Petanque-Shooting contest winners earn best players titles |20 December 2006
“I’m happy with how things went on during the season. The players played well and at a very good level. 2007 will be an important year for Seychelles petanque and I’m confident we will win medals in the Seventh Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Madagascar. We also hope to send a team to the World Championship in Thailand,” Chang-Time told Sports Nation yesterday.
The final competition – a shooting contest – on SPA’s 2006 calendar was played last Sunday at the La Promenade boulodrome and it was followed by a prize-giving ceremony during which the names of this year’s best players were revealed.
Roland Renaud (senior male), Sheila Chang-Time 
Arguably Seychelles’ best petanque player for some time now, Renaud beat Joseph Charles 32-25 in the final to claim his fifth win in seven local competitions this year.
Fourteen male players entered the draw and the top four – Renaud (31 points), Leslie Low-Toy (30 points), Charles (26 points) and Ranga Chetty (28 points) – qualified for the semifinals. Renaud defeated Low-Toy 34-29 and Charles beat Chetty 34-20 in the two last-four matches.
Tipped by chairperson Chang-Time as a potential shooting gold medal favourite at next year’s IOIG, former volleyballer Renaud did his sport proud during the 42nd World Championship in Grenoble, France, in September, finishing 10th among 56 participants in the shooting competition. He was also 14th in the Nations Cup and 39th out of 57 countries in the Triplette competition.
His other four wins locally came in the League triplette competition alongside Joseph Sinon, Gianni Ceccato and Ivan Anacoura; the La Digue doublette competition alongside Gianni Ceccato; the Tête-à-Tête tournament after outclassing Auguste Louise 13-0 in the final; and the mixed doublette competition.
During the international competition organised here involving Seychelles and Reunion clubs,
In the women’s category, Sheila Chang-Time ended the season just like she started it – with a win. In Sunday’s shooting final, Chang-Time triumphed 15-12 against Sheila Adolphe.
Only five female players registered for the competition.
Chang-Time got three other wins in local competitions – the open doublette (with sister Livia Sinon); the League triplette (with sisters Livia Sinon and Rachel Mangroo); and the league doublette (with sister Livia Sinon).
During the 42nd World Championship, Chang-Time finished 32nd among 43 participants in the shooting competition, 23rd in the Nations Cup and 44th out of 46 countries in the triplette competition.
She claimed two titles – ladies’ triplette (with sisters Livia Sinon and Rachel Mangroo) and ladies’ doublette (with sister Livia Sinon) – in the international competition organised here.
With her whole family being very much involved in petanque, Sheila Chang-Time must have been a good coach for her son Fabien Chang-Time, who has been named the best junior male player.
Fabien encountered almost no resistance on the way to winning his fourth title, beating his younger brother Nicholas 23-2 in Sunday’s shooting final.
He had earlier in the season triumphed in the league doublette (with brother Nicholas); the Tête-à-Tête tournament; and the mixed doublette competition.
G. G.