2025 Australian Gateball Championships

Hosted by Toronto Croquet Club from 16 -19 October 2025

The Doubles and Teams Events were hosted by Toronto Croquet Club at the Lake Macquarie Croquet Centre Glendale.

David Wilson represented the CNSW Board at the opening of the championship on 16 October. He welcomed the Australian teams and players from ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, VIC and WA as well as international players, teams and referees from Hong Kong, Japan and Pakistan. 

He then formally opened the championship by hitting a ball through the first hoop - fortunately a very large ceremonial hoop that not even he could miss!! Liz Friend represented CNSW at the presentation of the Doubles medals on 17 October.

REPORT provided by Petula Shun, NSW Gateball Coordinator and AGC 2025 Tournament Manager:

Australian Gateball Doubles and Team Tournament was hosted successfully at Lake Macquarie Croquet Centre the home of the Toronto Croquet Club. This competition is held every 2 years and rotates though the Gateball playing States.

This time we welcomed teams from Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei and players from Japan and Pakistan who played doubles and joined with Australian players to form a team. World Gateball Union President Mr Keiichie Imagawa send an opening message for the players read by Ros Crowe, National Coordinator and World Gateball Union Representative for Australia. We also welcomed Mr Lin, Chinese Taipei Gateball Association President, Mr Kensei Tanihiro, Tokyo Gateball Union Executive Director, Mr Zahid Ali and Mr Shah Faisal President and Secretary General Pakistan Gateball and Croquet Association, and Mr Ka Her But, Captain of Genius Gateball Zone, Hong Kong.

30 Doubles teams and 16 Teams competed. Australian teams were from Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, West Australia and New South Wales. 
Congratulations to the winners of the Doubles, Glen and Kristina Whitehead (Canberra), and the runners up, Kaelan Sweatman (Moreton Bay) and Lee Wentworth (Southport). The Team winners were the Hong Kong team and runners up, Cambridge.

Thank you to the Toronto Club, especially the committee I worked with for the last year. Without their ability to organise the grant from their Council that paid for the rental of the marquee, chairs, etc., the comfort and safety of the players would not have been achievable. There were 100 players sometimes in extreme heat. Their ability to organise their team members to assist with first aid, food, organising the lawns, the score boards and water stations was impressive. Thank you to all.

I would also acknowledge Ros and Julie’s assistance in ensuring the international players stay in Australia was enjoyable. They also were extremely helpful with everything including the paperwork! Thank you to Philip Brown (Kew) for agreeing to be the Tournament Referee. He succeeded in this task quietly and very efficiently.!!! Thank you to the sponsors Gateball Solutions Australian Inc., Nichiyo and Crazy Arms who supplied prizes for the winners and runners up for the Doubles and Team events. A very special thank you to Lake Macquarie Council for their support.

It will be at least 6 years until this competition is next held in NSW.
We are looking forward to the next in Queensland.

FULL REPORT  provided by Ros Crowe, Gateball Australia National Coordinator can be viewed at this link:

• Report - Australian Gateball Championships 2025

LIVESTREAMS

Teams Event - Semi-Finals

Teams Event - Final

PHOTOS

1. Teams at the Opening Ceremony.
2. David Wilson (CNSW) with the Ceremonial Gate.
3. Play on the courts.
4. Doubles winners Kristina and Glen Whitehead (Canberra), with runners up Lee Wentworth (Southport) and Kaelan Sweatman (Moreton Bay).