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For the latest news go
to our
Blog
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| Frequently Asked Questions Updated
14 Sep 2005 |
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These are all
actual questions we have received and our reply. |
Is the beach good
for playing pétanque?
In Miami Beach, there
are vast areas of compacted, hard sand. On top you'll find a thin
layer of loose sand plus some shells here and there to make it
challenging. It may not be what you're used to, but it works great. |
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What will be the
first prize?
We have set aside a
total package of $ 2,500, irrespective of the amount of
participants. This pot can, and hopefully will, grow according to
the level of participation. We do want to spread rewards over all
teams who reach the quarter finals, both in the main competition and
in the consolante. So, as of today we cannot put a figure yet on any
prize. We will adjust our main page as things change. |
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What is a consolante?
It is customary in
pétanque tournaments to give teams who get eliminated in the first
rounds a second chance. Those teams then move on to a parallel
circuit with its own prizes. That way everyone gets to play
several games, both on Saturday and Sunday. |
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I am flying in. Do
I have to be there on Friday afternoon?
The more teams we can check in on Friday,
the better. But once you have registered and paid, you can also
check in early Saturday morning. |
Are
teams from Europe welcome?
Of course, from Europe or anywhere else. A
quick check on
Opodo.com shows that you can fly round trip from Europe for
about 450 Euro mid November. Remember also that the Euro is quite
strong compared to the US Dollar right now. With some smart shopping
(clothing, electronics f.ex.) you can make up the cost of the
flight! For car buffs we should mention that the
Miami Auto Show will be
going on that same week, just a couple of blocks away. |
Will
you have categories, e.g. beginners, advanced, age groups, men/ladies
etc..?
No. One big competition. Except for age,
it would be impossible or unfair to qualify anyone for any given
level category. We also suspect that everyone would then probably
sign up as "beginner"!!
One of
the beauties of pétanque is that age and strength are irrelevant.
Some countries do have separate men and women contests, but... we're
in Miami!
As to age: the minimum age is 14. We actually hope there will
be some "two generation" teams. |
What
if I register but cannot make it as planned?
Until Oct
31 we will refund your contribution 100 %. |
I
would love to come, but don't have a teammate. Can you link me up
with someone?
You are
probably not the only one. Go to the
Blog and
post a comment on the "Players looking for teammates" post. |
We
have won many championships in France. Can you invite us?
Sorry, we
have no budget for airfares and/or lodging. Champions are more than
welcome, but like everyone else they have to get to Miami Beach
under their own steam. |
In
2003 most of the teams stayed at the Riu Hotel, which was convenient.
How come you do not have one place to stay this time?
Most medium
priced hotels on South Beach are relatively small and do not
have enough rooms or are not willing to block enough rooms for just
a weekend. But the good part is that the whole area is much more
compact than where we were in 2003. From a hotel on 10th St for
instance to the courts at 14th takes about as long as from the 10th
floor at Riu to their beach then.
We also wanted to be more in the spotlight, where the general public
can watch the games.
You
can't beat South Beach when it comes to being central. Those
of you who came in 2003 may remember that some teams (no names
called!) were late showing up on Sunday morning, because they went
out in South Beach on Saturday night. There won't be any excuse now...
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I love
petanque and play with friends all the time, but I have never played
in a real tournament. I will probably make a fool of myself!
Don't
worry. You won't be the only one who has never played in a
competition. Most players in the US only started recently. The main
thing is to have fun, and learn from others in the process. Petanque
players generally like to share their experience and give tips, even
to opponents.
Until you get too close .. :-) |
