Sunday, July 26 was a perfect day for croquet here in wine country in Northern California. The doubles teams were set as hi/lo based on DGrade with Karl-Heinz Kempfer (1) and Jeff Hill (4) playing against Bob Morford (2) and Ian Sidey (3). The title was decided in a best 2 of three game format. 2 1/2 hour time limits were used.

The games were each very competetive right up to last turn. Karl-Heinz and Jeff each had enough breaks to win the first game 16-12. Bob and Ian came back and pulled away at the end of the second game to even things up with a 13-10 win. The rubber match was extremely close throughout with the hoop differential never more than 1 or 2 hoops. As last turn approached each player had a chance to pad their score. Finally on last turn Karl-Heinz scored a hoop to extend their teams lead to 12-10 but in the process he gave Ian and Bob's team a lift. On last turn, Ian took the lift and hit-on on a 12 yard hit-in shot. He then got an excellent rush to his hoop, leaving a pioneer behind at his next hoop. After making the score 12-11, he had a choice of taking off to his next pioneer to safely tie the score or going for a big split shot trying to load his next hoop while going to pioneer. Ian went for the big shot but was slightly off on the angle and needed to hit a 7 yard roquet to keep his team's hopes alive. He hit the roquet but knocked the pioneer about 7 yards from his hoop. His 7 yard take-off left an angled 4 yard hoop shot which he center cut to tie the score. He then hit a ball about mid court and took off 12 yards to the next hoop and scored it for the very exciting last turn win!

Congratulations to Bob and Ian for winning the Western Regional First Flight doubles championship. And also to Karl-Heinz and Jeff the runner-ups. The set of three games couldn't have been closer with both teams scoring the same number of gross hoops for the 3 games.

A great start to the Western Regional Championship week!!

Jim Hanks Tournament Director