NEXT EVENTS

Rain stopped play this afternoon, but we must be thankful for the good, long period of sun we've been enjoying. The forecast is for sun again tomorrow, so let's hope Sunday turns out like that. The next Club event is another tournament organised in the same way as the earlier ones I've described: Thursday 1030 am start; get your name in early to Manu or David to be sure to have a place.

This event will be followed by prize-giving in the restaurant, where all-comers will be offered a 'pot de bienvenu' - a welcoming drink, by Isabelle & Anthony, our new restaurateurs. Their culinary efforts continue to be appreciated, by the way, so you may be tempted to stay on for lunch.

There is a form below to give you the opportunity to suggest some dish you would like to see in the menu of your Club Restaurant. Just type your suggestions in the form, & then click on the 'submit/envoyer' button.

An important regional event starts on the 26th of February; the Annual Club Tournament. Details are now on the noticeboards, & registrations can already be taken in the Office. Non-competitors will have the opportunity of watching high-level play as the event proceeds.

Keep enjoying your tennis, & the good company!

KILIMANJARO EXPLOIT

A few months ago I posted an account of meeting Jonathan Hooker one day & finding with amazement, that he'd not been around the courts very much as he was engaged with mountaineering training!

I now have the confirmation that not only did he get to the top of Kilimanjaro (5 149 m), but he managed to get down again to the village of Amani. Apart from the joy of the achievement for Jonathan, he had the satisfaction that the village was helped to the tune of 12 000 € by the contributions of the well-wishers who sponsored him.

Well done everyone! and here are 3 photos from the top.

RESTAURANT NEWS

Last year's excessive rain worked out at the maximum number of days lost to tennis since I started to record in 1998: precise figures for weather in Cannes are now available at http://cannesmeteo.com/which gives 743 mm of rain for 2010. This year started badly with already 22 mm, which didn't help the clay courts, our matches, nor the restaurant. The good news is that the courts are being repaired & should be ready for the weekend; and that our new restaurateurs, Isabelle & family, are well in control of the situation indoors.

This would seem the time, members & friends, to get back on court, warm up those neglected muscles, volley & smash your way to your first victory of the year; & then to repair to the bar & restaurant to celebrate with a good lunch! Good reports on the food are already coming in thick & fast: the menu will change from day to day, with entrée & plat principal at 15€, with an extra 4€ if you want a dessert. You can choose main course only for 12€. The quality is described as excellent, so what are you waiting for?

YOUNG SCANDINAVIANS

Many of us have Vikings among our ancestors, evidenced by the numerous genetic afflictions, such as 'la maladie du Puytren', in which tendon sheaths of the hands are affected in such a way, that fingers bend over more & more, until an operation is needed to allow you to hold your racquet in an approved fashion. Sufferers of such a disease, include Mrs. Thatcher, Anton Dikken, & myself. My unsubstantiated hypothesis on the origin of this affliction, is that this was the consequence of the rowing efforts over enormous distances, that a multitude of our forbears had to endure......

In recent times, that is since the inauguration of our tennis club around 1976, more & more inhabitants of icy regions of Scandinavia, have chosen this region to amplify, & test their proficiencies in our preferred sport. This has occurred for various reasons: their play back home, is limited to indoors during the many snow-ridden months of the year they have to put up with. The other & consequent reason, is that a much more favoured region, such as ours, engenders higher standards through long hours of training sessions, & of consistently greater possibilities of competition.

So, not only we enjoy summer visits of Scandinavian players with a family relative in residence in the region, but at other times of the year, as just recently, we have young champions needing to test their skills against the more experienced players of the Côte d'Azur. The delightful Norwegian family we met these last weeks includes 2 sisters, Malene (age 11), & Maren (age 13) who have been taking lessons in preparation for later visits to play in local tournaments. Several of you will have been watching with admiration the level of play of these two young girls: I include for the moment, photos showing them taking part in exercises, which are another important part of tennis training. The biggest surprise though, was to see today, the youngest girl, Maria(age 5), of the family, in energetic forehand returns, well into the teacher's court.

We are happy to welcome such able, smiling girls into our international community, & we wish them every joy & success.

After these terribly long periods of rain we've suffered, we are all rather rusty: remember to do some exercises before you go on court, & stretchings exercises afterwards. And enjoy your games once more, without getting injured!