Monthly Archives: October 2019

‘The Belt and Road’ International Gateball Invitational Tournament 2019

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This was our second visit to the ‘Belt and Road’ Jinxi cup tournament and despite being on the wrong end of some gateball “lessons” last year, we travelled to the tournament optimistic that we wouldn’t place last this year. We had some excellent new team members, Barry, Ros and Judy and a bit less fear of the unknown.

As it turned out the optimism was not totally unfounded, and despite placing 16 th again, I didn’t feel we were as outclassed as last year. The atmosphere was fantastic and everyone was friendly, with the tournament being played with great spirit.

One thing that hadn’t changed was the lightning fast artificial grass lawns, and a number of times we suffered at the hands of the merciless pace. We did manage to keep our balls on in the second game and were in control for the first half until an inexplicable miss by your correspondent let the local Jinxi team in, and we ended up losing 14:9.

Our final game against Singapore attracted a large and vibrant crowd, who cheered us on, especially when a long touch by Barry took off the opposition balls. This allowed us to recover from a difficult start, and the game ended 12:12. We lost on count back, but really should have won the game – the perceived wisdom from the crowd suggests an error in strategy, but I don’t think either option was easy and sometimes you just have to pick one.

The tournament was a lot of fun and maybe we will take advantage of invites to Hong Kong and Macao next year!

Thanks to the Jiangsu Gateball Association and everyone involved in the management of the event, together with my team mates – Barry, Judy, Peter, Ros and Trish.

Geoff Crook
Woodville Croquet Club

Hong Kong Duo play in WA before heading to Cairnlea at the end of November for the Australian Championship

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WA’s gateball fraternity might be small and relatively recently  underway, but when 2 visitors from Hong Kong expressed a hope to catch some play  while here on holiday , a call to accommodate brought a fine response.

Cambridge Croquet club hosted the morning and, in perfect sunshine, we gave Nicole and her sister Julie a taste of play that might come close to conditions they will experience in Melbourne next month.

 Not sure about the quality of competition they sampled!

These two delightful ladies were very appreciative and we now constitute a fan club that will follow their fortunes in the Nationals.

Pictured…Murray, Judy, Kerry ,Robyn, Sandy ,Nicole  and Julie.

With Brian obligingly behind the camera.

Takayoshi UemuraThanks Gateballwest for the story. Nicole and Julie are joining Woodville International Friends for the forthcoming Australian Gateball Championships at Cairnlea. other members of the team are Woodville’s Chris Crook and Trish Fazackerley, Graeme Thomas of Hyde Park, Takayoshi Uemura and Tadashi Takahashi of Japan

The list of teams participating in the event is

QLD

Capricorns

Pine Rivers

Multimacs

Southport Red

Southport White

Redcliffe Roses

 

CNSW

Lithgow Lightning

Sydney Epstars

Canberra

Hunter Allsorts

 

SA

Woodville (Aus)

 

VIC

Kew

Essendon

 

INTERNATIONAL

Join, Korea

Woodville (International)

Kings, India

China 1 (The CGA still have to provide the names of their teams)

China 2

 
 

Australian Gateball Championships 2019: Winning Koreans visit Sydney for warm up games!

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In 2017, Korea’s Unicorn team won the Australian Gateball Championship. They are back to defend their title at Cairnlea in 2019. Only two of the players from the original team are playing and they have renamed themselves “Join”

They were a highly skilled team and look like being so again. Their name change was explained as follows:

“I named my team “Join”. Before the gateball, my teams were all different. I went to the gateballs where they lived, and I built up friendships.
Gateball is a sport that connects balls to balls, and you can play good games only when the balls are gathered and connected. The player is the same. Only when you connect with the next player will a good game be created.

So I named it “Join”, the most suitable word for a gateball.”

They are coming to play in Sydney and the Blue Mountains before the Australian Gateball Championships in Melbourne the following weekend. Anyone interested or passing through Sydney is invited to turn up at one of the venues where the Koreans are playing.

