Allure of business lunch petanque

Jersey has formed its own petanque association

On certain afternoons, Jersey's Weighbridge Square resembles a corner of France, with small groups of playing the traditional game of Petanque.

Often these players are business-suited members of the lunchtime league.

The Waterfront Enterprise Board(WEB) has extended the terrains to allow more players to take part.

"There are about 150 people who play in their lunch breaks on a weekly basis," said Tony Alchurch of the Jersey Petanque association.

"These wonderful terrains that appeared last year were limited by one thing. They were a bit short when we wanted to split them up into fours so we could get maximum number of games simultaneously. WEB has very kindly extended them," he said.

But it is not just locals competing, French teams have also visited the island to take on Jersey's athletes.

"This year on Bastille Day we celebrated in a very Gallic way by having a competition down here. Last year we had Avranches, which is twinned with St Helier, come over expecting to wipe the terrain with us. But at the end of a very entertaining day it finished honours even," Tony said.

Perhaps slightly piqued at leaving the island without a victory, the Jersey team has yet to receive a return invite from their French counterparts.

We usually managed to stagger through the competition and emerge about 50-50. Tony Alchurch, Jersey Petanque

It has been a time of upheaval in the world of Petanque. The British Petanque recently that separated into separate branches in England, Scotland, Wales and Jersey seized the opportunity to run its own branch.

"It was agreed with support by the English Petanque Association and then grudgingly by the Fédération Internationale de Pétanque et Jeu Provençal which is the international body."

Jersey hopes to hold its own international competitions in the future. But how do the island's top players match up against the continentals.

"We go over to Coutances every year it is largely based on friendship, social activity and a good lunch. We usually managed to stagger through the competition and emerge about 50-50. Certainly, we are not outclassed by the French."

Tony believes Jersey has some of the best petanque facilities anywhere in Britain. We have wonderful terrains up at Les Quennevais and also up in St Lawrence with the two major clubs. Also at St Mary and now the parishes.

Petanque originated in 1907 in Provence, southern France

"Virtually every parish has developed or is in the process of developing a terrain. We are looking forward to having a marathon perhaps next year playing a match on each terrain.

"Some of us have done coaching training and so we are pleased to offer coaching in the tactics particularly firing, which is the rather ruthless thing when you knock your opponents out and also thinking.

"You have to actually plan what you are doing and if you have success then the game is so much more fun."