The two brother nations, Norway and Sweden, met for the second time this year on Saturday 10th of September 2005. Jointly staged by the Passus Croquet Club and The Swedish Croquet Association it took place in Borås, Sweden. The event took place in Majorslunden where two lawns in 2/3 size had been laid out. These were of good quality and shows that even in the Nordic countries it will be possible to maintain lawns of almost international standard.
The first battle between the two countries were staged in Moss at Jeloey Grand Tournament as part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the breakup of the union between the two brother nations in 1905, but it almost drowned in the Nordic Championships. Then it was staged by The Croquet Society, which is 35 years old this year, and Jeloey Croquet Club.
The event was played like the Davis cup with two single games, one double and then two singles again, in Association Croquet and Golf Croquet. The Swedes had 4 players in each type as they had two single players and one team, while the Norwegians had two players playing all games in each type.
All Norwegians players only learned the game in April and had had never played on such short grass before. This was also the situation for some of the Swedes.
Norway won the Golf Croquet tournament to the astonishment of a lot, especially the Swedes. The Norwegians won all singles, but as they had never played together as a team, they lost the doubles games.
Birger Stene took the first point of the Tournament whilst it was clear that the Norwegian players had amazing eyesight, Nils Naper hit every ball he aimed at in his single matches!
In Association Croquet Sweden won, but also here the Norwegians improved.
In the last single match even Simon Carlsson, the Swedish Champion, got problems. He won by only two points, but Steinar Olsen had the lead for a long time. Roar Michalsen even won his last game versus Jan-Åke Lundberg (the first Swedish player to participate in an international tournament).
The results:
GOLF CROQUET
Norway – Sweden 4-1
Ulf Söderberg – Nils Naper 1-7
Jan-Åke Lundberg – Birger Stene 2-5
Jörgen Larsson / Peter Grönborg
– Nils Naper /Birger Stene 7-1
Ulf Söderberg – Birger Stene 3-7
Jan-Åke Lundberg – Nils Naper 3-7
ASSOCIATION CROQUET
Sweden – Norway 4-1
Jan-Åke Lundberg – Steinar Olsen 26-9
Simon Carlsson – Roar Michelsen 25-10
Janne Högrell / Thomas C Ericsson
– Roar Michelsen / Steinar Olsen 14-4
Simon Carlsson – Steinar Olsen 16-14
Jan-Åke Lundberg – Roar Michelsen 10-14
19th September 2005