Club Latest: Euro Cup
Following on from the club’s success in 2021 in winning the PE Euro Cup Trophy, the Bath Grand Cru Club has successfully qualified for the round 4/semi-finals of the Euro Cup this season. This is the stage at which the final 16 club teams around the country meet to play in groups of 4. It’s also the stage where the 4 top seeded teams enter the tournament and where just 1 team from each group can go through to the cup final. The Bath Grand Cru squad will travel to Luton PC on Sunday 10th July to play its 3 semi-final matches.
Bath Grand Cru December 2020
So, here we are in November and locked down once again in the battle to beat the virus. However, during the spell earlier this Summer whilst restrictions were lifted, there was a period when organised, competitive sport, including Petanque could take place, adhering to the health and safety guidelines recommended by the government, Sport England and our own governing body, Petanque England. During this time, players were freed up to compete in formal organized competition. The Bath Grand Cru Petanque Club players were pleased to take advantage of this opportunity to participate in local and regional events once again, and it was no trouble to fill the places in the club's representative teams.
It was an unusual season, often with organisers needing to revamp playing formats to comply with Covid-19 safety guidelines, specifically with doubles or singles only play and allowing sufficient space between each game.
However, in many cases this was successfully achieved, responding to the relief and enthusiasm shown by the teams to get out on the piste and play some competitive Petanque.
In a well-established, strongly supported and highly competitive league, perhaps geographically the widest catchment of any league within the area, not all regular teams were able to take part, but for those 10 which entered, the season saw a change to the usual league system. A "World Cup" style competition was run where 2 groups of 5 teams were set up, and teams played against the other 4 in their respective group during the initial first phase. The 2 top teams from each group would then progress to play against those teams from the other group in the knockout semi-finals.
The 2 teams from the Bath Grand Cru Club were drawn in separate groups. The Grand Cru Team, 2019 undefeated champions, qualified in some style for the semi-final by going through undefeated in all matches. It was only in the semi-final when this team tasted defeat against a strong Northey Arms Team with the advantage of a home draw.
The club's other team: "Bath Premier Cru," so named to avoid confusion in this league, lost early on to Northey Arms in a group match, but then won all other matches in a tightly contested group. The Premier Cru went through to the final, beating The Pirates (from Keynsham) in the semi, and again had to face Northey Arms.
This time, with the match played on a neutral terrain at The Wheatsheaf Pub, Corston, it was Bath Premier Cru to reverse the previous result and emerge as the 2020 season's champions, with a resounding 5 points to 2 match result. It was a fitting finale for the tournament, very well contested and played in a great sporting spirit, despite a typical cold and damp October evening.
Team Captain, Dave Ramplin newly appointed this season, had led his squad to victory in style and was obviously very pleased to receive the trophy on behalf of the PC team and Grand Cru Club, complimenting the opposition on a great final match and a strong season and their gracious approach to defeat at the final hurdle. Dave had been honest to say that he'd felt, "sick as a parrot," when it seemed group qualification for his team was doubtful, but was now, "over the moon," leading his team of champions in his inaugural season as captain.
Perhaps something of particular note about this season's Premier Cru Squad, was that 50% of the players were female, and in fact the 6 team players winning in the tournament final were made up half male and half female. A positive and encouraging move towards gender participation and equality within the sport perhaps. Maybe in future, such a point will not be sufficiently unusual to deserve a mention!
Bath Grand Cru July 2020 Shooting Competition
December 2019
Click Player 1
The Bath Grand Cru Petanque Club has progressed successfully through the early rounds of the national PE Euro Cup For Clubs 2019/20.
The club team has reached the semi-final stage of this knockout competition, which is scheduled to be played in early April 2020.
The semi-finals are organized with teams competing in 4 groups of 4 across the country. With each team playing the other 3, the winning team from each group goes through to play in the final, and then into Europe-wide competition.
At the semi-final stage, the top 4 seeded teams now enter the tournament, with one allocated to play to each group, and Grand Cru has The Meadow Club from Kent in its group.
The semi-final stage will mean extremely tough competition, but the Grand Cru team will be hoping to capitalize on the successful season, finishing as league champions , without losing a single match.
Chris
"Bath Grand Cru Petanque Club at The France Show!"
London Olympia 2019.
Once again a group of players from The Bath Grand Cru Club put on a Petanque show for the general public at the annual France Show, London Olympia,
25-27 January.
The show provides attendees with information about all aspects of French lifestyle and culture, and it's great that there's a temporary indoor piste installed for people to come and try out the sport.
The Bath Club players were pleased to contribute to showcasing Petanque, maybe "spreading the word," attracting new players, and also show the public what a competitive match looks like as they competed against a squad from The London Region in an exhibition match.
As all players know, one of the essentials when playing is to concentrate fully on the match and, when it's your turn to play, each of your own boule deliveries.
There can often be numerous distractions on or around the playing terrain wherever you go.
Here, you can see how Club Captain, Chris Garratt, remains disciplined and fully focused on the match in hand; he manages to shut out the distractions of everything around in the vicinity, including the lively music and French can-can dancing troupe on the adjacent stage.
As Chris says,"An example to you all!l....no, don't put that last bit in! 😁
Bath Grand Cru
Over the weekend of 27/8 January, players from The Bath Grand Cru Club joined with members of London Petanque, to showcase the sport for the general public at the annual France Show, held at London's Olympia Exhibition Hall.
With large numbers of people attending the show over 3 days, this is an excellent opportunity to put the sport of Petanque on show and, of course, to spark an interest in potential new recruits.
Despite the distraction of the dancing can-can troupe and other events on the adjacent main stage at regular intervals, many people came to try their hand at Petanque on the temporary terrain, under expert guidance from the Bath and London players.
There was also the competitive highlight of the weekend as Bath played a head-to-head match against London on the Saturday afternoon. The public gathered around the terrain barrier to see some top play in a well-fought contest, with much "playing to the crowd" of course.
The show organisers expressed their gratitude to the players for their contribution to the show with such a lively and interesting activity for the public, and for those involved, it was such a pleasure to play the sport in the warm and dry at this time of year.
Bath Grand Cru
Last Winter (2016/17) The Bath Grand Cru Petanque Club got together with The Bath League de Petanque to run, "Petanque de la Gare."
This was the inaugural season for a competitive league playing indoors with the new, synthetic, "boules d'interieur." This type of boule is one which enables play to use any type of indoor surface without causing damage to boule or playing surface, whilst achieving many of the playing characteristics of outdoor, metal boules and the real game. Therefore, it enables players to continue to play during the harsh Winter weather conditions we have in this country. Another plus point is that, although players will use the same skills and techniques as they do outdoors, the specific demands of this variation require some minor adaptations, thereby further developing players' skills for any situation.
We believe that this was a ground-breaking initiative for this club, as it seems to be the very first league of this type to be organized in this country. The venue for this season is again at The Bath, city-centre Green Park Station, with the base there at The Green Park Brasserie, whose hospitality and special offers on all types of refreshments for the players and supporters is extremely welcome and is a significant part of the whole experience. Play is on the wooden surface of the market square.
The league opens on January 11th for an evening of informal and friendly competition, giving new teams the opportunity to get to grips with the game and for the experienced teams to get back in the groove. Thereafter we meet on alternate Tuesday evenings, 6pm during the remaining Winter months.
New (triples) teams are always welcome to join in with this friendly, enjoyable event Contact Chris Garratt for any further information.
07789470577