“The British Open Gateball Championship 2017”

Gateball players from the UK, Switzerland, and Japan enjoyed playing gateball and nurtured their friendship.

“The British Open Gateball Championship 2017”was held from August 22 to 24 at the beautiful green courts of the Ripon Spa Hotel in Ripon city, North Yorkshire in the UK.


This was the fourth championship for the four consecutive years in which five teams of 26 players, mainly in their 60s and 70s, from three countries participated.


The first day was a practice day.  At four courts were set up and players, regardless of their nationalities, formed teams voluntarily and played gateball. In between games, the players from Japan, the birthplace of gateball, gave lectures on the strategies and instructed British and Swiss players in various techniques. Then, Japanese players communicated not through verbal but rather through the body languages but they seemed to understand each other smoothly.


On the second and third day, five teams were split in two courts and each team played 10 games in the round robin fashion.  Finally, “Sanriku,” the Japanese team, received the trophy cup as the number of their wins in two days was the biggest.

Japanese players ( in a black uniform at the center) who advised British players during a practice game The Championship was held at the croquet courts spreading out in front of the hotel.
Players in red are Swiss and in black are Japanese The members of the Japan team “SANRIKU” who won the trophy cup

Brilliant plays by two junior British players deserve special mention. They played wonderfully as players and sometimes led games as captains. This was their second participation and they showed the remarkable improvement comparing to last year.


All participants to this Championship stayed at the same hotel so that they have many opportunities to communicate each other such as at breakfasts, dinners, the teatimes between the games, and the party for farewell award ceremony on the last day.  This Championship contributes greatly for the promotion of international friendship.

Two British junior players who showed the remarkable improvement in their play comparing to last year Teatime when players regardless of their nationalities are sitting around a table and enjoyed tea

Participants from the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Japan