Cool boules on a roll

Published: 13 August, 2010

• A COUPLE of years ago I discovered Barnard Park, which has a surface ideal for boules.

Wishing to promote the game in London, I approached the English Petanque Association, with the possibility of holding the national triples championships there. 

It was not interested. So, after talking to Islington Council, I ventured an independent boules competition to be funded by a French market. 

Sadly, this fell through, but the council, keen to use Barnard Park, suggested that with its backing we should try again this year, but expand it into a community event, and BP2010 was born. 

The park is not small, and so we had to extend a boules competition into something much bigger. 

If the press is to be believed, this year “boules is cool”. A Ricard-sponsored event in Chelsea Physic Garden attracted well over 100 teams. 

We are going ahead with a weekend of festivities on August 21-22, including a sports day for all ages, with three-legged races, workshops, music, food, a mountain biking course, army assault course and a sudoku tent.

On the Sunday there will be a triples boules  competition, open to all. Just turn up, we have plenty of boules for those who need them. 

What started as a possible national competition has metamorphosed into what we hope will be a great day out for all. See you there.

BRUCE ROWLAND
Boules London