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Winners at the 2021 Schools and Juniors Championships (Photo: Eugene Chang)

The 2021 CA Schools and Juniors Championships were contested at Watford Croquet Club over 9/10 October in glorious sunshine, a far cry from the cold wet conditions of 12 months previously.

• AC Schools Championship (RBS Bowl and Schools Shield): Winchester College
• AC Junior Championship (Charles Townsend Cup): Sam Cuthbert
• GC Junior Championship (Musk's Cup): Albie Willett

Covid decimated the entry for the team event at <24 hours notice, which reduced the AC Schools Championship to a default winner - Winchester College, who have been regular contestants for a few years are steadily improving. Their 4 competitors were both delighted and slightly bemused to win the two beautiful trophies without a ball being struck.

This left all 7 contestants free to compete in the two singles events: the AC Junior Championship and the GC Junior Championship.

With Saturday ably managed by Alison Maugham (Surbiton), contestants played 14 point games on half lawns in an all-play-all block. After the day's play, there were three players tied on 5 wins, one on 3 and three on 1 win. This led to a semi-final on Sunday morning and final on Sunday afternoon(the latter played as an 18 point game), which was won by Sam Cuthbert.

For the GC Junior Championship, another all-play-all block of single bo13 games saw some upsets, as the Winchester students quickly warmed to golf croquet (after some rapidfire coaching by Deborah Albertsen, Cheltenham). Nonetheless after 6 rounds, only two players were in contention Albie Willett (Norwich) and Harvey Smith (Cheltenham and The Bears) and were due to play each other in the final round. Thus they played a best of 3 final directly in round 7, which was won by Albie in straight games, despite stiff competition from Harvey. Albie was delighted to have completed the clean sweep of schools and junior trophies in his final eligible year, having played in this event since 2014.

The CA President Quiller Barrett was on hand to present the trophies and thanked Watford (and Simon Hathrell in particular) for all their hard work in hosting the event, including prepping new hoop holes, organising catering, and preparing winners plaques.

There was considerable appetite for a GC Schools Championship next year, and it would be fantastic to see the CA begin to offer more competitive GC opportunities for junior players to play with and against each other.

Results

AC Schools

Winchester College (uncontested)

AC Juniors (14 pt, level play, half lawns)

1. Sam Cuthbert v Harvey Smith 10-11
2. August Deeming v Name removed 3-9
3. Taanvir Sood v Roger Holwerda 3-5
4. Sam Cuthbert v Albie Willett 14-7
5. Harvey Smith v Name removed 14-0
6. August Deeming v Taanvir Sood 10-9
7. Sam Cuthbert v Name removed 14-5
8. Albie Willett v Roger Holwerda 11-2
9. Harvey Smith v Taanvir Sood 14-0
10. Sam Cuthbert v Roger Holwerda 14-1
11. Name removed v Taanvir Sood 8-9
12. Albie Willett v August Deeming 14-1
13. Sam Cuthbert v Taanvir Sood 14-2
14. Roger Holwerda v August Deeming 11-8
15. Albie Willett v Harvey Smith 14-6
16. Sam Cuthbert v August Deeming 14-1
17. Roger Holwerda v Harvey Smith 0-14
18. Name removed v Albie Willett 0-14
19. August Deeming v Harvey Smith 1-14
20. Taanvir Sood v Albie Willett 0-14
21. Roger Holwerda v Name removed 13-10

Semi-final
Albie Willett bt Roger Holwerda 14-0
Sam Cuthbert bt Harvey Smith 14-2

Final (18 pt full lawn)
Sam Cuthbert bt Albie Willett 18-2

GC Juniors (bo13 level, full lawn)

1. Roger Holwerda v Taanvir Sood 5-7
2. August Deeming v Harvey Smith 3-7
3. Name removed v Albie Willett 2-7
4. Roger Holwerda v Sam Cuthbert 7-4
5. Taanvir Sood v Harvey Smith 0-7
6. August Deeming v Name removed 7-5
7. Roger Holwerda v Harvey Smith 7-6
8. Sam Cuthbert v Albie Willett 7-6
9. Taanvir Sood v Name removed 5-7
10. Roger Holwerda v Albie Willett 1-7
11. Harvey Smith v Name removed 7-3
12. Sam Cuthbert v August Deeming 7-4
13. Roger Holwerda v Name removed 5-7
14. Albie Willett v August Deeming 7-0
15. Sam Cuthbert v Taanvir Sood 7-2
16. Roger Holwerda v August Deeming 7-3
17. Albie Willett v Taanvir Sood 7-3
18. Harvey Smith v Sam Cuthbert 7-4
19. August Deeming v Taanvir Sood 7-5
20. Name removed v Sam Cuthbert 6-7
21. Albie Willett v Harvey Smith 7-6
22. Albie Willett v Harvey Smith 7-3