Yesterday, we traveled to the distant Lamorinda Pétanque Club in Contra Costa County to participate in and document this Select Triples, FPUSA-sanctioned tournament. My wife was competing, while I tried to document the event with pictures.
We rose around 6:30 am, to arrive on time in Lafayette. Fortunately, the Sunday morning traffic was light, making the usually arduous journey feel like a breeze.
I hadn’t been to Lafayette in a while and was pleasantly surprised by the appearance and condition of the courts. The reception committee was similarly friendly and well-organized.
Fourteen teams had registered to play. Although there could have been more participants, the event felt intimate and welcoming.
Before I delve into details, I must mention that the weather was unseasonably cold for June and I was glad to have brought my Siberian-proof jacket.
Upon the invitation of Antoine and Sebastien Lofaro, Tamara agreed to join their team and compete in the tournament. She was hired to be the pointer and intimidate the enemy with her accuracy.
Tournaments can be nerve-wracking affairs and the key to success is remaining cool under pressure. It is not a given.
It also requires a cohesive team where each member knows exactly what to do and when to do it. By Vang, Janice Bissonnette, and Kham Chounlamany exemplified such a team, superbly cool and confident, with an exceptional shooter to back them up. Although I wasn’t specifically rooting for them, I couldn’t help but applaud their impressive moves, especially Kham’s who is the epitome of the perfect shooter.
Then midstream, I encountered technical difficulties. My camera suddenly stopped working properly, leaving me stranded and frustrated. Capturing great photos requires precise timing, as the perfect shot lasts only a fraction of a second. Without a reliable camera, it’s sometimes better to withdraw than to continue struggling.
So, after witnessing the acrimonious defeat of the Lofaro’s formation against Michelle Dang’s team for the 3rd place in the Concours, we went home. Since I couldn’t take any more pictures, we didn’t stay for the presentation of medals and monetary rewards and left. Sorry about that.
Concours:
1st place: By Vang, Janice Bissonnette, Kham Chounlamany
2nd place: Tom Lee, Yor Lee, Suzie Lee
3rd place: Michelle Dang, Chan Xiong, Mone Lee
Alain
PS: Some of my photos are OK, especially on full screen.