Yesterday morning, I felt a bit sluggish, and in hindsight, I was grateful that fate kept me from competing in the Marin tournament. I’ve been trying to ignore the weight of the passing years, but Father Time had other plans. He seemed to whisper, “Your glory days are behind you. It would be wise to retire from tournaments… or else!” Or else??
Since I wasn’t competing, I arrived at the field comfortably after lunch. By then, fourteen doubles teams were already deep into their matches, and I joined the action—figuratively—with my trusty little camera.
Though the number of players was rather modest, the quality was anything but. I saw many exceptional players, pointers and shooters, and it was a pleasure trying to capture them at their best. The shade from our beautiful trees didn’t make things easier, but “à la guerre comme à la guerre”—one must make do with what one has.
Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t be everywhere at once. So, like a sniper, I waited in the shadows for the best moment. Action, angles, and light are the key ingredients of good sports photography, and having them all aligned is always a bit tricky. Win some, lose some.
After watching the Concours finals—Wolfie and Chan versus Mone and Kue—I left the field for some needed rest. It was an excellent match, with both teams playing exceptionally well. All the participants demonstrated their great skills, pointing and shooting with equal precision. Until the very last minute, it was impossible to predict the winner.
In the end, Mone and Kue claimed the title and the big prize, thanks largely I believe, to Kue’s unorthodox style but deadly accuracy.
Congratulations to all! Great game!
Concours
1st place: Mone Lee & Kue Lee– $126.00 each
2nd place: Wolfie Kurz & Chan Xiong– $105.00 each
3rd place: Hans Kurz & Ashlee Dencklau – $84.00 each
Consolante
1st place: Peter & Barry – $63.00 each ???
2nd place: Tom Lee & Tim Peppel– $42.00 each
Alain
Thanks to Christine Cragg for her additional pictures and her cooperation!
PS: Watch pictures in “full screen” for best effects