CROQUET NEWS:  Maui Croquet Club Championship Won by Leo Nikora

13-16 November 2008
Waipuilani Park, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii, USA
story by Leo Nikora
photo by Kerry Ramm

Leo Nikora retains the Maui Croquet Club Championship Trophy.

The eleventh annual Maui Croquet Club Championship was won by Leo Nikora of Kihei. It was the ninth time that Leo has won the club championship.

In three days of play on the club's home court at Waipuilani Park, six members of the club played every other member in a single round-robin tournament. Advanced Association Rules were followed in two-hour games. Sunshiny CQ-16 balls were used. The tournament was sanctioned by the United States Croquet Association, and directed by Leo Nikora.

Leo was undefeated with five wins, and completed the only peel, a double, of the tournament.

Bruno Amby and Larry Icalla of Lanai City, and Kerry Ramm of Kihei, each had three wins; and the tie had to be broken by net points.

Bruno came in second, losing to Leo by only one point in the last game of the tournament. Bruno lead until near the end of the game; in two turns, Leo got to hoop #4-back, and then did an all-round run to the peg; with only minutes remaining, Bruno ran a difficult three-ball break from hoop #2-back to the peg, to regain the lead, but pegged out Leo's ball tieing the score(!); with seconds remaining, Leo lagged to hoop #4-back, and on his last turn ran it to win.

Larry placed third, upsetting second-place Bruno in a game dominated by Larry.

Karry finished fourth, upsetting third-place Larry, who made a good run at the end of the game, but was too far behind to win in one turn.

See more pictures at the Maui Croquet Club Gallery.

Results