The Clarkes top the charts in the Association Croquet Mixed Doubles
Surbiton Croquet Club hosted the Men’s, Women’s & Mixed Doubles Championship for the first time in June 2024. Jenny Clarke won the Women’s Championship as well as the Mixed Doubles, partnering past World Champion and husband Chris Clarke. James Death was the winner of the Men’s Championship.
This tournament is a combination of various tournaments: the Women’s Championship dates from 1869 (with a gap in the 1880s), the Mixed Doubles’ from 1899, and the Men’s from 1925. Two other tournaments, the Gold Medals and the Gold Caskets, were incorporated into this event from 1936. This is a prestigious tournament, and many of the greatest names in croquet have won these titles.
The couple who now live in New Zealand, Jenny’s home country, are members of Nottingham Croquet Club whilst they are in England. Both will regularly be found travelling the country playing in the Championship events, whilst also committing time to coaching and volunteering for the sport.
Jenny is also the 2024 Women’s Golf Croquet Champion, having competed for the title at Nottingham Croquet Club earlier this year.
The winner of the Men’s Championship was James Death, also a former member of Nottingham Croquet Club and first picked up a mallet at the age of two. James now plays at Cheltenham Croquet Club where he also works for Croquet England, but still plays for his home county of Nottinghamshire.
