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Rockfish GC Tournament

Rockfish GC Tournament and Blue Crabs Arts and Crafts Festival was a match made in heaven at the Chesapeake Cay Croquet Club

On June 29 – July 2, the Chesapeake Bay Croquet Club hosted the 2023 Rockfish Golf Croquet Tournament.  Players from all over the US came for good croquet and great times.  During the tournament, on Saturday and Sunday, the club hosted the first annual Blue Crab Arts and Crafts Festival.  The festival was held in a park like grove of pine (in the shade) and the GC tournament was within sight on the courts.  The two events blended extremely well.

While croquet competitors were competing, festival goers stopped by to watch and ask questions.  There was always a crowd of festival spectators.  Many said they had never seen a real croquet game before, and many were very impressed.  The Club gave free golf croquet lessons and organized games for anyone who wanted to give it a try.  About 75 people took advantage and played for the first time.  Chesapeake Bay offered a membership special and offered signups for league play to all who came and CBCC picked up over 30 new members and more are trickling in as a result of the festival.

The festival organizing team was made up of CBCC croquet players, Audrey Bingham, Brenda Feiner, Cathy Vavala, Cynthia Fowler, Doug Fowler, John Priest, Kimberly Ruffo, Lynn Pendleton, Lynne Blankenship, Macey White, Nancy Crouch, Pam Groh, Penn Pendleton, Sandra Phillips, and Steve Thurston.  Months of preparation paid off in a spectacularly smooth-running event. Original goals were to have 30 vendors and 1000 participants.  When the dust settled, the festival had 68 arts and crafts vendors, 7 food vendors and over 2000 attendees.  To inject a croquet theme into the festival, vendors were given a 50% rebate on their registration fee if they had at least one croquet related item for sale.  Over half of the vendors had croquet items for sale and many were quite unique. 

Chesapeake Bay is going to make the festival and Rockfish tournament combo an annual event.

In the Rockfish tournament, every started with hi-low doubles and singles to follow. 

In doubles, there were 6 teams in Championship Flight, and 5 teams in 1^st Flight.

In Championship play, Marc Stearns (right) & Tom Bown (not picture) made it to the finals as the 2^nd seed battling with the tournament favorites Bo Prillaman (left) & MaryCarol Stearns (center).  It may have been a cold drive home for Marc as he and Tom Bown upset the favorites to win.

In 1^st Flight Doubles, Damon Hagan( left) & David Scott (2^nd from right)  came in as the number 1 seed and challengers Clyde Anderson (middle) & Jennifer Falchi (2^nd from left) came in as the number 2.  Clyde and Jennifer rose to the challenge and took 1^st place honors.

In singles, there were 9 players in Championship Flight, 6 players in 1^st Flight, and 7 players in 2^nd Flight. 

Championship Flight singles was won by newbie David Scott (left), winning best 2 of 3 over seasoned veteran Bo Prillaman (center) TD Macey White (right).

1^st Flight singles was won by Jim Watrous (center) in 2 straight over Pam Groh (left).