From the Archives - Part One

Join us as we venture into the past of Extreme Boule…

The Most Extreme Game of All time?

Gillard, Burrows and Charles on an Extreme Boule mission

 

History doesn’t recall the winner of this encounter which took place almost a decade ago – but memories of the game still linger like frisky ghosts. Four Extreme Boule pioneers headed to one of Extreme Boule’s spiritual homes, the Brecon Beacons to test their skills.

Llyn y Fan Fach

 

 

Messrs’ Burrows, Gillard, Charles and Wort ventured to Llyn y Fan Fach to seek guidance from the Lady of the Lake (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/wfb/wfb03.htm). There they spent the night by the lake, haunted by ghostly sounds,  and fortified with whisky and port.

Pre match rituals and an appreciation of Slovakia

 

On the day of the big match the players headed up onto Bannau Sir Gaer, at a height of over 600m. Atop the view down to the glacial lake is magnificent.

 

From here the players took aim. Boules were launched off the cliff edge, down a shear drop towards the lake – a drop of over 150m. To fall off here would mean death, yet over the boule went.

Burrows has a practice round with a boulder. The boule were launched from here

Where the boule were launched and landed - a drop of over 150m

 

Two shots each – that was it. To retrieve the boule, the players descended down a safer route and then spent hours, but what seemed like days, searching amongst the scree for the boule. Not all were found. Furthermore the Jacque was never located so there was no winner... except maybe the Lady of the Lake.

What Happened Next?

Charles, Wort and Burrows still play on the Extreme Boule scene, some say still trying, and failing, to recapture that moment. The World Championship is still a dream for them.

As for “Grandad” John Gillard? Well he went onto to be a World Champion, a hero of the game. Fame took it’s toil and he disappeared, to become a legend, like the Lady of the Lake. Some say one day he will rise again, like King Arthur or E.T. , to rule the Extreme Boule scene once more. Until that day all we have are memories.

 

The spiritual home of Extreme Boule

 

 

EXTREME BOULE NEWS

January

The Month in a Nutshell: The 2015 season launched in spectular style with a clash of the titans, Woolridge vs Martin just after the stroke of midnight January 1^st.

One of the deadliest rivalries in the sport has some juicy history (http://extremeboules.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/big-battle.html). This time Woolridge took the spoils leaving everyone asking is Balance Boy Ben Martin a has-been?

There were glimpses of Woolridge, the World Champion version of 2011, but these proved elusive, as he was crushed by Geraint Burrows. This was Burrows first ever victory.

Meanwhile some 800+ miles away Shetland saw some extreme action. Matches were dominated by the Charles clan, with Sam Charles, the Dark Horse of the Extreme Boule world, climbing to the top of the World rankings after some outstanding performances.

Current World Number One: Sam Charles
Sam Charles has beaten 10 opponents and only lost to one person so far.

Match of the month: A night snow battle on Shetland won by veteran bouler Stan Charles Topalian

Photo of the Month: The Shetland pictures are extreme and triumphant, but this shot below captures the flipside of Extreme Boule - the dejection... Martin is currently 'eating a pickled egg in a sauna' (see terminology for a guide to extreme boule language)

Ben Martin is floored after losing a midnight battle to his old nemesis, Darren Woolridge

The Fact: of the Month: The most northernly match recorded took place in Iceland and was won by double World Champion Rich Waterman, with volcanic rocks replacing boule.

Technique of the Month: The Moonpie. The act of rolling your boule into a crowded game, connecting with the Jacque and escorting it out of the melange into a secluded spot, thus claiming the points. If you carry out this move but fail to end up closest to the Jacque you have merely 'presented a gift' to your opponents. Your confidence will be shattered.

 

Check this out: We are loving the work of the International Extreme Petanque Federation: https://www.facebook.com/extreme.petanque/app_267091300008193 

EXCLUSIVE Interview!!!
To finish off the January addition of EB News we caught up with 2011 World Champion Darren Woolridge, flexing his boule muscles on the South Coast.

Extreme Boule Reporter (EBR): Darren Woolridge, we have seen Sam Charles make a triumphant return to the sport and climb to the number one spot. He is the dark horse of Extreme Boule, but how dark and which horse exactly?

Darren Woolridge (DW): He's certainly not as dark as the Ceffyl Dwr of Flemingston. He's much less of a concern - more like Black Beauty or the Headless Horse of Lanreath.

