After a very long time we finally managed to sign in - should do this more often as we can never remember how we did it the last time.
Some of you will know that Jo is over here visiting with me in France. Before she left Tasmania she found out that there would be a marble competition in Cognac and suggested we go to watch, so on Friday Peter, Jo and I headed off from Versailles where we live, to Cognac - about a 5 hour drive.
On getting to Cognac we decided to go to the park where the competition would be held and we met a few of the contestants and run builders/sculptors who invited us to participate the following day in the competition. The runs are all made out of sand and are real works of art.
On Saturday around lunch time we headed back to the park where we were met by Patrick, one of the contestants in the French finals to be held at 3pm. He took us aside to the practise run and spent the next hour or so trying very hard to teach us how to shoot the marble along the runs which I can assure you is not an easy thing to do.
Peter and Jo decided I would be the one to represent Australia later that evening in the World final so at 8.30pm (after watching the French final), I lined up with the other 8 contestants and headed out.
The first two shots went really well and I was well in with a chance. After that the trouble started and I simply could not get up and around the next bend (otherwise I'm sure I would have won!!!), so I had to admit defeat and leave it to the experts!
I would never have believed a game of marbles could be so exciting. The French Champion from earlier in the afternoon was in the lead all the way around until the last couple of runs when the Spanish champ came charging up from behind and romped home to win.
It is so good to see a competition still exists where all the competitors, while taking it very seriously, still manage to have so much fun and the friendship between the players was heartwarming.
Peter, Jo and I all enjoyed ourselves so much and would now love to get something similar up and running in Tasmania - so if anyone is interested, please e-mail us at info@worldofmarbles.com.au
Until next time ,take care and we will be very busy getting out marble flicks perfected so that we can be sure of winning the next World final.
