HSPC opens new TPL season with a win

HSPC began its 2010 Tokyo Petanque League (TPL) campaign with a comfortable win on March 21, defeating OBA 8-2 after electing to hold our home game at Aoyama due to restrictions on play at Myoshoji Park.

Both teams had solid turnouts and the captains agreed to play 10 games.

After the first two games were split, with rival captain Monty spearheading a strong shooting perfomance for OBA, several HSPC rookies entered the frey and performed well as our depth of squad showed through.

Well done team!

The team post-game party at Zest had plenty of zing!

Full match results on the TPL site.

Big Bill, little brother and getting hit for six!

A huge turnout at the park on Saturday with 13 of us present under sunny skies, including Big Bill and little brother Kevin visiting from Washington D.C. Kevin took to the game well and pointed his way to several wins.

In one of the highlights of the day, one lucky team, who shall remain totally anonymous, scored six points in the last frame to win 13-8!




Kevin, drop by again next time you're in Tokyo and this time please stick around for the post-match party!

V comes through with the B!

Barolo is an Italian wine, one of many to claim the title "Wine of kings, and king of wines". This Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wine is produced in the Cuneo province, south-west of Alba, within the region of Piemonte.

While most HSPC members are no strangers to the taste of fine wine, Vasili, the Baron of Belarus, was handed a harsh lesson in the value of this vino supremo when he drunkenly made a bet on a boulle measurement for FIVE bottles of the great grape during a late night game last year.

Thanks for the Barolo Vas, only three more bottles to go!

Pisted up at the HSPC end of year party!

HSPC would like to thank our management, sponsors, families and legions of fans worldwide for all their support in 2009! :)))

All the best for 2010!

Vas and Bob swim against the Sagamihara tide

HSPC's last game of the 2009 Tokyo Petanque League was away to Sagamihara Belle Equipe on Saturday, December 4. Knowing a win would give us a chance of finishing second, the boys started their warm-up routine on the train by shooting some Ebisu steel.

But our physical preparations proved inadequate for the rocky "car park" terrain, with Vas and Bob the only team that earned victories for the club under frigid conditions.

In the last game in particular they showed great spirit through torrential rain, earning HSPC our second win as we lost 6-2 on an inconsistent piste.

Congratulations to Sagamihara on their win, and to Mon Soleil for capturing the league again. Thanks Mizumoto san and crew for a fine spread.

A big thanks also to Adrian and Okawa san for all their work on the league admin side and to all the teams that participated.

We look forward to next year's competition.

Full results here.

HSPC triumphs against OBA in league

A lovely autumn day on Sunday at Myoshoji Park saw HSPC defeat Okubo Boules Association 8-0 in the Tokyo Petanque League. Bob and Raj raced out to an early 13-0 victory while Steve and Greg labored away in a lengthy battle before emerging winners over Monty and Nakahara san 13-8.

Bob and Yutaka then teamed up winning 13-5 while Greg found some form to take the weight off Steve as they triumphed 13-2.

In the end seven HSPC players flew the team flag with new boy James Allen getting his first taste of league action in a win with Steve. Father Pete also deserves an honorable mention for blessing us in the last game.

Steve was in fine form -- especially in the first game with Captain Crumble -- and earned MVP honors.

Full results can be seen on the Tokyo Petanque League site.

HSPC final game of the TPL season will be a toughy, away to Sagamihara Belle Equipe.

The HSPC beach boys rock in Hiratsuka

HSPC traveled to the sunny Shonan shores on Sunday to take on Hiratsuka Beach Petanque in the Tokyo Petanque League.

The Okawas and crew have an excellent set-up, exclusive courts looking over the sea. Their team were great hosts and offered a superb spread of food and drinks. On the piste, the visitors adapted well to the Aoyama-like terrain, going on to win the day 6-2 with Steve and Greg sharing MVP honors after triumphing in all four games. Vas and Bob also showed great spirit to battle back from huge deficits to emerge victorious in both their games. For the first time in a while, the team didn't have to rely on Raj the Rock.

Well done guys.

Full results can be seen on the Tokyo Petanque League site.