Last Saturday, the Maldon Petanque Club held its annual major event, the Forster Cup, for the second time.
It was a cold but clear day and the event was an outstanding success, receiving many compliments from visiting players who also commented on the great prizes on offer. The tournament is a mixed-triples event run under the auspices of the Petanque Federation of Australia (PFA). It featured 24 teams, totalling 72 players from various regions of Victoria, including the newly-formed Bendigo Club. Participants competed for a prize pool that included cash and wine, with the top three teams taking home $600, $300, and $150, thanks to the generosity of the club’s major sponsor, Maldon’s Community Bank. Teams which finished fourth to eighth received prizes of wine.
Along with the Community Bank, Chaperon Wines and Boules Australia also supported the event as principal sponsors. Pétanque, a game that originated in France, is similar to the Italian bocce and can be played at any level and by all ages. The game can be played on various surfaces and is often enjoyed among friends with a glass of wine and a picnic.
The Men’s Shed provided a delicious BBQ featuring gourmet sausages and hamburgers, perfect for the chilly weather. The Forster Cup honours the sustained efforts of George and Janet Forster, foundation members of the cub who remain actively involved. On Saturday, George and Janet were both on hand to organise elements of the competition. The club, which has 35 members and associate players, meets at St Brigid’s Church grounds every second Sunday from 11am to 4pm. Visitors are always welcome, and anyone interested in trying the game is encouraged to join in. Free tuition and the use of club boules make it easy to start off.
Upcoming events for the club include the annual autumn challenge between the Maldon Petanque Club and U3A Castlemaine on 19 May and the Inter-club competition between Maldon Petanque Club and Woodend Hanging Rock Petanque Club on 25 June. The winter competition between six clubs in the region, The Golden Boule, will also begin soon. Maldon won it in 2021 and 2022, but who will emerge victorious in 2023 remains to be seen.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 12 May 2023.