EBR: What chance has Geraint Burrows this year?
DW: Burrows seems like he has been playing the long con for the past 12 years. Claiming his first 2015 match was "his first ever win"?! I'm not buying it. Can we get SkyNet to verify?

Geraint Burrows - the Long Con?

Editor: SkyNet, the self sufficent Extreme Boule database has verified Geraint Burrows has never won a game up until 2015. Incredible.

EBR: Balance Boy Ben Martin is a mere shadow of the player he once was. Discuss.
DW: Rumour has it that 'Balance Boy' Martin has been shut in this year drinking copious amounts of whiskey. I've heard that he can't even get a big enough buzz to contemplate picking an orb.

Balance Boy - a drunkard?

EBR: Can Rich Waterman claim the World Championship for an unbelievably third time and become immortal like Zeus?
DW: It's only a matter of time. That boy can throw!

 

Zeus and reigning World Champion Rich Waterman

 

 

 

Shetland Extreme Boule

Extreme Boule pioneers took the game to Shetland and did battle through sand and snow, day and night. The Charles brothers excelled, with Sam Charles claiming the honours. A dark horse in the world of Extreme Boule could this be a early stab at claiming the 2015 World Championships?

 

 

 

 

Geraint Burrows managed to play matches 2 weeks and over 800 miles apart, but ended up slipping down the World rankings.

Scrumpy Showdown

18th Jan 2015
Southbourne
Consumables: scrumpy
Extreme rating: 1 star
Chosen Jack: egg

Results:
G Burrows - 11
D Woolridge - 3

A whitewash from Burrows in the second game of the year. Burrows has claimed his "first ever win". Cider came from The Trading Post in Somerset and was the highlight of the match.

Location:Beaufort Road,Bournemouth,United Kingdom

Beaufort New Years Slam Jam

Beaufort New Years slam jam.
01-01-15
The only extreme thing is the date.
Consumables: Gin and Cuban Cigars
Egg for a jack.

Match updates:
1 Woolridge
3 Martin egg toucher
1 Martin steal
2 egg maximiser Woolridge
2 Martin
2 Martin
1 Martin photo max!!!
1 Woolridge pitch pressure
2 Woolridge - Ben got angry
1 Woolridge - Ben gets sloppy
2 Woolridge pulls it back 9 all

11 - 9 to Woolridge

Location:Fenton Road,Bournemouth,United Kingdom

2014 World Champion - Rich Waterman

Waterman poses with the trophy and his lucky mermaid shell

World Championship 2014 - the deciding weekend

Extreme Boulers gather on Kinder Scout

So it was decided that this years Extreme Boule World Champion would be crowned in the hills of the Peak District. No year long league table, no mini championships, just one weekend to decide it all. A Saturday match and a Sunday match. The winners of each to play off for the trophy. Of course if one player won both there could be no doubt.

Saturday, Edale.

The first part of the World Championship deciding weekend was a game in Edale. 
This was an extreme game where the rules became twisted, where apples became boule, where animal masks were worn as spiritual guidance, where courage was tested and buck fast was consumed as a sailors breakfast. Some say the old spirits of extreme boule walked amongst the players, spiking their boule and their drinks. Woolridge moon pied, Charles hornblowered, Moss Collinsoned, Burrows concubined mistakenly and Wort was pure botchy boule. What of Waterman, the reigning Champion? Well, Waterman won with ease.
Someone mentioned that Waterman had the air of Gressier about him that Saturday morning. The omens looked bad for the other players.

Sunday, Kinder Downfall




The climb up




Charles boules with Kinder Downfall behind

After a trek and a wild camp the players awoke early to see Kinder Downfall flowing upwards - Nature was acting extreme and it was a perfect day to crown the Extreme Boule Champion. Play took place on the walk back to Edale, through peat bogs, rocky ravines, cliff ledges and some of the most extreme terrain available. This was Extreme Boule. Woolridge, Moss, Burrows, Wort and Charles have years of play under their belts and played with all their skills and determination. But it was was never going to be for these five as Waterman was on another level. As each round progressed each of his opponents considered calling Old Westminster - Waterman was so far superior in his play. Almost supernatural you might say. 




Extreme Terrain





Burrows contemplates a difficult ravine shot





Waterman dominates another round






The peat bogs took no prisoners


As the players made the final descent into Edale after a long mornings play, the match was long since decided. Waterman was undoubtably the World Champion. No one can argue with that.




Waterman won both events and the 2014 World title

If you have found any of the language used in  this article incomprehensible please consult the Terminology page.