Dubai, UAE 10th April 2025 – Jenny Clarke claimed victory for the second consecutive year in the latest edition of the Sugar Beach International Croquet Cup 2025, defeating Irish player Jane Morrison. Held from March 31 to April 5, 2025, on the lawn in front of the Sugar Beach mansion, the Sugar Beach International Croquet Cup once again lived up to all expectations. While last year’s competition hosted 16 players of various nationalities, this year saw 24 participants, including a team from Mauritius. The awards ceremony took place on Friday, April 4, in the presence of Eileen Karen Lee Chin Foo Kune-Bacha, Junior Minister of Youth and Sports.
On this occasion, Joelle Edwards-Tonks, Chief Commercial and Operations Officer at Sunlife, congratulated all the participants. She also announced the launch of a new croquet academy for juniors:
“This academy will offer young people, including Mauritian youth, a rewarding experience that goes far beyond simple entertainment. They will have the opportunity to learn croquet while taking part in friendly competitions. They will discover the sport and have the chance to meet and exchange with other young people from around the world, all in the enchanting setting of Sugar Beach.”
As a reminder, the goal of croquet is to make a wooden ball travel through a set course as quickly as possible by striking it with a mallet. The ball must follow a specific path, marked by hoops that it must pass under. Croquet can be played individually or in teams, with 2 to 8 players.
Winner Jenny Clarke began playing croquet while pursuing her PhD at Oxford University in the UK during the 1990s. She is a life member of the Canterbury Croquet Association and the United Croquet Club.
She plays both AC (Association Croquet) and GC (Golf Croquet), and won the AC Women’s World Championship in 2012. Although the GC title has always eluded her, she holds two silver and three bronze medals in that event. She has been a member of New Zealand’s AC and GC test teams for many years. Jenny has won numerous open and women’s titles in New Zealand and the UK, with her most notable achievements being her three Australian Open singles titles in 2010, 2018, and 2019.
In addition to her many titles, Jenny has consistently ranked number 1 among women in both AC and GC over the past 15 years and holds the highest-ever AC rating achieved by a woman since rankings began.
The 2026 edition of the Sugar Beach International Croquet Cup will take place from March 15 to 20 and will also include a tournament for juniors.
About Sunlife:
Sunlife has over 45 years of experience in the hospitality sector, beginning with the opening of its first hotel, La Pirogue, in 1976. Formerly known as Sun Resorts, the luxury hotel group manages four world-class properties in Mauritius: Sugar Beach, Long Beach, La Pirogue, and Ambre Hotel, as well as the award-winning Île aux Cerfs Golf Club. The group also owns Shangri-La Le Touessrok, Mauritius, and Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita, and has established strong partnerships with these two internationally renowned brands.