The Bocce Federation of Australia has hailed the 2023 Australian Bocce-Raffa Open Championship, held at the Kyabram Bocce Club, as an overwhelming success.
The championship, hosted by the Kyabram club on July 29 and 30, was sponsored by Campaspe Shire Council, Sport Australia, Kyabram Bocce Club and Bocce Australia.
It attracted an impressive mix of seasoned players and promising newcomers.
The tournament was skilfully managed by chief referee Franco Fava, with the support of Diane Penney, Mary Greco and Joe Greco.
Tournament director Mary Massena played a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth execution of the event.
One of the highlights of the championship was the participation of international players Diane Penney, Mary Greco, Tony Borrelli, and CBI (Raffa world governing body) general secretary Tony Biancacci. Their presence added an extra level of excitement and competition to the games.
In the men’s final, the Kyabram Club players showcased their dominance, with both teams in the final hailing from the local region.
The championship match between the father and son duo of Tony and Mario Borrelli against local Kyabram champions Joe Greco and Pat D’Auliero was tightly contested. Tony Borrelli’s international experience and on-court game strategy were instrumental in securing victory for his team, with a final score of 8 points to 7.
The women’s final featured an all-Morwell team clash, Maria Maselli and Mirella Alessi versus Diane Penney and Tina D’urbano. Maselli and Alessi demonstrated their dominance by storming to a commanding lead, winning five ends with 9 points to 0.
Penney and D’Urbano managed to salvage one point but could not catch up, leading to a convincing victory for Maselli and Alessi, with a final score of 11 points to 1.
The championship saw the active participation of 14 teams and received tremendous support from the local community.
Bocce Australia president Frank Funari and Tony Biancacci commended the world-class club courts and praised the efforts of Joe Greco and his support committee in converting the courts to Bocce-Raffa.
The popularity of the weekly Wednesday Bocce-Raffa competition among locals was also commended, as it attracted many new players to the sport.
Special recognition goes to the two youngest Bocce-Raffa players, Liam and Oliver McInnes, who were a drawcard every time they were on the court.
Despite their nerves in their first game, they showed great competitiveness and managed to win two of their seven games, finishing sixth overall.
Bocce Australia extends its gratitude to Campaspe Shire Deputy Mayor Colleen Gates and council for their unwavering support of the sport.
Cr Gates presented awards to the winners and placegetters, expressing gratitude to the players and everyone involved in supporting the Ky Bocce Club and the Campaspe region.
Special recognition was given to the Ky Bocce Club committee and volunteers for their hard work in preparing for the event and providing an excellent spread of morning cakes.
The Bocce Australia-sponsored barbecue, masterfully cooked by Mario Pagani and Tony Biancacci, further contributed to the grand success of the championship.
The 2023 Australian Bocce-Raffa Open Championship marked a memorable celebration of sportsmanship, skill and camaraderie, and Bocce Australia looks forward to organising more outstanding events in the future.
On a sombre note, a tribute to the late Grace Letizia, who sadly passed away a few days prior to these championships was made during the event. Grace was a remarkable individual who made significant contributions to the sport of bocce.
She was a member of the team, along with Diane Penney, Mary Greco and Gabrille O’Neil, that represented Australia in the 2014 World Women’s Bocce-Raffa Championships in Kaihua, China.
Their participation in that event marked a historic moment, as it was the first time an Australian Women’s Bocce-Raffa team had competed in a world championship.