A Bromley pétanque team has travelled more than 1,000 miles to Gibraltar to play the territory’s national team.
The Crown Jewels are a small club who regularly play in the Kent Pétanque League against teams only a short distance away.
But in early September, they travelled to Gibraltar to take part in friendly matches against the Gibraltar Pétanque Association.
The invitation came from a personal connection between the two clubs.
Team Captain Phil Wall said: “It is a great privilege to be captain of the Crown Jewels, especially playing on the Gibraltar soil.”
Pétanque is a form of French boules, invented and traditionally played in the south of France. The game is played on gravel courts, with players throwing heavy metal balls and trying to land them as close as possible to a small target.
Crown Jewels member Susan Wroe said: “I enjoy pétanque because it is a challenging, friendly game played in the open air. It is also a game of both skill and luck.”
While in Gibraltar, the pétanque team joined the National Day celebrations on 10 September, joining thousands dressed in red and white.
National Day is an annual celebration commemorating Gibraltar’s 1967 vote to remain British. It is marked with street parties, live bands and a major fireworks display across the territory.
The Bromley club also made the most of their trip by taking a speedboat to see dolphins off the east coast, visiting the caves and Second World War tunnels, and encountering Gibraltar’s famous monkeys.
The team said they also took the chance to enjoy swimming in the sea and sampling the local food.
The club hopes to return next year.
Featured image credit: Crown Jewels Pétanque team
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