Please contact info@gateball.com.au  if you would like to play the Koreans before they head to Cairnlea. Your enquiry will be passed to the appropriate club. It’s an opportunity not to be missed.

The program is listed below:

-Thursday 21st November,Epping Croquet Club 

-Friday 22nd November, Mosman Croquet Club. 

-Saturday 23rd November to Monday 25th November, Blue Mountains and Lithgow Croquet Club

-Tuesday 26th November, Strathfield Croquet Club 

Capricornian Team Ready for the Australian Gateball Championship

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At the recent Toowoomba Gateball Competition there were members of the Capricornian Team displaying their newly- designed uniform. It is dark blue with areas of pink shading. On the left side, a map of QLD has been embroidered as well as a Gateball stick showing where they live in Central QLD. On the right side is their name. The team looked very smart wearing the shirt with white shorts or trousers.

This team has been formed by two players each from the Rockhampton and Capricorn Coast Mallet Sports Clubs and Gracemere Croquet Club. The team came third in the Toowoomba competition. More success is promised and they are fine tuning their tactics and teamwork.

In the photo from L-R. Steve Kele (Rockhampton MSC), Roseanne Mathewson (Gracemere CC), Cheryl Kele (Rockhampton MSC), Robyn Lyon (Capricorn Coast MSC), Peter Kajewski (Gracemere CC). Absent was Kathleen Hayes (Capricorn Coast MSC).

Toowoomba Gateball Tournament

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The Toowoomba Gateball Tournament held from 5th- 7th November was a huge success despite the hot, dry weather and bushfires burning in the region.  A lot of water was poured onto the lawns in the last month to obtain an even coating of grass as we are going through the worst drought on record.

There were 9 teams teams competing- two each from Toowoomba and Southport, one each from Ipswich, Caloundra, Redcliffe, Capricornia and a composite team with players from Rockhampton, Tamborine Mountain and West Toowoomba. It was really good to welcome a new team called Capricornians which was formed by two players each from three Croquet Clubs in Central QLD- Gracemere, Rockhampton and Capricorn Coast. The team has been preparing specifically for the Australian Gateball Championships in Melbourne at the end of November. Wearing their special, attractive new uniforms, all of the players are uniting into a strong force. They came third in the competition.

The winners of the teams competition was Southport Red with Redcliffe Roses coming 2nd whilst 3rd place went to Capricornians.

Southport Red wins the Toowoomba Gateball Competition

Redcliffe Roses came 2nd

The doubles attracted 14 teams competing in two blocks. It was fitting that the Doubles Team that went through undefeated from Block A  (Cheryl and Steve Kele ) and Block B (Jan Wells and Sandra Reynolds) met in the final. It was a very close win 10-9 to Jan and Sandra. Likewise, it was a close finish in the tussle for 3rd and 4th place which involved a win by countback to Glenda and Robyn against Emma and Warren.

The winners of the Toowoomba Gateball Doubles were Jan Wells and Sandra Reynolds being presented their prize by Paul Reynolds, President of Toowoomba CC

Cheryl and Steve Kele came 2nd in the Gateball Doubles and also received their prize from Paul.

During the weekend there was a celebration of the 96th Birthday for popular Toowoomba player, Frank Harding. A birthday cake was supplied and he had to cut the cake and blow out the candles.

Happy 96th Birthday. Frank and his birthday cake.

That was not the only excitement for Frank. A reporter from the local TV station, WIN Toowoomba, interviewed him as well as Ethan Chilton aged 14. They represented the oldest and the youngest players at the Toowoomba Tournament. See the Gateball Australia Facebook Page for the wonderful TV segment.

Frank Harding, 96, and Ethan Chilton, 14, enjoy their Gateball.

I would like to thank everyone who made our tournament a success.

Group Photo

 

Sandra Reynolds