WCF December 2018 Newsletter
The newsletter provides a summary for WCF Members of what the Management Committee (MC) has been doing recently and what is on the agenda in the near future. 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
Topic 73: Election of WCF Treasurer
An election for the post of WCF Treasurer made necessary by the decision of Martin French to retire at the end of 2018. The WCF was fortunate to have two very well-qualified candidates in Lorraine Smith (AUS) and Yousry Ghamry (EGY). Yousry was the successful candidate with 31 votes to Lorraine’s 22 votes.
Topic 74: Consultation on the WCF membership structure
The MC sought and received Members’ views on a change of structure to reclassify Observer Members as Recognised Croquet Organisations (“RCOs”) and permit more than one RCO to be recognised in a country without a Full or Associate Member.
Topic 75: 2019 Budget
The 2019 Budget was approved by 36 votes to nil.
Topic 76: Election of Independent Examiner
Brian Havill [ENG] was elected Independent Examiner for 2019 by 27 votes to nil.
Topic 77: Amendment of WCF Refereeing Regulations
Two amendments have been recommended to align the regulations with the 5th Edition of the WCF Rules of Golf Croquet.
What has happened since September?
World Championship administration activities covered the final stages of preparation for the 2018 Over 50 GCWC, the management of entries for the 2019 Women’s GCWC and the start of the timetable for the 2019 Under 21 GCWC and the 2019 GC World Championship. Ranking Places were announced for both the latter events on 30 December 2018.
The final quarter routine included preparing and publishing the previous year’s accounts, the following year’s budget and the MC Report to Members on the year’s activities. A picture of the range of other issues dealt with by the MC is given by the list of MC topics that have required attention and resolution and can be found at the end of this Newsletter.
2018 Over 50 Golf Croquet World Championship
This event is held every four years and this was its third holding, again generously hosted by the Egyptian Croquet Federation in Cairo using its own courts and with the support of the Gizera Club which provided another three courts. The 2018 event attracted 48 competitors from ten countries - Australia, Egypt, England, Ireland, Latvia, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden and USA.
The championship was won by Hanan Rashad of Egypt who thereby became the first woman to win a WCF world title in an event open to both sexes.
32 players progressed to the knock-out stage. Nine countries were represented in the last 32 but this fell to only three (EGY, ENG and USA) by the quarter-finals with the hosts, Egypt, claiming six of the eight places.
Stephen Mulliner (ENG) beat Wael Shahine (EGY), Hanan Rashad (EGY) beat Ayman Amin (EGY), Yasser Fathy (EGY) beat Sherif Abdelwahab (USA) and Hazem Mahmoud (EGY) beat Salib Erian (EGY). In the semi-finals, Hanan Rashad beat Mulliner 7-6, 7-6, 7-6 and Yasser Fathy overcame Hazem Mahmoud by 7-2, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6.
It was felt by the numerous spectators that Hanan Rashad needed a good start to have a real chance of victory. Although she started brightly by taking the opening game, Yasser Fathy took the next two and seemed well set. However, to Hanan’s great credit, she maintained her resolve and won the last two games 7-4, 7-5 to seal a famous victory.
Forthcoming WCF championships
2019 Women’s Golf Croquet World Championship
The 2019 Women’s GCWC will be held at the Heretaunga Club in Hawkes Bay, North Island, New Zealand from Saturday, 2 February to Saturday, 9 February 2019. A Qualifying Tournament will be held at the Rangatira Club, Dannevirke, North Island , New Zealand from Wednesday, 30 to Thursday, 31 January 2019.
2019 Under 21 Golf Croquet World Championship
The 2019 Under 21 Golf Croquet World Championship will be held at the Nottingham Croquet Club from Saturday, 20 July to Wednesday, 24 July 2019. 10 Ranking Places have been awarded and Members have until 27 January to nominate a total of 14 players for Membership Places.
2019 Golf Croquet World Championship
The 2019 Golf Croquet World Championship will be held at the Sussex County Croquet Club from Saturday, 27 July to Sunday, 4 August 2019. 37 Ranking Places and two Wild Card Places have been awarded and Members have until 27 January to nominate a total of 37 players for Membership Places. Four places are reserved for the highest finishers in a Qualifying Tournament.
2020 Golf Croquet World Team Championship – Tier 1
Tier 1 of the 2020 GCWTC will be held at the Nelson-Hinemoa Croquet Club on the north coast of New Zealand’s South Island from Monday, 6 to Sunday,12 January 2020. Formal invitations to participate will be sent to Members in March 2019.
2020 Association Croquet World Championship
The 2020 ACWC will be held at the Victorian Croquet Centre near Melbourne from Saturday,15 to Sunday, 23 February 2020. Formal invitations to participate will be sent to Members in April 2019.
Membership enquiries
There are none active at present.
Management Committee topics
Topics recently completed or closed
MC 325: Enquiry from Corfu Croquet Club
MC 354: 2018 Association Croquet World Championship
MC 367: Portugal
MC 368: 2018 Over 50 Golf Croquet World Championship
MC 376: Statute and Regulation amendments
MC 387: WCF Treasurer vacancy
MC 388: Eligibility issue
MC 398: Child protection policy
MC 399: 2019 Budget
MC 400: Reserve Funds investment
MC 401: Refereeing Regulations amendments
MC 402: Management Committee report
MC Topics currently open
MC 352: 10-year World Championship schedule
MC 384: 2021 MacRobertson Shield
MC 386: Commonwealth Games
MC 389: WCF membership structure
MC 390: 2020 GCWTC Tier 1 (NZL)
MC 392: 2020 GCWTC Tier 2/3 (ENG)
MC 393: 2020 WACWC (was MC 382)
MC 394: 2021 U21 GCWC
MC 395: 2021 GCWC
MC Topics currently under administration or pending
MC 362: 2019 U21 GCWC and Golf Croquet World Championship
MC 365: Hall of Fame relaunch
MC 369: 2019 Women’s Golf Croquet World Championship
MC 371: Format of World Team Championships
MC 377: GC Rankings development
MC 391: 2020 Association Croquet World Championship (was MC 381)
MC 396: 2021 ACWTC Tier 1 (MacRob)(AUS) (was MC 384)
MC 397: 2021 ACWTC Tier 2 (ENG)
Outlook for January and beyond
The MC’s main focus will be on following-up the response to Topic 74 (WCF membership structure), managing or overseeing the final arrangements for the 2019 Women’s GCWC including pre-event communication with the players. Other tasks will include progressing the administration of the 2019 Under 21 GCWC and the 2019 GCWC and issuing the formal invitations for the 2020 GC WTC and 2020 ACWC.
Stephen Mulliner
Secretary-General
16 January 2019
Champion: Hanan Rashad (Egypt)