Helping Hand

Some of you may have noticed that I have been using "Just Write" for some news items. It is a Web based (cloud) application which allows me to very quickly publish items that small groups or clubs find difficult to get out there. A good example is "Petanque terrain in Christchurch City". I also use it for repeating some PATONKAZ Facebook announcements. Again, this is to bring it to a wider group - those that do not have a FB account. Sharing information is the key to staying together as a Petanque family. 

If you have an announcement you find dificult to get published, email it to me and I will put it on "Just Write" and link to it from our popular Twitter page. 

One of the problems with "Just Write" is that pages do not render correctly on mobile devices such as tablets and smart phones. This is beyond my control, but I will bring it to the atention of the people providing this free service. 

Have a great 2013 and may you win all your games. - Tom.

It is critical that New Zealand attends

Text (by Sarah Jane Wright) taken from PATONKAZ FB page.

"As at the closing date for registrations (31st October), PNZ had 
received only 5 registrations for the Open Men's section.

This is not enough to make up a Men's team for the 2013 Trans Tasman
Challenge, or a full-strength team for the 2013 Oceania Championships.

It is critical that New Zealand attends the 2013 Oceania Championships,
as qualifying for the 2014 World Championships will be held there. We do 
not know the format for this qualifying yet, and we do not want to 
compromise our position in any way. If we don't go to Oceania, it is 
highly unlikely that we will get to the Worlds.

The 2014 Worlds will probably be held in Tahiti, so it would be doubly a
pity not to be sending a team to this event when it is being held almost 
in our "backyard".

PNZ therefore proposes to re-open registration for the national 
representation selection process, for the Open Men's section only, until 
30th November 2012.

We hope some players who may have been in two minds about joining the 
process may be encouraged to enter in light of the above circumstances, 
so that we are able to field full teams for the 2013 internationals. If 
you know of anyone in this position, please talk to them!

Eligible players can download a registration form from the website, or 
email"  secretary@petanquenz.com

A Salute To Our Team

A big congradulations to our 2012 World Petanque team. This was a truly fantastic performance at the highest level in the world.

This year was the first time in many years we've put up our strongest players instead of players with enough private funds to make the return trip. Combined, these four players have unmatched skill and tournament experience. It is one thing to play well at your local club (I do that sometimes), it is quite a different matter to play extremely well on the world stage. To the NZ team: I take my hat off to you!

I am also really impressed how together we brought this big event to everyone in New Zealand. Thanks to the people behind Facebook, Twitter, PNZ website and the WPA website.

World Petanque News from PATONKAZ

I will endeavour to keep you informed here, if you do not have a FB account.

uby Vakauta

5:10pm Oct 7

new zealand beat luxemburg 13-0 yesterday. this morning they wil play cambodia.

Ruby Vakauta

11:40am Oct 6

gr8day of petanque today. the boyz did abfabsaluudle. us supporterz threw n shot every boule with them. they were fantastic ta wotch. won 3out of 5. awsum. shall w8 n c how tomoro goez. GO KIWI'S!!

Tom here from CHCH:
New Zealand winning from the Netherlands is big,  really BIG.
Here is how it went on the Dutch petanque forum:

"nederland -nieuw zeeland 8-8"

"noel tom en joey spelen" reference to who are playing

"Nederland - nieuw zeeland 10. -8. Deze moet gewonnen worden."
Deze moet gewonnen worden means: We must win this one.

"k krijg net 8-12 door waarschijnlijk laatste mene"

"8 - 12 sorry"

"nederland- nieuw zeeland 8-13"

"K%# met peren!" I know what this means, but there is no way I am going to translate this for you.

"Nederland verloren 13 - 8."

Sarah Jane Wright

9:42am Oct 6

Taken from PNZ website

Today began well with a stunning 13 - 3 demolition of Laos in the first game. Everyone on fire and performing at their highest level. It wasn't that Laos were a poor team ( they later beat Australia 13 - 0 ), it was just that New Zealand dictated play from the get go and executed their pointing and shooting superbly.

Next up was Tunisia ( a country that has previously won the world championships ). They arrived 8 minutes late and were in line to be penalised by 4 points ( 1 for the first five minutes and 1 for each minute after that ). They claimed not to have heard the announcement and 'in the spirit of the game' they were 'excused' without penalty.

It was nip and tuck for the first two ends before Tunisia gained a 3 point advantage. However they pointed poorly on the next end and we pointed very well on a tough terrain to score 5 points ... it was now 6 - 4 to New Zealand. In contrast the next end was a shoot-out with 2 carreaus to both teams and Tunisia picking up 5 points to go into the lead 9 - 6 having substituted their shooter.

The Tunisians then pointed poorly on the next two ends and New Zealand made no mistake, taking 4 points and then 3 points to secure a great win at 13 - 9.

After two good wins, the games were only going to get tougher and we drew Italy on the number 1 piste, and playing next to France and Spain. We started well picking up 2 points but the Italians hit back with 3, and then another 3 to lead 6 - 2 having made 6 carreaus. With the Italians ahead at 9 - 3, David came on for Christian. On that end the Italians managed to hold with their last boule but left Georgio with an opportunity to shoot for 4 or carreau for 5. It was a beautifully delivered 10m shot striking the target boule but not clean enough to push it far enough and the Italians won the end. A missed opportunity by the narrowest of margins. Another carreau by the Italians on the next end won the game. A 13 - 3 victory that didn't really reflect the game.

