International Test for Edmonds Petanque
During the first week of October, members of the Edmonds Petanque Club tested their petanque skills against an array of teams competing in the Santa Susanna International Open Petanque Tournament held in Santa Susanna, Spain. In all, 15 Edmonds players, comprising five teams, faced off against expert competition from France, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Israel, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.
The level of play was expert, particularly among players from France and Israel, but the Edmonds players did their best, and all Edmonds teams won matches during the four-day competition. In the end, none of the Edmonds teams stood on the final podium to collect tournament honors, but all who took part felt they had learned a great deal and had made an impression on the other international players with their petanque skills and expressions of friendship.
Against the backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea and the lush hills of Catalonia, the days spent in Spain will serve as a valuable experience for the Edmonds club members as they continue to hone their petanque skills on the shores of Puget Sound. One Frenchman remarked, “Petanque in the United States…this is curious!” In response an Edmonds team member agreed that the sport is not nearly as widely known in America as it is in Europe but then explained that petanque is growing in popularity across the United States, and that even the club in the City of Edmonds now counts 80 members on its roster. His new French friend was impressed!