Thirty-six teams played for the Liz Koh Cup over Wellington Anniversary weekend at the Kāpiti Petanque Club in Paraparaumu.
The competition is open to all petanque players in New Zealand and attracted many of the top players in the country.
On Day 1, each team played 5, random drawn games which were scheduled for one hour, plus an additional two ends. Thus, it was a long and tiring day’s play and the second day would be even longer for the more successful teams! At the end of play on Day 1 the scores were totalled and the draw was made for Day 2.
The top 16 teams played in the Trophy and Trophy Consolante, teams placed 17 to 32 played in the Plate and Plate Consolante and the remaining 4 teams played for the Bowl.
The top 16 teams were placed in pools of 4 and each team played the other three, in timed games of one hour plus 2 extra ends. The top two of each pool progressed to the Trophy knockout rounds and the third and fourth placed teams competed for the Trophy Consolante. The same format was applied to the 17th to 32nd place getters and they played for the Plate and Plate Consolante. The qualifiers for the Bowl also played in a pool of four, with the top two teams fighting it out in an untimed Bowl Final. The winners of the Bowl Final were Joan Judd of Ōtaki and Marilyn Trembath of Horowhenua.
After three knockout rounds the winners of the Liz Koh Trophy were Michael Rocks, from the Khandallah Club and Myles Cowper from Hataitai, who beat Lew Gill and Dave Gatchell from Horowhenua 13-1 in the final. Michael and Myles retained the trophy they won last year. Third equal were Murray Porter from Bay View in Napier and Brian Smith from Masterton, and Graeme Morris from Masterton and Trevor Neilson from Rotorua
The Trophy Consolante was won by Barbara Lucas and David Bosley, both from Napier.
The Plate was won by Sheryl Parslow and Dene Futcher, both from Wanganui East and the Plate Consolante was won by Claire and Brian Bradburn from Silverstream.
Many thanks to Liz Koh for presenting the trophy in person and to our sponsors, Westpac Bank and Pak ‘n Save.
