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Saturday 28 June – Leicester Pétanque Club

Under blazing sunshine and soaring summer temperatures, 23 junior pétanque players from across England descended on Leicester Pétanque Club for the 2025 PE National Singles and Shooting Competition. With up to seven games played by some competitors, the day was a true test of stamina, skill, and sportsmanship.

Singles Competition – A Showcase of Grit and Talent

Gold Final

After six hard-fought matches, the Gold Final featured two of the country’s brightest talents—George Partridge (Heart of England) and Alex Warren (Mercia). Spectators were treated to a thrilling battle of precision pointing and impressive shooting. Locked at 12-12, Alex Warren held his nerve to secure a dramatic 13-12 victory in what many hailed as one of the day’s finest games.

Gold Consolage Final

The Consolage Final delivered one of the day’s most memorable comebacks. Nathan Huntley (Chiltern) stormed into a 10-3 lead against Aimee Rickman (Southern), but Aimee dug deep to overturn the deficit and claim a remarkable 13-12 win—showing extraordinary resilience under pressure.

Silver Final

An all-Whitnash final saw teammates Evie Dickens and Erica Bennett go head-to-head. Both had impressed with accurate pointing throughout the day, but it was Erica who took command in the final, finishing with a confident 13-5 victory.

Silver Consolage Final

Emerging stars Harry O’Reilly (Heart of England) and Zac Kelly-Lord (Southern) faced off in the Silver Consolage Final. Despite being new to competitive play, both demonstrated maturity and determination beyond their years. Harry’s consistent performance saw him take the win, 13-6.

Shooting Competition – Precision Under Pressure

A total of 21 juniors took part in this year’s shooting competition, many for the first time. After a tense preliminary round, four players progressed to the semi-finals: Alex Warren, George Partridge, Jayden Davies, and Cole Fortesque—all completing five full rounds.

In a tightly contested final, it was George Partridge who triumphed, scoring 11 points to take the title. Notably, the semi-final scores were higher, suggesting the added pressure of a final—and the crowd’s watchful eye—played a key role in the outcome.

The day was not just about trophies, but about personal growth, peer support, and the vibrant spirit of the junior pétanque community. Across every terrain, players displayed integrity, encouragement, and a passion for the sport.

A heartfelt thank you goes to everyone who made the event a success:

• To our brilliant juniors for their sportsmanship and commitment

• To the parents, carers, and coaches who support them every step of the way

• To the Leicester Pétanque Club team—Michelle, Allan, John G, Drew, Jane, and Charlie—for their incredible behind-the-scenes work

• And to John Edmondson, for his expert umpiring and smooth running of the competition

The 2025 PE National Singles and Shooting Competition was a powerful reminder that the future of English pétanque is not only talented—but united, supportive, and full of potential. Congratulations to all who took part.

A full report of the Competition can be found here.

if you have any junior stories from your club please let us know as we want to celebrate with them. Send all stories and any photos to Claire Geddes at juniors@petanque-england.uk

For those keen to stay updated on junior petanque activities, be sure to follow @PEJuniors on Facebook. Additionally, for information on upcoming events, visit the juniors webpage at Juniors (petanque-england.uk).