IN contrast to last year's atrocious conditions, the Penarth Petanque Club's Colin Ballett doubles competition enjoyed bright sunshine and soaring temperatures.

Now in its fourth year, the annual event attracted 16 teams of mixed gender and abilities from a variety of clubs based in South Wales.

Taking place on Father’s Day, June 15, several dads were among the competitors on the pistes at the Kymin, Penarth.

Everybody was there to have fun and enjoy the weather and beautiful surroundings, with the obvious streak of eager competitiveness showing through.

After the morning's three round-robin timed games, the teams were divided into two groups, with the leaders, and depending on their accumulated points, going into the main competition, and the others competing in a Plate event. This ensured everybody could carry on playing.

All players and onlookers enjoyed an enthralling day of petanque, where skilled shooters disposed of their opponents’ equally skilful pointing boules and where tactics also played a part in the outcome of each game.

The winners of the main competition were Tony Smith and Ni Kingchun, of the Monkestone Club at Penylan, who beat clubmates Roger Griffin and Peter Westfall in a closely contested match.

Two teams from the Penarth club were involved in the Plate final, with brothers Andrew and Tim Howard narrowly beating Laurent Mirbelle and Marcia Clode.

Prizes were presented by Simone Ballett, whose husband the competition commemorates.

Petanque is a thriving game, both in this country and abroad, and visitors are welcome to try it out at the Kymin any Sunday morning between 11am and 1pm.