PISTE INSTALLATION
Help Sheet No.3
THE PETANQUE PISTE
For International competition and National Championships the minimum dimensions of a single piste are 15M x 4M with a 30 cm surround before any solid barriers. However, these dimensions are frequently altered for club and leisure situations to take account of limited space available.
Petanque may be played on any surface but grass, because of the roots deflecting the boule, is not recommended. Gravel or hard earth is the favoured surface.
In the UK we try to recreate the dusty squares and areas where Petanque is played in France, however we, in the UK, tend to have a wetter climate. It is this reason we construct areas similar to gravel driveways so we can play when the weather is inclement.
Construction
To construct a petanque piste that is satisfactory to play on in all seasons it is first necessary to select a reasonably well drained area.
The topsoil should be removed to a depth of 6-8 inches (150 - 200 mm) and a layer of hard-core, brick rubble, stone etc. laid in the bottom. This should be compacted down to approx. 4 inches (100 mm) thick using a Wacker plate or Roller. The area can now be filled with crushed quarry stone 1 1/2 inch down to dust all in. This is known as type 1 sub base or scalpings. A heavy roller over this, if it is not too dry, will provide a hard firm surface. However, if played on at this stage the large stones will come to the surface. The area will need subsequent rolling and watering to settle the stones down. A shower of rain (hose pipe ) will be beneficial.
A solid surround of some sort is usual to a playing area to prevent boule that are out of play rolling considerable distances or causing injury. A wide variety of items are seen used for this purpose, most commonly, old railway sleepers, planks, old kerb stones, old telegraph poles. etc. Depending on the size of the edging available it can be incorporated at any stage after digging to leave 4-6 inches (100 - 150 cm) above the finished playing area.
Once the material so far included has been very well compacted a thin layer of quarry dust 1/4 inch to dust should be spread over the area and rolled again and again.
Settling
The ideal surface will take some time to appear as some piste's take time to settle. During the first year you may find soft areas appearing where frequent boule landing takes place. The surface can be maintained by raking the surface with a wire leaf rake. Care should be taken to try to place the jack in differing areas of the piste. Boule make good wackers for the surface. Any large stones working their way to the surface should be removed from the area
The overall surface should not be "Billiard Table " level as this is Petanque not Bowls. A certain amount of thought should be needed to cope with the odd small irregularities in the surface. Anyway, the home team deserves some advantages for all the hard work they have put in building the playing area!
Common Construction Mistakes
A piste should be an ever changing surface. As the above structure compresses with rolling, whacking, rainfall, general play and the constant walking up and down or the players the boule should roll faster the game should become more difficult. The result will be, as a player you will get better and as a piste you will have great home advantage. If the wrong topping is used, i.e. pea shingle or large gravel stones the topping will remain floating on the surface and take years to break down into smaller gravel. It will pile up at both ends as it moves when boule land.
Many constructors put far to much topping on their piste. It can make playing easier but shooting will be difficult as the pointed boule dig in. Some teams actually put excess topping on piste's knowing it stops shooters effectiveness. Bad Sports!
Large stones used as topping can be dangerous. They can fly off the piste and cause injury. Recently I heard a stone whistle as it past my ear. A close shave indeed.
A membrane laid on grass and covered in gravel can be a simple construction technique. Not really suitable as the gravel bounces away from the boule landing area and of course this piste will never bed down.
I hope this give a guide for those looking to instal a piste in their gardens or play areas. Enjoy your Petanque.
David Halsey
P.S. If any further clarification or information is required please do not hesitate to telephone 01359 250829.
Above we see a perfect piste. See how the boule are resting on the surface. They are making a mark when they land and then roll to the jack.