At this point we went to lunch which had been split into two sittings with 24 teams eating while 24 played, and vice versa. Lunch over and a chance to get out of the stifling heat of the arena and into the fresh air. The team had a practice session while waiting to hear who their next opponents were.

It was Portugal. Here was a game we felt we could win but things didn't go to plan. It began with a lucky ( for the Portugese ) miss hit on the cochonnet by their shooter which moved it far back to their boules and resulted in a 5 point gain to them. We pulled back to be just 4 - 6 down but the Portugese had a knack of getting things just ( only just ) right at crucial moments, and they kept their score ticking over until New Zealand hit back with a 3 point end to go 7 - 10. On the next end Andre was desperately unlucky when he shot at the holding boule at the side of the cochonnet, and succeeded only in hitting it 'on the head' and it simply bounced up and down. Despite a wonderful covering point by Christian, the Portugese pointer got a fortunate bounce that bumped our boule out and gave them 2 holding boules. Their meilleur finished off the job and the kiwis went down 13 - 7.

The team was disappointed not to have been more effective in a game where all the luck went the other way. A game that got away. The team is resting and showering back at the hotel and return to the Palais de Sport for dinner at 8pm and their final qualifying game at 9.30pm. Despite the set-back against Portugal the team is confident they have the desire and ammunition to win a third game today.

Ruby Vakauta

4:55am Oct 5

WOW wot a day. We met up with charles n jean parley. As wel as paul oconnor n stella. We had lunch and then insyd ta wotch shooting. Boy were we loud wen dre came out. He got 29 pointz. Best score for nz thus far. YAAAY DRE!!.

Ruby Vakauta

6:31am Oct 4

The team registered today n met up with Lorraine. They got ta hav a look at the stadium. Dre was blown away. Tomorrow the team move to the hotel, us galz wil stay here. The boyz r excited, as r thier supporterz. The team got an awsome email fm Allan Fletcher. It was recieved with great inspiration and laughs. The boyz r now sending one bak in reply,ta wish him luk for the national singles. Thanx Al. The boyz r in gud spiritz and anxious ta get the show on the road. Xxx

Ruby Vakauta 3:59pm Sep 29 Itz 6.00am n christian gone to airport ta get David n John. Joanne already here but has not seen david in a week. We will go hav brekfast as team for first tym. Looking forward to it.

Ruby Vakauta

1:43pm Sep 27

Sat in a park 2day whilst it poured wiv rain. BUT ..... I look to my left n i can see the tip of the Eiffel Tower. Look to my ryt n therez the Louvre Museum n to my ryt peeple r playin petanque. Whoa....

26/09/12

Ruby Vakauta

4:11am Sep 26

boyz hav gone to throw a few boule, i on the other hand am tooo cold to go with them. brrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!. caught a glimpse of the eiffel tower on our way bak fm the airport, after piking up dre. wow.

25/09/12

Georgio Vakauta

9:02pm Sep 25

Hi there Pipp's

Well we both have just arrived in Paris with Ruby?? weather wise it's cold and grey sky in PAris....buggger that?

We both tired as you know it hours flight, Christian was there to pick us up on time, and now writting this to you at Christian mate dominique appartment having just relax and at 2.25pm today we going to go and pick Andre up at Airport.

Being a Webmaster is hard and difficult work.

As you can see from the quote at the end of this post, being a webmaster is hard and difficult work.

Looking at Goodbye and thanks to a Webmaster from 2007 we can see that things have not changed. On the plus side we now have "social media" such as Facebook with our own home grown PATONKAZ. The problem with FB is that one needs to have an account - it also seems to be largely an Auckland group. Nevertheless, this FB site is a great effort and I am flabbergasted that no NZ Website has made a link to it (not even the APA website!). By the way, I make links to all - I just like sharing. When we look at the link pages of any of the NZ petanque websites we see links to far flung petanque websites around the world, but not to our home grown PATONKAZ site - Why????

"....However like many of you I lead a busy life and I simply don't have time to 'seek out' news items from around the country. So 'please' do email me with your news and photographs so that the National Website is always interesting and relevant. If you are the Contact for your club, please share this with your members.

Many thanks. John Targett Website Manager"

Open Letter from Paul King

Taken from PATONKAZ

An 'open letter', some questions 'we' might like to consider in moving forward. I offer no opinions and would add that he (or she) whom is without sin should cast the first stone.

Is the big question what or whom is 'we'? Is it time for 'us' to live in the truth? Could it be that 'we' doesn't really exist? Can 'we', individually and collectively make an honest, searching inventory of what we have, where we are and who we are? Could it be that before we make more plans for tournaments, ladders, representation, prizes, kit etc. that 'we' need to take a good look at ourselves first?

Are 'we' the elephant in the room?

