WCF Hall of Fame

The World Croquet Federation was formally incorporated in 1988, with the SCA being one of the founding Associations.  Talks had started some years previously to form a Federation; a preliminary meeting was held in July 1986, at which the SCA was represented, and although several countries supported the idea, the two major croquet countries in the southern hemisphere, Australia and New Zealand, still had reservation about its relevance to them.  These problems were overcome, and in 1988 the WCF was formed.  It then became affiliated to the International World Games Association, the international body responsible for World Games, the Olympics of minor sports.  It was suggested that croquet be a demonstration sport in the 1989 World Games with the aim of it being included in 1993 as a full entry, but this does not appear to have happened; the current website for IWGA does not include croquet.

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WCF World AC Team Championship

WCF World Team Championship

Holder:       Tier 2 Division 1 – Wales; Tier 2 Division 2 – Scotland; Tier 3 – Czech Republic

This new event comprises lower divisions of the MacRobertson Shield as part of a larger WCF World Team Championship.  In 2010, Scotland beat Spain 5-1, Canada 6-0 and Japan 6-0 to win Tier 2 Division 2.

Tier 2 comprises rounds of two Association Croquet doubles and four Association Croquet singles matches, all best-of-three, and has been staged once, with Wales the winners of Division One and Scotland the winners of Division Two in 2010, both in England. 

The following have represented Scotland:

2010

 Martin Murray, James Hopgood, David Magee, Campbell Morrison

Won Tier 2 Div 2

WCF World AC Championship

Trophy:  The Wimbledon Cup, a Silver Cup presented to the CA by the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to commemorate the first Championship, and loaned in perpetuity to the WCF for presentation at each successive Championship.

The World Association Croquet Championship takes place every two or three years; it is never scheduled for a MacRobertson Shield year.  Reg Bamford (South Africa) beat Robert Fletcher (Australia) 3-2 in the final of the 13th Championship, which was held in Adelaide, South Australia in May 2012. 

The 14th will be in England in 2013.  Scotland is entitled to nominate two players to the competition direct, and there are wild card and qualifying opportunities also. 

In the first World Championship, in 1989, players entered on their own account and were not selected by the SCA.  The April 1989 Bulletin announced the Championship as follows:

The first World Championship will be held in England at Hurlingham from 16th to 23rd July 1989.  A major sponsorship deal between Continental Airlines and the English CA will enable over 60 of the world’s best players to take part, from as far afield as New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the United States.  Favourite for the title is Joe Hogan, winner of the British Open Championship in 1986; he was a member of the New Zealand team which beat Great Britain and Australia in the 1986 triangular Test Match series for the MacRobertson Shield.  We do not yet know which Scots will be competing, but Keith Aiton, Andrew Hope and Martin Murray will be strong contenders.

Among Scots, Keith Aiton (6 – to 2009, after when he changed his allegiance to England) and Ian Bond (5) have made the most appearances; Jonathan Kirby (Bronze Medal 2005), Keith Aiton (QF 2005 and 2008) and James Hopgood (QF 2012) have made the most progress in the Championship.

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WCF World AC Women's Championship

WCF Women’s World Association Croquet Championship

Jenny Clarke (New Zealand) beat Alison Sharpe (Australia) +9, +25, +26 in the final of the 1st Championship, staged at the Victorian Croquet Centre, Cairnlea, Australia, in October 2012.  Scotland was not represented in this Championship.

Scotland is entitled to nominate two players to the competition direct, and there are wild card opportunities also.

 

Results:

2012:     Cairnlea, Victoria, Australia:
Jenny Clarke (New Zealand) beat Alison Sharpe (Australia) +9, +25, +26
Scotland was not represented

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