Last Saturday, LaBouleNY sponsored the 2008 Hery Open petanque tournament in Manhattan's Bryant Park. I don't know a thing about the game, also called boule, (it's a French import vaguely related to bowling or bocce) but my New York host is an enthusiast, so we watched these master athletes and I took photos.
The point is to throw or roll metal balls as close as possible to a little wooden ball (here red) on a hard dirt surface.
Players size up their shots.
Team mates offer coaching about placement.
Sometime the best shot flies through the air, often knocking away an opponent's ball. (By the way, this gentleman was one of the tournament winners. )
There can be a good deal of body-English in the delivery ...
... as well as careful study of the slightly uneven surface of the court.
The sponsoring organization summarized: "A perfect day for petanque."
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