KPA Representative Qualifier Rules

2012 Season

All players must hold a current EPA membership card issued by the Kent Pétanque Association and show it at their first competition. Any team member failing to produce a valid membership card when required will be levied a fine of Ł5.00.
The overall winners of the series will be KPA Triples Champions and will be the official KPA representatives in the Dunkerquoise. They, and the runners-up, may represent the KPA at the EPA Champion of Champions. The top eight teams, based on their accumulated total of points, will automatically qualify for the Association squad for the Inter-Regional Championship. Teams finishing in ninth to twelfth place will automatically qualify for the Challenge Trophy. The Association's Playing Committee will decide the playing order of the squads. Junior teams will he chosen by selection from players who have competed throughout the Qualifying Series. They will be selected by the Playing Committee, after consulting the persons involved with running the Kent Youth Academy.

Additionally the team that is top after first three qualifiers will be eligible to be the official KPA representatives in the Open Weekend Competition in Zeist, Holland and the overall winners of the series (or the 2nd placed team if the winners are the team that went to Zeist) will be the official KPA representatives in the Dunkerquoise.
Teams of three or four may enter and participate in triples events with the players alternating only between games or once only between the ends of a game having first notified the umpire or organiser.
The team's best four results from the five qualifiers will count towards their overall total.
Teams with one or more players from a team of three, or two or more players from a team of four, who are unable to take part in four Association Qualifiers by the reason of conflicting commitments arising from their membership of the national squad, or from them representing the Association elsewhere, may apply to be awarded the average number of points gained over the other Qualifiers for the missing Regional Qualifier on payment of the requisite entry fee.
Registration will be open by 8:45 a.m. and will close promptly at 9.15 a.m. Only teams who have properly registered by close of registration will be permitted to play

Three players from a team of four must attend registration. A fourth member must be registered and paid for during registration and must report to the Organiser on arrival and may then participate form the commencement of the team’s next game.
The draw will take place in the presence of the umpire or any member of the playing committee immediately after the close of registration. Play will commence as soon as possible after the completion of the draw is announced.
Entry fee is Ł8.00 per adult player. Junior players will not be charged for entry. An additional Ł10.00 will be charged at registration per team. Teams wearing matching tops all day will have the Ł10.00 refunded. Holders of national titles can wear the official title winners' top of the previous year in place of the team strip.
The format of play will be the “Swiss System” with sufficient rounds (probably 5) to reach the point where just one team has won all their games. If there are an odd number of teams then a bye will be entered into the draw. A team drawn against the bye will be allocated a 13-7 win. After the first Qualifier the top 8 teams will be seeded in the draw so that the will not play another team in the top 8 in the first round of the subsequent Qualifiers. Seeding will be based on average points scored. Play will be on designated terrains. The organiser will assign lanes for the 1st round, thereafter the lane, within the designated area, will be at the choice of the team winning the toss. Start times will be at the time designated by the organiser.
After playing for one team in the series, individuals cannot play for another team. However, members of teams that have disbanded during the series, could join existing teams as a fourth member or form completely new teams to take part in the remainder of the series, but only on condition that the original team consented to the arrangement and agreed to forfeit any points it had accumulated.
Any reserve for the Inter-Regional Championship should have played in at least one qualifier for any team, and must be sanctioned by the playing committee..
Any matters not covered by these rules will be played according to EPA Competition Rules. Any disputes arising at a Qualifier will be dealt with by the playing committee or a Jury convened for that purpose. The decision of the Jury will be final.
All players that take part in at least one Qualifier but do not make selection for the Association squad, as defined in article 2, will be eligible to take part in the Chairman’s Cup competition.
Guests, who are not part of the KPA squad, who stay in accommodation provided by the Association at the Inter-Regional Championship will be required to make a financial contribution determined by the KPA Management Committee
Points will be awarded according to the position achieved (16 points for 1st down to 1 point for 16^th) plus a 2 point bonus for each game won.

For a perfect entry of 32 teams it would be as follows...

5 wins 4 wins 3 wins 2 wins 1 win 0 wins
1^st 26 points 2^nd 23 points 7^th 16 points 17^th 4 points 27^th 2 points 32^nd 0 points
3^rd 22 points 8^th 15 points 18^th 4 points 28^th 2 points
4^th 21 points 9^th 14 points 19^th 4 points 29^th 2 points
5^th 20 points 10^th 13 points 20^th 4 points 30^th 2 points
6^th 19 points 11^th 12 points 21^st 4 points 31^st 2 points
12^th 11 points 22^nd 4 points
13^th 10 points 23^rd 4 points
14^th 9 points 24^th 4 points
15^th 8 points 25^th 4 points
16^th 7 points 26^th 4 points

For last years average entry of 22 teams it would probably be as follows...

5 wins 4 wins 3 wins 2 wins 1 win 0 wins
1^st 26 points 2^nd 23 points 5^th 18 points 12^th 9 points 19^th 2 points 22^nd 0 points
3^rd 22 points 6^th 17 points 13^th 8 points 20^th 2 points
4^th 21 points 7^th 16 points 14^th 7 points 21^st 2 points
8^th 15 points 15^th 6 points
9^th 14 points 16^th 5 points
10^th 13 points 17^th 4 points
11^th 12 points 18^rd 4 points

Regional Qualifier Dates & Venues

1^st County Qualifier	Sunday 15^th April	Star Meadow SC
2^nd County Qualifier	Sunday 20^th May	Lordswood S&SC
3^rd County Qualifier	Sunday 27^th May	Tovil WMC
4^th County Qualifier	Sunday 10^th June	Hartley CC
5^th County Qualifier	Sunday 24^th June	Star Meadow SC

Representative Competitions

Zeist Open Weekend	Weekend 29^thJune - 1^st July	Zeist, Holland
Dunkerquoise	Weekend 3^rd - 5^th August	Dunkerque, France
Nord Maritime	Saturday 11^th August	Lordswood S&SC
Inter-Regional Championship	Weekend 15^th - 16^th September	Hayling Island
EPA Champion of Champion	Weekend 13^th - 14^th October	tba

5 wins		4 wins		3 wins		2 wins		1 win		0 wins
1^st	26 points	2^nd	23 points	7^th	16 points	17^th	4 points	27^th	2 points	32^nd	0 points
		3^rd	22 points	8^th	15 points	18^th	4 points	28^th	2 points
		4^th	21 points	9^th	14 points	19^th	4 points	29^th	2 points
		5^th	20 points	10^th	13 points	20^th	4 points	30^th	2 points
		6^th	19 points	11^th	12 points	21^st	4 points	31^st	2 points
				12^th	11 points	22^nd	4 points
				13^th	10 points	23^rd	4 points
				14^th	9 points	24^th	4 points
				15^th	8 points	25^th	4 points
				16^th	7 points	26^th	4 points