Crazy about Croquet? Join us for the island’s first International Croquet Cup in January 2024
08th December 2023
When you dream about visiting the tropical island of Mauritius, competitive croquet may not be top of mind. But did you know that Sugar Beach Mauritius, which oozes manor house glamour, is hosting some of the world’s top players at the Indian Ocean’s first International Croquet Cup? From the 24th to the 27th of January 2024, croquet players will be competing to collect points that will contribute towards their world ranking.
History of Croquet
The game of croquet – hitting balls through hoops, using sticks (and nowadays, mallets) - has been played for hundreds of years. It’s thought to have started in France and became formalised into a sport in Ireland, before being introduced into England.
It became the most popular sport in England by the 1850s and was played in the 1900 Paris Olympics, before tennis took over. At that time, the All-England Croquet Club became known as Wimbledon, and many croquet lawns were converted into tennis courts.
However, by then, England had exported the game to its former colonies, and there was no stopping the appeal of croquet. By the 1920s it was a growing sport in the USA, Australia and New Zealand, and after a decline in the Second World War, it enjoyed a resurgence in the 1960s. Croquet is now played worldwide, and leading countries (along with the above) include the UK, Egypt, Canada, Ireland, Spain and South Africa.
Go crazy about Croquet
Sometimes referred to as ‘Snooker on a lawn’, croquet is a sport of strategy and skill. It is easy for beginners to learn and it’s played by men and women of all ages.
During your stay at Sugar Beach, you will see guests playing the ‘Crazy Croquet’ on the lawn on balmy afternoons, dressed in whites and Panama hats. As one of the hotel’s ‘Come Alive Collection of experiences, there’s usually a lot of laughter and joking as guests hone their skills with a mallet, while sipping a glass of rosé or Aperol Spritz, and compete for the last hoop and peg.
The Sugar Beach International Croquet Cup
Taking the ‘Crazy Croquet’ to a new dimension, we are introducing the Sugar Beach International Croquet Cup which features three days of play – one day of doubles and a 2-day singles knockout competition – with sweeping views of the Indian Ocean.
During the competition between world-class croquet greats from around the globe, there’s time to mingle with the players at dinners and drinks in the evenings. And the competition ends with a spectacular gala dinner and prize giving ceremony to celebrate the winners.
A perfect combination between a luxury holiday and competitive croquet, the competition holiday package includes a deluxe sea view room on an all-inclusive package, to drink and dine at six restaurants and five bars, plus a wide range of activities including complimentary and unlimited green fees at two championship golf courses.
Where elegance meets excellence on the lawn
Joining us for the inaugural Sugar Beach International Croquet Cup is the world’s number 1 Golf Croquet player, Robert Fletcher from Australia, who has been playing croquet since he was 10 years old. There’s also Jenny Clarke from New Zealand, one of the top female Golf Croquet players in the world, who won the Women’s Association Croquet World Championship in 2012.
President of Dulwich Croquet Club, known as the ‘funnest’ croquet club around, Guy Scurfield from the UK, is in the world’s top 200 players. Neil McHardy from South Africa aimed to be a Golf Croquet club-level player but shot into the world’s top 50 players. He currently holds the South African singles Golf Croquet title.
Why not join us for the International Croquet Cup 2024 at Sugar Beach Mauritius?