Anyone for the Uruguay Open in 2010?

[<<] [>>] by Jonathan Lamb
22nd November 2009 (Other News)

The cause of world croquet took a step forward on 19 November 2009 when,with WCF support, a group of players in Uruguay bought a plot of land to house the first croquet club in South America. Chris Williams has added the position of the 45 by 35 yard corner plot to the Google Earth croquet clubs file on the Croquet Records website www.croquetrecords.com/clubs_earth.htm - it's on the beach front at Solymar, not far from Montevideo's gleaming new international airport, the most modern in the continent. The plot is shortly to be cleared and fenced in. The question then will be whether to put down turves (Uruguay's sandy soil makes for excellent drainage) or a carpet on compacted stone dust, a method pioneered successfully by US farmer Hugh Barger in North Carolina. Either way, the nascent Uruguayan Croquet Federation, headed by ex-Belgian player Jonathan Lamb, would like to hear from players potentially interested in taking part in a Uruguayan Open (Level Advanced) in November 2010. Back-up courts will be available. The country, once described as 'the Switzerland of Latin America' is on the same latitude as Cape Town and Sydney. It is peaceful, friendly, stable and safe, and makes an excellent base for exploring Buenos Aires, the world heritage site of Colonia and the waterfalls at Foz de Iguacu. Hotels cost about £35 a night, and a three-course meal with Uruguayan steak and wine can cost £5. Write to lambfam#adinet.com.uy for more details.