Nailsea and District Croquet Club's recent tournament has been hailed as one of the friendliest on the calendar.
The Advanced Rules Association Croquet B Level Tournament, which took place on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, saw competitors with handicaps ranging from two to 12 battle it out for the Michael Poole Cup and the Peter Dyke Ruby Shield.
Initially, there was a full complement of 16 players, but illness forced one to withdraw, causing a reshuffle in the format for the competition.
The cup contestants were divided into two blocks of four, each playing three games on Saturday, with the top two from each block heading to the semi-finals on Sunday.
Both semi-finals were decided by a single hoop, with Nailsea's president, Kathy Wallace, and Bath's retired Rear Admiral, Martin Alabaster, missing out on the final.
In the three-hour-long all-Nailsea final, Paul Arbos and Roger Baddeley were neck and neck with 12 hoops each when time was called.
A 'golden hoop' was required to decide the winner, with Baddeley ultimately clinching the trophy.
The shield contest, however, was a six-round Swiss tournament among seven competitors, each playing games lasting two and a half hours.
Stephen Tetlow of Budleigh performed admirably, winning four of his six games and defeating three opponents with lower handicaps.
However, his 67 per cent win rate was only enough for second place, as Glamorgan's Robert Upton emerged victorious, winning all five of his games.
Adrian Morris of Kenilworth was awarded a prize for the fastest game, having run the full 24 hoops and pegged out in just 1 hour and 38 minutes.
Meanwhile, Bristol's Bob Whiffen earned recognition for the biggest upset, having defeated a competitor with a handicap three steps lower than his own.
The weather was favourable, with no rain interruptions, even though most competitors donned waterproofs against the cold wind.
Despite the fierce competition, the tournament was played in good spirits.
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