The Cambridge Cats won the first ever WA Gateball Triples Championship at the weekend on the Forrest Park CC lawns. Five teams played for the GOLDEN GATE! The winning team owns it for the following year, and may, if they choose, use on their lawns in inter-club competitions to intimidate their opposition!

Gilon Smith, represented Gateball Australia at the event and  travelled from Melbourne to be Tournament Chief Referee. He also ran coaching at Cambridge CC on Saturday morning and at Forrest Park CC (headquarters of Croquetwest) on Saturday afternoon. Gilon was asked to present the Golden Peg to the best Team Captain. Robyn Cornish, captain of Cambridge Cats was his choice.

 GateballWA announced at the presentations, that the Golden Gate WA Triples Tournament will be included on the GateballWA and Croquetwest calendars from 2020.  

An expansion plan  for gateball in 2020, will be submitted to Croquetwest for approval in the next few weeks. That plan will include the setting up of an inter-club competition.

Gilon Smith (Our Wise Man from the East, as he was named), did  magnificent work. A morning of coaching at  Cambridge Club on Saturday,  then an afternoon version at Forrest Park CC. On Monday morning a workshop on refereeing was conducted at  Victoria Park CC. 

 The first ever WA tournament ran very smoothly with no delays/hitches/moans or groans. Local coordinator, Murray Loane was very, very pleased with the event. All players went home happy with their experience. Forrest Park ran a team of five players. Two of that five, had not played gateball, or croquet, previously. Another two of that team had not played gateball, at all, during the winter, and the final member of their five, had her first refresher game last Friday afternoon at E. Fremantle. The atmosphere of the competition was so happy and welcoming,new players have already signed up with Forest Park Croquet Club.

Story submitted by Murray Loane, WA