A boules sport in which players throw metal balls toward a small target ball called a jack from a fixed circle.
Origin and rules
Petanca, called petanque in French, was created in 1907 in La Ciotat near Marseille when arthritis-affected jeu provencal players agreed to throw from a stationary circle. The name comes from the Provencal pieds tanques, meaning feet planted together.
How it plays
Teams of one, two, or three players alternate throws, trying to place their steel boules closer to the cochonnet than their opponents. Players may roll, lob, or shoot to knock opposing boules away. A game runs to 13 points across multiple ends.
Competition
The FIPJP World Petanque Championships, the Mondial la Marseillaise a Petanque, and the Masters de Petanque are flagship events. France, Madagascar, Thailand, Spain, and Tunisia field elite teams. Petanca has campaigned for Olympic inclusion but has not been added.
Find more sports by letter
Petanca starts with P and ends with A. Browse other sports along the same letter.
Sports that contain a letter from "Petanca":