doubles had 2 blocks (A) made up of (6) sets of Doubles and (B) block (7) sets of Doubles. The final was between ‘Kele Krew’, and ‘Red & Redder’, with Kele Krew taking the winners trophy. Congratulations to all, a great weekend.

The Winning Doubles team was Steve and Chris Kele from Rockhampton on the left and Philip Rowlands and David Buckle on the right of John Dargel, President of Rockhampton MSC

Lynne Farry

For the tenth year Southport  held its annual Gateball Triples. It was the first place in Australia to introduce Triples Competitions. Having nine teams participate was very pleasing considering the travel needed to attend the Australian Gateball Championship which was held just three weeks ago in the same area. Two teams came from Eildon, and one each from Moreton Bay and  Rockhampton as well as five teams from the Southport itself.

Playing Triples requires a player to be very active and the Captain needs to think very quickly to make plans or to counter the movements of the balls played by the opposition. It is not as hectic though, compared to Gateball Doubles. As a result, Triples Competitions are becoming more popular because so many Gateball players are appreciating this variation in the game. Special bibs are required but nothing else that is different is required.

Playing Gateball Triples at Southport Croquet Club.

All three courts were busy during the morning. The cross over Semi-finals were played after lunch. In this arrangement the winners of both Blocks A and B played the runner of the other block. Whilst two teams from Southport made it to the Semi-finals, the Final was played between Moreton Bay and Rockhampton.

The line up at the Final. L-R From Moreton Bay -Warren Dowse, Kaelan Sweetman, Emma Mauceri, Christine Roose (Recorder) Margaret Barnard ( Chief Referee,) Julia Tai  (Assistant Referee), and The Special K team was Steve, Chris and Cheryl Kele

It was wonderful that the Special K team travelled from Rockhampton to play and it included Mum-Cheryl, Dad – Steve and their son- Chris who had to travel from Townsville. Last year at Southport’s MSOB Gateball Doubles Competition, Steve and Chris won the event. They have continued that ‘winning feeling’! Congratulations to the Special K team. For all of their games, these three were in great form and did not lose a match. It was a very enjoyable day of Gateball with only few showers to cool us down.

The Special K team comprised Cheryl, Steve and Chris Kele and were the Winners of the Triples.

It was fitting that the final of the Australian Gateball Championship was  between a Southport Red team from  the host state, Queensland, and the runners up in the last Australian Gateball Championships, Kew from Victoria. The Southport Red Team had won the QLD Gateball Teams Championships in September 2021.

The teams that played in the Grand Final. Back Row is Southport Red while in the middle and front row is the Kew Team.

Like many games in the competition, the final was closely fought, with Kew winning 11 – 9. A late agari scored by Elaine Coverdale clinched the game.

The analysis of the game from Philip Brown, Captain of Kew -“The final was a tense tussle. Kew had the red balls and strategically protected gate 2 longer than you normally would, deliberately declining attempts on gate 2 in the second round. Much of the mid-game was jockeying for position. Both teams attempted touches of opponent’s balls, rather than scoring attempts. Towards the end of the game, ball 9 made gate 3 from some distance and just missed the goal pole. However, an excellent long-distance touch from ball 1 allowed 9 to be sparked Agari. This gave Kew a solid 4 point lead. At the call of time the game was still live – though it would have required a superb cross-court touch from gate 2 to gate 3. In the end, the Agari of ball 9 proved decisive.”

Speaking at the end of the game, Philip Brown acknowledged the late Trish Watts and Kerry Seipolt, who has recently been unwell. Both had been important members of previous Kew teams. The biggest smile was on the face of Gilon Smith, as this is the third time he has played in a winning team at Australian Gateball Championships. 

Kew- Winners of the Australian Gateball Teams Championship for 2022