BOULE SELECTION
If you require a Handsize chart please email your full address and we will send one free of charge
Help Sheet No.4
Choosing the boule for you
It does appear to many beginners to the game of Petanque, that all boules are the same. As we look deeper into the sport it soon becomes clear is not the case. Boule, as we now know vary in diameter, weight, hardness and pattern or stripes, all within the limitations set out in the Fédération Internationale de Pétanque et Jeu Provençal (F.I.P.J.P.) rules. The permissible diameters are from 70.5mm to 80mm and the weight must be between 650 grams and 800 grams. Even the Hardness of the boule is governed but they are generally classified as Hard, Semi Soft or Soft. So we can have a small heavy hard boule just as we can have a large light soft boule. Looking at the spectrum between these opposites where every possible variation of weight and size together with the patterns and hardness exist. Well! It comes as no surprise that boule manufactures such as Obut can supply over 2000 variations of boule!
With such a choice, choosing a boule sounds very complicated, so lets take one point at a time.
What Diameter? The first consideration here is the size of your hand and choosing a boule comfortable to you. Try holding the boule palm down at arms length with little or no help from your thumb, your fingers should wrap just over halfway round the boule and the boule should not be slipping from your grasp. If it is slipping it could be an indication it is too big. This will cause problems when you throw as the boule will tend to slip as you throw. This will affect your control over the boule thus the direction and distance the boule travels. If, however, it is too small for your hand you will not be able to release the boule cleanly from the fingers and the same problem will result. The simplest way to choose a boule is to start with a small boule and work up until the boule feels too big and then step down a size.
When you reach a stage in your play when you need to specialize then you will find the pointer tends to use a smaller heavier boule and the shooter will choose a larger lighter boule. This is a general rule. Do not escape from the fact that it is the most comfortable boule which will bring the best results.
What weight? We have just mentioned pointer and shooter and the different weights required. A pointer is aiming to land and roll on a gravel surface to end near the jack. On such a surface the smaller and heavier the boule, hopefully, the straighter and more consistently it will make its way through the variations of the surface. Being smaller once near the jack it makes it less of a target for shooters! The heavy weight of a pointers boule may cause problems in throwing to 10 metres but remember the boule can roll some of the way on hard pitches. It may be a thought to take a closer look at your home piste before selecting your boule. The shooter on the other hand has a problem, he or she will often need to throw the full length of the jack and sometimes further to strike boule to boule . Here the weight is critical as throwing a boule for 10m all day can tend to wear you out if you are using a heavy boule. 680 grams to 700 grams are usually the range most shooters prefer and the bigger they think the better. All the better to hit you with! Again stick with the comfortable boule before going too big.
A novice would be wise to choose between 690 grams to 720 grams so they can practice both functions until they eventually specialize,
What Hardness? This may sound strange when most boule are made of steel but there really is quite a difference. The hard boule is the choice of the pointer who, when applying backspin to the boule doesn't want the hard landing on gravel and sometimes granite chipping's to be to detrimental to his boule. The shooter who is endlessly searching for the Spot Carreau chooses a soft boule that will absorb a great deal of the impact upon striking the oppositions boule thus tending to stay in the head around the jack. The soft boule is generally more expensive and its life considerably shorter due to wear. For the novice a hard boule is always the recommended choice. Many manufacturer's have introduced a Semi Soft boule such as the Obut IT115 if you wish to fall between Hard and Soft boule.
How many stripes? Once again the pointer and shooter differ, the pointer chooses a boule with heavy stripes so that it grips the ground on landing and a great deal of control can be applied in side spin and back spin on the ground. A shooter chooses a smooth boule so that it leaves the hand cleanly at the chosen trajectory. The novice should go for a middle of the road pattern . See Boule pages at www.pycpetanque.com
Competition Boule
It must be noted that all boule conforming to the FIPJP rules should have the name of the manufacturer, the type or mark of boule, the weight in grams and a serial number. The player may have his / her name or initials engraved on the boule but this is carried out at the manufacturing stage so as not to alter the balance of the boule in any way. I would recommend any beginner to the sport to purchase competition boule. They far out perform Leisure boule as they are balanced and precision machined. The game is improved using the correct equipment
If you are looking for a cheaper alternative you could look at Leisure boule for a fun game in the back garden or on the beach however most players opt for the competition boule as they play with a greater consistency and after any game of Pétanque most people wish to play at a more serious level!
