SPA Scottish Triples was held at Inverleith Park hosted by the Inverleith Petanque Club on Sunday the 19th of July.
Twelve teams rolled up on a grey morning to the welcoming smell of bacon or sausage butties and coffee. Of the twelve teams nine were Grand Prix teams, albeit a couple of heavyweights were missing, so a good dog eat dog fight was anticipated!
The morning session was simple – three leagues of four, top two from each league plus the two best thirds qualifying for the afternoon Swiss and glory.
With the weather as fickle as ever, sun, cloud, wind and the odd spot of rain and add to that the incessant noise of chain saws and tom-toms from the Fair in the park adjoining the piste, play began. The anticipated dog fight came to pass – the Bears and Inverleith Petanque Athletes (winners and third respectively at GP3) were relegated to the plate and Birds and Bees only squeezed into the main on points difference!
The afternoon ‘Swiss’ progressed and the two unbeaten teams – Los Amigos, who defeated Cabbage and Ribs and Silence is Golden, and Maboule winners against Nord Ecosse and Midgetiers met to decide the destination of the Scottish Triples.
Los Amigos romped ahead and were 7-0 up after two ends, but at 9-2 down Maboule, after a telling off from Aunty Zandra, woke up, pulled up their socks and ground out a 13-9 victory. Inverleith Petanque Athletes reached 13 points before the Bears to win Plate.
The SPA TRIPLES RESULTS
1st – Maboule – Zandra Boyle, Judy Collier and Douglas Hamilton.
2nd – Los Amigos – Ernie Burden, John Porter and Allan Murray.
3rd – Silence is Golden – Margaret Mauchline, Eileen Moonie and Alice Sheach.
The PLATE
1st – Inverleith Petanque Athletes – Derek Adam, Colin Stewart, and Stephane Maurage.
2nd – The Bears – Gavin Hilson, Mike Watt and Alex Davie.
The other teams taking part were – Midgetiers, Birds and Bees, Cabbage and Ribs, Champignions, Nord Ecosse, Rocky 3 and Triple A.
Thanks, once again, to Inverleith Petanque Club for their hospitality, bacon butties and stovies and gateau at lunch time and to Derek for the smooth running of the competition.
Douglas.