Rutger Beijderwellen won the Surbiton Easter Advanced Tournament

[<<] [>>] by Kevin Carter at Surbiton Croquet Club
13 Apr 2009 (AC)

Rutger Beijderwellen won the Surbiton Easter Advanced Tournament. In fact, the result was settled not long after lunch on the second day with Rutger just ahead of last year's winner, Chris Farthing. Rutger tried several SXPs, completing one and also a QNP. Rutger and Chris were two of half a dozen players getting in practice for the World Championship (ten Surbiton members will compete in it).

At the other end of the scale it was good to see some B-level players entering the fray. Jon Diamond (from Tunbridge Wells and playing off 3.5) did especially well, with four wins out of seven. A flurry of handicap changes included Mike Town reaching scratch for the first time - the result perhaps of retirement providing him more time for croquet these days.

Fine weather and great lawns (c11 plummers) meant that some players got in nine or ten games during this two-day Spring warm-up. It helped that the first games each day started by 9.30 - the benefit of having the
last four to arrive being given a late start.