Balance Boy - World Number One

Stan Charles

After 3 victories over Darren Woolridge, Balance Boy Ben Martin is back on top of the World Leaderboard for the first time in over a year. 
Extreme Boule veteran Stan Charles has entered at number two after a successful time in the Thames Challenge. Depsite having invented the sport this is likely to be Charles highest ever ranking. 

Balaqnce Boy

New World Number One

Darren Woolridge is back on top of the World Rankings! The 2011 World Champion is back in form after a  an indifferent 2012, with fans believing that the "cat really has licked his bacon". No player has ever won the world championship twice - indeed most ex world champions have damaged their extreme boule skills with port addictions or death. Could Woolridge buck this trend? Who knows, but the stats below certainly suggest he can if he continues with his current form...

Woolridge 2013

World Ranking: 1st (as of 27/5/13)

% Games Won: 69%

Opponents beaten: 31

Total game points: 50

Defining moment: That eliminator dance at the Purple Turtle Show down that outshone P. Cox's version

Woolridge 2012

World Ranking: 5th

% Games Won: 37%

Opponents beaten: 54

Total game points: 254

Defining moment: Balance Boy's cigar after THE match of 2012.

Woolridge 2011

World Ranking: 1st (World Champion)

% Games Won: 50%

Opponents beaten: 27

Total game points: 420

Defining moment: Losing to Balance Boy but still claiming the title at one of THE boule events of all time.

Woolridge, Woolridge, Woolridge

At the Purple Turtle Showcase in Roath Park only one name was on the lips of Extreme Boule fans - Darren Woolridge. After a tough 2012, the 2011 World Champion smashed his opponents into the turf, winning all three matches at this spectacular event. Gwen Thomas, the Godmother of Extreme Boule, made her first appearance of the year, but even she could not stop Woolridge when he's in this kind of form.

D.Woolridge basks in the glory after eliminating another opponent

S. Moss Throwing Style

The first in our showcase looking at the techniques used by some of Extreme Boules leading stars. 

S. Moss throwing technique has the classic reverse underarm style, personalised by his own 'relaxed orangutan' technique. There are shades of the 'Elephant Trunk Flex (ETF)' - obviously borrowed from 2011 World Champion D. Woolridge who has used it to devastate opponents morale.
The playful pre-throw tossing of the boule is a preference of S. Moss after suffering repeated cases of 'Doctor Moss' Conundrum' (see Terminologie for explanation).

Seb Moss - the unmistakable facts

World Rankings    

2011 - 13th

2012 - 12th

2013 (so far) - 4th

% Games Won in career - 18%

Graceland

13th April 2013
The gravel dome , Cardiff

Match 1:
T. Wort: 0
D. Woolridge: 3

Match 2:
T. Wort: 1
D. Woolridge: 4

The Battle of Pen y Fan

T. Wort   3 - 2   M. Wort

Having journeyed to over 870m and into the clouds T. Wort took on the World Number One M. Wort in a mountain top battle. M. Wort quickly went into the lead, winning plaudits after using the Pen y Fan trig point as a jack. However a strategic bout of Frenchman's Prerogative by T. Wort and a snifter of coffee led to a complete reversal in fortunes which ended with T. Wort snatching the victory whilst staring into the abyss.

M. Wort launches a shot

Staring into the The Abyss

Cosmeston Lakes Show Down

1. S. Murphy  2. M. Wort 3. T. Wort  4. D. Woolridge

1. M. Wort  2. T. Wort 3. S. Murphy 4. D. Woolridge

Cosmeston Lakes provided the background for a classic couple of matches. S. Murphy took the the first match and all the plaudits after landing a Chesil Sea Dog -  an impressive winning shot played over a good 20 m distance. M. Wort re ignited her claim for the Top Spot in the World after winning a tense Eliminator Round. Woolridge had a disaster and avoided all hosing downs.