While I’ve indicated that the main reason for this trip is lawn bowling, I haven’t really explained the details. As I’ve got some interesting but unused pictures from Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard, I will use them here and provide some background information about the lawn bowling competitions.
Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard, as seen from the village of Menthon-Saint-Bernard
At present, lawn bowling in Switzerland is played entirely indoors. They play on large “carpets” in curling rinks that would otherwise be unused in the summer. When they want to select players for certain international competitions, however, they go to the nearest outdoor facility that is compliant with world standards. And that facility is in Largentière, France.
Chapelle Notre-Dame des Grâces (in the hamlet of Ramponnet, above Menthon-Saint-Bernard)
That’s why I’m going to Largentière: I am vying for a spot to represent Switzerland in two international lawn bowling competitions. One is the European Championships, for which 5-person teams will be selected for both men and women. The other is a Singles event known as the World “Champion of Champions”, for which each bowling nation sends their national Singles champion.
Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard
This will play out over two weeks. For the first week, I’ll be mostly practicing. But I also will participate in some informal tournaments with Swiss bowlers and bowlers from the local French club. As we move into the second week, I will start to play my qualifying matches.
The larger chapel at Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard
It’s going to be an interesting experience. In my competitive events, there are a couple of Swiss-Australian bowlers in addition to the players who live in Switzerland. But, so far, I’ve found that lawn bowling seems to translate fairly well all over the world.
The cosy library at Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard
Whatever happens, I’m going to have a fascinating visit to a part of the world that I had never really considered as a travel destination. And sometimes those trips can be the best ones. Stay tuned!
Today’s post is about ensuring that sports travel is as successful as it can be. My focus is on competitive sports, although some of these tips can be applied to recreational sports or even just regular leisure travel.
At the top of Klein Matterhorn, just before altitude sickness kicked in!
A. Know the Environment
It’s very easy to determine things like the altitude, average temperature, and humidity of your destination. All of these can play a huge role in dictating the types of conditions you’ll be facing. I can attest that altitude sickness is a real thing, and that overly dry climates can be just as challenging as very humid ones.
Talking about altitude…Hikers enjoying the view from the Sun Gate (Machu Picchu, Peru)
By researching this in advance, you can pack accordingly and minimize the risk of being completely unprepared for the weather or geography.
Phoenix, Arizona, is very dry. If I ever return, I’ll bring lots of lip balm.
B. Respect Jet Lag
A rule of thumb is that it takes one day to fully recover for each time zone. So, if you are travelling to central Europe, expect a full six days to pass before you are truly acclimated to your new location.
Looking intense against our very strong Czech opponents in Prague – or maybe it’s just fighting the jet lag after arriving the day before.
In practical terms, this means one thing: arrive early! For my upcoming trip, I will arrive in France more than a week before the serious competition starts. I will be practicing within two days of arrival, and playing in less competitive events soon afterward. However, I won’t have any truly intense matches until jet lag is but a memory.
Shocked and awed at Forcella Staunies (Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy) – save this type of piste for later in the week!
This leads to my next point…
C. Ease into the Intensity
Don’t go crazy over the first few days. Though it will be tempting to practice all day, in order to get used to the local conditions, it is best to gently increase the intensity. I do this for two reasons.
When you first arrive, limit your exertion to walking. That’s what I did on my first day in France in 2024 – here’s a fun record store in downtown Lyon.
Firstly, it reduces the risk of injury…particularly if you haven’t played for a while. Secondly, intensity uses up your mental and physical resources. You want to have something left in the tank for the final few matches…not just the first ones. Finally, including some leisure time also keeps everything in balance.
An easy, low altitude piste near Zweisimmen, Switzerland – ideal for the first day of skiing
D. In competition, stick with the familiar
The competitive surroundings will be new and interesting…maybe even challenging. The opponents will be different. The accommodations will be unfamiliar. The food will be different. Maybe the language is different too. All of those things use up mental energy and can take a toll on you, even if it seems fun at the time. So why would you want to experiment with a new technique or new equipment on top of that?
A local market in Santiago, Chile
I firmly believe that I play best when I am in a “flow” state – it’s almost unconscious. I don’t have to think about what I’m doing. All the hours of practice have led to that point. And it is much easier to be in a “flow” state if you are using familiar equipment and techniques.
More fun (with good equipment) at the Swiss-Italian border, high above Zermatt and Cervinia
E. Do the Hard Work Before the Trip
My goal is to have a completely unencumbered mind when the competition gets serious. That means it is much better to do the hard work before I go, so that I am not “cramming” upon arrival. It’s like preparing for an exam.
McGreer Hall at Bishop’s University (Lennoxville, Québec) – looks like a good place to study!
I don’t want to disclose too much about my pre-competition preparations here. But, in general, this would encompass things like developing game plans and doing my sports psychology reading. That last one is really important. I read a couple of special sports psychology books each winter so that I’m ready to hit the ground running in the spring. Even though the content is familiar by now, it still needs a bit of time to settle. If it has settled, I can then call on those resources easily if I suddenly need them in the midst of the competition.
Cambridge, England – Yes, this would be a good place to study too!
Bringing it all Together
I know that if I do all of the above things, I am maximizing my chances for success. I’ve done what I can to control what is truly within my control. Yes, luck plays a role. So do other external factors. But while I can’t control everything, I am increasing the odds that unforeseen situations end up in my favour. And in competitive sports, where there are no easy matches, it really is about improving the odds.
Delivering a bowl at the 2022 Canadian Lawn Bowling Championships
A final thought…some old clichés stick around because they’re true. Here is one of my favourites about sports competitions: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” That is particularly true for competing in unfamiliar places.
[The photo at the very top of this post is from Madonna di Campiglio, Italy. I don’t think it is well known to Canadians, but it is justifiably popular among Italian skiers for an enjoyable week “away from it all.”]
