The 2023 Edmonds Petanque Club League results are now in the books. In round-robin play during the first six weeks of the League, Michelle Martin and Rich Tribiano vanquished their opponents and emerged as the 2023 winners of the Chris Guitton Trophy. To what did the duo owe their success? Michelle offered that her job was to keep Rich calm and to help him build small shrines to their victory on the side of each venue where they played. (The season was noteworthy, as teams played games at four different sites: Sierra Park, Hubbard Homestead Park at Northgate, the courts at Innis Arden, and at South Lake Union Park.) Rich’s job was to listen to Michelle and to play like the pointing maestro that he is. Most noteworthy regarding Rich and Michelle’s success is the fact that in their season, they did not shoot. These two pointers, who knew what they were about, applied a blend of sang-froid and extraordinary talent to emerge as the winners of the club’s annual doubles competition. Bill Laprade and Ron LaRue finished in second place, and Jacques Maussenet and David Rockwell took third.

On July 8, at the new Civic Park courts, the 2023 Edmonds Petanque Club League wrapped up the League with a day-long tournament on the new Civic Park courts. Interestingly none of the three top teams from the six-week round robin play took medals at the day-long tournament. Edmonds Petanque talent is broad and deep. On July 8, Brien Meilleur and Jack McHenry won first place honors. Leon Louis-Jeune and Rich Majer came in second; Mari and Paul Dever were third.

It is important to observe that the 2023 League Tournament was the first large-scale event to take place in the new Petanque Grove at Civic Park. The courts performed magnificently; and it is clear that the new terrain has opened a new chapter of growth and success for the club. Congratulations to Michelle and Rich for their successful campaign this year and to all other place winners in the 2023 League.