We promote ourselves as being "friendly"; are we? We say Petanque is "fun"; is it? Could it be that if an alien landed and followed our club days and tournaments for a year that what 'he' would see, hear and experience is not quite what we bill Petanque as being? Are there some overbaring egos at large that could put new and average players off? What makes 'us' think that out of (say) 1,000 players, any more than (say) 30 have the slightest interest in doing anything more than 'having a day out and having a cup of tea (or beers, wines etc.) and a feed'? How do such potential tournament players perceive the whole situation? Might they feel intimidated, embarrased, belittled? Maybe they're put off by the cliques? Perhaps they've got better things to do than listen to loud (non native French speaking) adults proclaiming how great they are in embarrasing 'French' accents? Could they look on at the better players 'practicing' and feel left out and/ or that they just can't imagine being able to do what they can do?

Do 'we' actually want players coming through? If so, could we all be a little less as we may appear to be and a little more genuinely interested in helping each other without ego?

Are 'we' our own worst enemies? Could 'we', each of us stop and think 'is what I'm about to do going to genuinely help another player or do I have a more selfish motive'.

We need the people who are prepared to put time into organising and communicating, every organised pass-time does. I'm not such a person but I know if I'm honest that I could do more in taking 'me' out of the equation and offering help and support where I can. Should we all be taking a look at ourselves and asking similar questions? If not, then individually it must follow that each of us is quite happy just the way things are...

First of all, what are we trying to acheive

The Crowd Goes Wild

The Crowd Goes Wild is a half-hour sports entertainment show broadcast on New Zealand nationwide television channel Prime TV. It has been fun watching The Crowd Goes Wild as part of our New Zealand Olympics TV coverage.

Just in case you've forgotten this show, here is a hilarious clip of an interview with the best petanque players in the world during their tour of New Zealand in 2008.

HAWKES BAY OPEN DOUBLES COMPETITION

The play of the H B OPEN CLASSIC DOUBLES COMPETITION: NELSON PARK, NAPIER : 8 & 9 of September, 8-00 am -8-30 start both days. $30 per team entry fee. Limited to 44 teams -cash prizes. Licenced: Liquor will be available (No bring your own thank you. Last day for entry 3rd September, 12.

Please adress your entry fee and names to:
DEREK WRIGHT 4 SEAPOINT ROAD NAPIER 4110

I Got it Wrong

I would like to apologise to the WPA and Michael Rocks for wrongly accusing WPA of making snide remarks regarding my re-tweets of WPA news. I got it wrong - the tweet in question relates to the Welsh Petanque Association. –Tom.

Communicating via the Web

Nice to see the excellent WPA website is now using Twitter as an added means of communication. I have for some time advocated Twitter as a way of keeping the wider New Zealand petanque community up-to-date about events, titbits, and maybe even national and international tournament results as they happen. With the introduction of a petanque Facebook site by Ruby, our wider community is becoming more and more connected via the internet. Good stuff.

PNZ President Message

Some of you will be aware that I have recently been elected as PNZ President at the latest Board meeting. I am excited about the opportunity to serve the petanque community of New Zealand. This will not be without its challenges but I intend to meet these challenges head on and work constructively with those of you who wish to strengthen the PNZ for the benefit of all. I have a Board that is similarly committed to improving and strengthening the service that we deliver to you our members. However, we cannot operate in isolation. We need your input and support to enable us to meet our objectives. We need your suggestions and ideas in regard to the direction that we need to be taking, but ideas alone will not move us forward. We need people who are prepared to act and take an active role both nationally and regionally. We need to have a cohesive structure from our clubs through to our National Body. One of the issues that we are currently facing is a decline in membership and some clubs wanting to go it alone. While this may be an attractive option for some clubs and members it will have an impact on those clubs who remain affiliated. At our latest Board meeting we had some discussion on how we could address this issue and a couple of Board Members are currently working on proposals that we hope will show that we are committed to trying to address some of the concerns that have been raised. I urge you all to get behind this Board and support us to improve the structure and organisation for your benefit. I believe we can only do this if we operate under a single umbrella organisation. Personally my commitment to you is a preparedness to work constructively and cooperatively to bring about positive change and growth. I look forward to working on your behalf. Cheers Dirk

Win a Petanque Book

About three months ago PNZ received two copies (for review) of "Petanque The Greatest Game You Never Heard Of". This weekend I too received two copies of this new Petanque book. I hope to have a book review on this Blog within the next two weeks. In the meantime, the first two South Island clubs to contact me will each receive a copy of this book. Email Tom: usabilitynz@gmail.com with the name of your club and postal address.

Major Hawke's Bay Tournament Cancelled

I was surprised to learn that the Hawke's Bay summer doubles has been cancelled because of lack of interest. This long established tournament has always been so well supported by most North Island clubs. I myself have very fond memories of large well organised tournaments in typical gloriously hot Hawke's Bay weather. The excelent terrain has great facilities, drinks, ice-cream slices, plenty of shady spots, etc..

Fun Petanque Image

You may have seen this on our Twitter page. Anyway, I just couldn't resist putting this up on our Blog. It really appeals to my sense of humour. We may see these signs at our major tournaments.

"Please do not play petanque behind the dog"