April 2016 Newsletter

WCF April 2016 Newsletter

The newsletter provides a summary for WCF Members of what the Management Committee has been doing recently and what is on the agenda in the near future.  Your comments are always very welcome.  It is also made available to all on the WCF web-site and via the Nottingham list and other croquet bulletin boards.

Council debates and decisions

There have been none this month.

What has happened in April?

The amendments to the Event and Sports Regulations were further discussed by MC members during the recent AC World Championship in Florida and will be put before the Council in early May.

Draft Version 12 of the WCF Statutes is with the MC for review and comment.  Once finalised, it will be sent to Members for formal consultation.  The operation of the WCF has evolved over the years and the current version 11.6 needs revision, notably in relation to the provisions relating to general meetings that are no longer relevant since the Council agreed to make all decisions by email voting.

Gabrielle Higgins has informed the MC that the requirements of her new job do not allow her to devote the time she would like to her MC responsibilities and she has decided to step down as WCF Treasurer with effect from 30 June 2016.  The MC has co-opted Martin French, the former Secretary-General, as her replacement for the remainder of 2016.  An election for the post will be held in December 2016.

The 2016 Association Croquet World Championship was held at the National Croquet Centre, West Palm Beach, Florida from Saturday, 16 April to Sunday, 24 April 2016.  The winner was Stephen Mulliner (ENG) who, at the age of 62, is the oldest first-time winner by 29 years and the oldest winner of the seven title-holders by 17 years.  Croquet is truly a game for all ages.  He won the hard way, recovering from 0-2 deficits against both Reg Bamford (SAF) in the semi-final and in the final.  The final was the longest ever at 11.5 hours, the first to be played on two courts and the first to be finished under floodlights.  His opponent was David Maloof (USA), who was also 62 and had played superbly to defeat Paddy Chapman (NZE), the 2013 runner-up, and David Maugham (ENG) in the semi-final.  The Shield, Bowl and Plate events were won by Stephen Forster (AUS), James Death (ENG) and Ian Lines (ENG) respectively.

Forthcoming WCF championships

2016 Golf Croquet World Team Championship

Tier 1 will be held at the Surbiton Croquet Club in south-west London from Sunday, 15 May to Saturday, 21 May 2016.  The competing teams are Egypt (holders), England, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Wales and USA.

Tier 2 will be shared between the Bath Croquet Club and the Camerton & Peasdown Croquet Club from Sunday, 15 May to Friday, 20 May 2016 with the intention that players from teams in both tiers can meet for a combined championship celebration on Friday, 20 May 2016.  The competing teams are Australia, Belgium, Czech-Moravian Republic, Germany, Latvia, Scotland, Spain and Switzerland.

Tier 3 will be held at the Guildford & Godalming Croquet Club from Wednesday, 18 May to Friday 20 May 2016.  The competing teams are Georgia, Norway, Portugal and Russia.

Details of the Tier 1 and 2 teams and squads are available on the WCF website at http://www.worldcroquet.org/index.php/world-championships/2016-gc-world-team-championship


 

2017 Golf Croquet World Championship and Under 21 GC World Championship

Both events will be held at the Victorian Croquet Association headquarters at Cairnlea, in the western suburbs of Melbourne.  The Under 21 will run from Saturday 18 to Wednesday 22 February 2017 and the Qualifying Tournament from Monday 20 to Wednesday 22 February 2017.  The main event will begin on Saturday 25 February 2017 and end on Sunday 5 March 2017.  The Invitation Date is expected to be in June 2016.

2017 Association Croquet World Team Championship

Tier 1, the MacRobertson Shield, will be held at Mission Hills Country Club, Palm Springs, California from 18 April 2017 to 4 May 2017.

Tiers 2.1, Tiers 2.2 and 3 will be held at Sussex County Croquet Club in England from 17 to 22 July 2017.  The Invitation Date for the lower tiers is expected to be in October 2016.

Membership enquiries

There are none to report.

MC Topics recently completed or closed

There are none to report.

Topics open, pending or under administration on 30 April 2016

MC 291:           Appointment of GC Ranking Officer and Assistant Ranking Officers

MC 295:           2016 AC World Championship, April 2016

MC 313:           2016 GC World Team Championship, May 2016

MC 318:           2017 GCWC and Under 21 GCWC, February 2017

MC 324:           2017 AC World Team Championship, April 2017

MC 326:           WCF Event Income

MC 328:           Membership status of France

MC 331:           International Laws Committee

MC 339:           WCF Event and Sports Regulations

MC 344:           2016 Ramsis Cup

MC 345:           Development – further projects in 2016

MC 346:           WCF Statutes revision project

MC 347:           WCF Treasurer – co-option of Martin French

MC 348:           Wimbledon Cup – repairs and flight box

MC 349:           Video Working Group – establishment

MC 350:           MC conference calling – proposal to move from Skype to phone

Outlook for May

The main focus will be on holding the GC WTC, publishing the proposed revisions to the Event and Sports Regulations to WCF Members and finalising the Statute revisions.

Stephen Mulliner

Secretary-General 4 May 2016