Edmonds Petanque Club Gets New Courts Before Tournament

It’s fair to say (pronounced pay-tonk) has taken hold in Edmonds.

At 10 a.m. on July 16, the city of Edmonds Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services will dedicate two new courts for the game next to the existing court at the Edmonds Civic Center Playfield, 230 Sixth Ave. N.

Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a demonstration of petanque will be held, and free instruction will be given to those who want to learn the game’s basics. Equipment will be provided.

The Edmonds Petanque Club will hold its first tournament on the three courts, as well as on additional temporary courts marked on the soccer field, at 10 a.m. on July 17. Registration begins that day at 8 a.m., but players can also sign-up in advance by mailing a registration form they download from the club’s website. The registration fee is $25 per person.

T-shirts will be provided for every player at the tournament, and the top three teams will receive medals. Teams will consist of two players. Participants can bring a teammate, or be assigned to a team on the day of the tournament.

Michelle Martin, an Edmonds resident who is from France, created the local club and is its president. Scheduled games are played on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.  

A petanque court consists of a heavy plank frame 50 feet long and 16 feet wide, filled several inches deep with small crushed rock for the playing surface.

The object of the game to underhand-toss a 1.5-pound hollow metal ball, or boule, as close as possible to a small, wooden red ball, or jack. It’s similar to bocce, bowls and even horsehoes, but in petanque players must remain inside a small circle while throwing.

The game originated in ancient Greece, was refined by the French, and is currently played by more than 17 million people in France. It is popular in many other countries as well, including Canada, England, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Japan, and is fast becoming popular in the U.S. Tournaments are been held annually nationwide, including Florida, Louisiana, and in cities along the both coasts.

The game is simple to master, but a prominent sign near the court explains how to play, step-by-step.

“It’s fun and it’s great exercise,” said Chris Guitton, an avid player from France who has lived in Edmonds for decades. He retired as executive director of the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce in 2006.

Those interested in petanque accessories can purchase them at Running in Motion in Edmonds. The Edmonds pétanque courts are always open but, weather permitting, players generally meet on Wednesdays at 9 a.m., Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. For more information, go the Edmonds Pentaque Club website.