Sports
Pan American Pétanque Tournament Draws International Competitors To Lafayette
If you were driving along Saint Mary's Road over the weekend you saw a crowd of people from all over the world competing in an international pétanque tournament.
The hosted the 2011 Men's Pan American Qualification Tournament at the local Pétanque courts Saturday and Sunday.
Twenty teams came from all corners of the country to compete for the honor of representing the United States in the 2011 Pan American Selection Tournament to be held Oct. 1 and 2. The U.S. team will compete with the other countries in the Pan American Confederation for one of two spots at the F.I.P.J.P Men's World Championship to be held in Marseilles in 2012. The F.I.P.J.P is the International Federation of Pétanque and Jeu Provencal, a worldwide organization of licensed pétanque players.
For the uninitiated, tanque is a 100-year-old French bowling game played outdoors. Seventeen million play pétanque in France and the game is growing quickly in popularity in this area and around the United States because it’s a fun, relaxing and very social game that people of all ages can play and enjoy. The Lafayette courts are considered some of the best in the nation and the Lamorinda Pétanque Club has been recognized for its organization and running of this tournament.
The club is at 480 St Marys Road in Lafayette. To find out more about us and about pétanque, call 925 891 4756, or visit the courts any Sunday afternoon.