I hope this explanation has been of assistance and if you require further help on boule or Pétanque in general, please contact the Head office at Bardwell
A GUIDE TO MEASURES
Help Sheet No.5
Measures Explained
Petanque is one of the few sports where measuring during play is critical to the outcome of the game. Nearly every sport I can think of measure at the end of a term of play. Therefore it is no accident that, included in the rule book from Oct. 2002 is a rule denoting all teams should carry measuring equipment. It seems strange that teams need to be told this as no one wants to play their boule till the end and thus need to prove to the opposing team that they are closer. Still there's none stranger than folk.
The question as I see it is, which type of measuring equipment do the team carry? There are so many to choose from. From pieces of string to cunningly accurate sliding measures. To help I have detailed below a users guide to the measuring nightmare. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Here we look at each one
1. Tape Measure.
Possibly the most popular form of measuring in Petanque Simple and generally all you will need to enjoy the game of Petanque. Some games are far from enjoyable and accuracy of measures can be critical when the arguments The tape measure is effective but, like other types of measure it carries its own dangers. A Three metre tape is the most popular tool for most players. It is small enough to fit in the pocket and can be used to measure the following, size of circle, jack from dead boule areas, boule distance from jack and the all important 6 metre jack .You do have to use it twice for the 6 metres however 6m or 10m tapes are bulky and expensive. Most standard tape measures have floating ends for inside measurements. This is not required for use in Petanque and tapping the rivets generally tightens up this loose end to give reliable checking. The tape measure does have its faults and can only be used as a guide as it can cause problems on tight measures due to the angle looking at the scale and buckling of the tape over 50 cm. Take a look at the photograph below. The boule and jack in both photographs are the same distance apart. Why does it look as though one is 1cm closer than the other? It is all because of the angle the tape is viewed at. be careful not to accept a measure you are not happy with.
2. A piece of string ?
This is a common accessory supplied with cheap Leisure boule. It normally comes in the form of a length of string attached to two pointers of plastic. Nice try but don't bother. String has a tendency to stretch when measuring opponents boule.
3. Telescopic pen measure.
Ideal for quick check and in the hands of experts can be used very effectively. Limitations are under 12 cm and over 40 cm for obvious reasons. Can be marked to show minimum circle diameter but is a comparison tool rather than a measure.
4. 150 mm spring Callipers.
Now we are getting serious. But is it spelt Calipers or Callipers? These are superb in a tight situation and very visible comparisons can be made to all concerned. Limited to 150 mm, extremely accurate and fill the short fall that folding umpires measures have at close range. A must for all serious players, but, a word to the wise. Keep well lubricated to avoid the sudden opening of the callipers. Moving the jack when measuring is embarrassing, firing it on to the next terrain is unforgivable.
5. Folding umpires measure.
The top choice for the top players. The sliding extension and unfolding steel sections cover all distances from 12 cm up to 1 metre. Clever isn't it? Favoured by umpires because it is a very visible method of measuring to show both teams. Care must be taken to extend away from the jack to avoid moving it as above. Can be used as a set of callipers when folded to a V. These measures come in steel or fibreglass. Both are equally accurate and the choice of material is the users preference.
6. Comparison measure with scorer and callipers.
All singing all dancing piece of equipment. 2 metre comparison steel strip, some are marked both sides in mm and imperial or just a comparison strip. They all have an automatic lock system. The Pointer on the end of the strip allows accurate measurement to boule. Integral callipers measure up to 9 cm and dial scorer add to this items attraction. Do not lend this to anybody.
7. 30 Metre tape measure.
Most club houses would be incomplete with out one of these argument resolvers. We have all seen teams pacing out a jack thrown close to ten metres. The average pace is not 1 metre as most would have us believe and the error over a 10 metre pace can be considerable. Usually most teams can agree by pacing it out however 12 -0 down 1 cm can be worth arguing over. Remember a jack over ten metres is illegal until both teams have thrown a boule. Before that the team who have not thrown the jack can challenge the length if they are not happy.
So there we have it, the comprehensive guide to measures. Most people survive happily with one of the above but a combination of the above will tackle all eventualities. I myself settle for a 3M tape, Folding umpires measure and the spring callipers. OK OK I sometimes use a 20M tape.