Football's not the only Women's World Championship!

SCCC hosted the biannual tournament from 7th-14th August for the first time with elite players from Australia, Egypt, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and USA, including the 2019 Champion, Egypt's Soha Moustafa.

Dame Mary Berry - herself a croquet player - welcomed the players at the Opening Ceremony on Sunday 6th August and cut a very special croquet themed cake to launch the tournament.

A strong England side, which included SCCC members Liz Farrow and Gabrielle Higgins, were joined by Liz Drury and Lynn Pearcy who came through Qualifying at Eastbourne the week before to bring the squad up to 11. These included the current Women's Association Croquet World Champion Debbie Lines and 2011 GC World Champion Rachel Gee who were both seen as contenders for the title.

The current World Champion, Soha Moustafa was part of a 13-strong Egyptian squad and was widely seen as the one to beat. In a tense semi-final which had spectators on the edge of their seats, Rachel Gee fought through to take the final hoop of the deciding 5th game from Soha and progressed to the final against Australia's Jamie Gumbrell who beat Egypt's Marram Nabil in the other semi final 7:4, 7:4, 7:5.

In the final, the length of time Gee spent on the lawn the previous day seem to take it's toll and despite some excellent shot making, Gumbrell won 7:3, 7:5,5:7, 7:2 to become the 2023 Women's Golf Croquet World Champion.

In other events, New Zealand's Jessica Bullen beat USA's Cheryl Bromley to take the Plate, South Africa's Judith Hanekom beat Australia's Kate McLoughlin to win the Bowl and the Shield went to Egypt's Peri Elwy who beat England's Debbie Lines.