Triumph for Jersey in pétanque inter-insular

Wednesday 06 September 2023

Jersey's pétanque players secured a decisive win against Guernsey in this year's inter-insular competition.

With a final score of 37-11, this triumph marked a remarkable accomplishment for Jersey considering their narrow miss in claiming the trophy the previous year.

Originally scheduled for a month earlier, the inter-insular match was delayed due to unfavourable sea conditions that disrupted the ferry crossing to Jersey.

The event took place at the end of July at the Carrefour Pétanque Club in Grouville, where Jersey's team unveiled their new team kit to their home supporters. 

Pictured: The Jersey pétanque team at the Home Nations Championship competition last year.

The initial round of 12 singles matches (with one point for a win) saw the Guernsey team trailing at 8-4.

Any hopes for a turnaround in the first set of doubles matches (with two points for a win) were dashed as Jersey's home team secured victories in five of the six matches, resulting in an overall score of 18-6.

Noteworthy among the results was the performance of Cassie Stewart Le Gallais and Nicky Maindonald from Jersey, who achieved a whitewash victory of 13-0 against Guernsey's top-rated pair, Delphine Renaud and Vikki Le Poidevin.

In the subsequent doubles round, Jersey maintained their dominance with another 5-1 scoreline, further solidifying their lead with a total of 28-8 points.

Moving into the triples matches, Jersey continued their success, scoring victories in three out of four matches and ultimately securing a final score of 37-11 in their favour. 

Pictured: The Jersey team alongside the England, Scotland, and Wales pétanque squads at the Home Nations Championship 2022.

Among the standout Jersey performers were Ross Payne, Callum Stewart, Toby Northern, and Nicky Maindonald, each securing victories in all four matches they participated in. Particularly notable was Maindonald's achievement, considering this was her inaugural participation in the inter-insular event.

Dave Ibitson, the Jersey team manager, expressed his pride in the team's performance, saying: “I’m very proud of the team. Given both the Doubles and Triples teams only knew who they were playing with on the day, the way they gelled together was absolutely perfect.

"It was a great performance and I’m also pleased with the way the competition was played in such a good spirit.”