Jamaica Bay and the Rockaways

Queens Residents Win Championship At Parks’ 13Th Annual Citywide Bocce Tournament

More than 300 bocce players from all over the City and State competed in parks in all five boroughs this weekend at the 13th Annual Citywide Bocce Tournament. The event hosted a record number of participants this year with 85 teams, up from 60 last year. Teams from Queens clinched 1st and 2nd place while a Manhattan team earned 3rd place.

Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe cheered on competitors at the Manhattan preliminaries on Saturday, watching players like American Bocce President Peter Rabito. Chef Lidia Bastianich from “Lidia’s Italy” helped kick off the event and awarded $1,000 in prize money to The Devils, the winning team from Queens.

“The Citywide Bocce tournament brings New Yorkers out from every borough and from all age groups,” Commissioner Benepe said. “Bocce is sweeping the country and Parks is proud to bring this international sport to the City.”

Queens-based teams swept the finals. Lidia Bastianich awarded the The Devils team members an $1,000 check. The team also won the chance to ride on the Parks float in the Columbus Day Parade. Queens Team Adriatica earned 2nd place overall and $300 in prize money. Manhattan’s American Bocce Club clinched 3rd place and $200. Last year, two teams from Brooklyn took 1st and 3rd place with participants from Queens earning 2nd place.

Participants from the Bronx played in Pelham Bay Park while Brooklyn players competed at Marine Park. In Manhattan, bocce enthusiasts gathered at J.J. Walker Park and in Queens, teams faced off in Juniper Valley Park. Winning teams from each borough dueled at Juniper Valley Park in Queens on Sunday, September 30.

The Citywide Bocce Tournament was presented by New York City Parks & Recreation, in conjunction with the Columbus Citizen’s Foundation.

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Contact: Warner Johnston /Trish Bertuccio (212) 360-1311

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