Seventy-eight players took part in this year’s State Triples Championship, which is almost certainly a record attendance for this event. It was a diverse crowd, including thirteen previous title holders and about the same number of players entering their first SAPL championship. In the middle of what has been another wet month, we were fortunate to strike a full day of fine weather.
With the Inter-State Challenge just a week away, it was hardly surprising that some of the state team members would take the opportunity to hone their skills and gain experience playing together. Nor was it a surprise that this brought together an awesome team containing some of the most talented players in the country. Nor was it a surprise to see how they fared on the day…
Raja Jamaleddine,Van Nguyen & Lionel Chazal barely raised a sweat on their way to the title. The most they conceded in any game was four points, including the final. This was Raja’s third State Triples win and a fourth for Lionel, with the latter now equalling the record set last year by David Lefer. For Van, it was another box ticked off on his CV, following his victory in the State Singles earlier this year. The runners-up were Rada Pierre, Kenny May & Dominique Pierre, which was a PB result for Kenny.
Also performing well, going unbeaten until the semi-final, was a trio from the state Over-60’s squad, comprising Peter Matthews, Terry Hall & Dirk Seret. These results all augur well for South Australia’s prospects at the upcoming InterState Challenge. The other semi-finalists were Jean-Luc Gonnet, Giselle Whiteaker & Ryan Vinter.
Thanks must go to Brett Williams for once again taking on umpiring duties for the day. Thanks also to the Adelaide club and its volunteers for hosting the event and, as usual, providing a superb meal.
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