The IWD Doubles Finals day took place on Saturday 29th June at Whitnash PC. Regional qualifying events are held across the country on or around International Women’s Day in March to produce teams to represent their region on this Finals Day. The Kent qualifier was held at Hartley Country Club on March 3rd, and in line with the rising national numbers this was the highest turnout in Kent too since the initiative was started. Four teams qualified to represent Kent:
Santosh Kumar & Lesley Shaill (Istead Rise PC)
Becky Edwins & Carolyn Edwins (Meadow PC / Bat & Ball PC)
Jane Holland & Alison Miller (Crockenhill PC)
Hilda Griffiths & Jean Olley (Hartley PC)
41 teams took part in timed games in leagues in the morning. Santosh and Lesley finished 8th with 3 wins and moved into the gold. Becky and Carolyn finished 10th with 3 wins and also moved into the gold. In their first major competition Jane and Alison won 1 league game and narrowly lost a play off to get into the bronze. Hilda and Jean also had 1 win and moved into the bronze.
After lunch strings were live and the sun came out too: it was scorching hot with virtually no shade on the pistes! Becky and Carolyn beat Eastern 13-7, Mercia 13-12 and Great Western 13-9 in straight knockout matches to reach the gold final. Their opponents were Hannah Griffin and Carol Woodward playing at their home club for Heart of England. Becky and Carolyn lost the final 4-13 but both enjoyed a wonderful day of pétanque and renewed friendships.
