SAWTELL’S croquet courts last week welcomed players from a number of clubs, including Ballina Cherry Street, Hurstville, Toronto, Newcastle, Urunga, Coutts Crossing and Sawtell, to compete in three days of Ricochet competition.

Fiercely-contested doubles matches set the tone for the first day’s play, with David Scott of Ballina Cherry Street and Colleen Brooks of Hurstville proving to be a formidable duo, sweeping through their matches with ease and ultimately clinching the top spot in the competition.

The singles event was an exciting double round-robin format.

Round one was open competition but, in round two, the playing field was levelled with handicapping to keep spectators on the edge of their seats.

The last match of the day for Block A was a decider for winner and runner up.

Kay Munro of Sawtell defeated Ruth Mulvaney of Toronto, clinching victory by a margin of five hoops.

In Block B, Helen Chalmers of Newcastle showed consistency and skill to claim the block.

The runner-up position for Block B hung in the balance and a nail-biting count back between Penny Scott of Ballina Cherry Street and Wendy Forbes of Urunga saw Ms Scott emerging victorious.

Reflecting on the competitions, tournament director Jenny Arnold said, “There were many unforgettable moments in the games, and it was great to see champions such as David Scott share his ideas and skills throughout the competition.”

By Andrew VIVIAN