THE usual shouts, yells and laughter were noticeably subdued in round five of the Guernsey Club de Petanque Summer Doubles. Tension was growing as teams assessed their positions and strove to be part of the title race.

In Green Division, six of the eight teams have a real chance of the top spot.

The leaders A Rite Pair (Anne Robert and Hazel Clitheroe), with 10 wins from 15 games, face stiff opposition in their final two rounds, but having had a great competition, and having played some inspired boules, they are full of confidence and fear no one.

White Division has two teams clear of the rest, but both face very tricky opposition in the penultimate round.

Leaders Me ‘n’ Him (Bonnie Robert and Paul Duchemin) face third-placed Double Tops (Margaret Le Page and Jimmy Ramsay), while second-placed Little and Large (Rod Green and Graham Machon) face Vic an’ Dad (Vic and Jeff Le Poidevin).

Then, providing that they both come through that round still in contention, they face each other in a winner-takes-all crunch final round.

Both with 14 wins from 15 games, Gold Division can only be won by two teams.

Incredibly, just like White Division, they both have hard matches in the next round, before they meet head-on in the final round.

Division leaders M ‘n’ M (Mick Peet and Marcel Edwards) face third-placed Midnight Blue (Gavin Michel and Royston Gaudion), an unpredictable team but well capable of causing a shock.

Les Mouettes (Dave Harvey and Fred Wallnofer) have the vastly-experienced Sandeels (Pauline and Peter Surry) to overcome, a far-from-easy task. Regardless of these results, the final-round clash between the two leaders will blow up a storm of at least force 10.

Shane Brehaut and Neville T. Jehan (Flintstones) can mathematically be caught, but they are clear favourites to take the Blue Division play-off top spot.

The game of the entire round occurred in this highly-competitive division when Maggie and John Hosking (Jam) played Ruth and Peter de Carteret (Owl and the Pussycat).

Both teams were mid-table with a great deal to play for.

The first was over quickly with Jam winning 13-0, the Owl and the Pussycat did not even get out of their boat.

Then the de Carterets pulled together in a display full of character, to win a tight second game 13-10.

On cloud nine after that reversal, they were not to be beaten and they took the third game 13-7, to move up to a very creditable third place in the division.