The Club achieved considerable success in May’s Provincial Championships which paved the way for entry to the 2009 Finals. Sadly we did not have representation in the Ladies Pairs or Singles but we strongly contested the other six disciplines and won three of them.

LADIES’ FOURS – A DOUBLE FOR SUPERBOWL :-

The Championships commenced at Benavista with the Fours. The Ladies’ Provincial Championship Final had been between two Club Teams in a closely contested game. With the National Championships being played on a “round-robin” basis, the game between our two Teams was always going to be crucial and it was the second for both of them.

Once again the match was a close one but, on this occasion, it was Pat Fisher, Shirley Owen, Carole Cornwell & Maureen Barrett who held the initiative throughout and emerged as deserved winners. Despite one or two nervous moments, Pat’s Team held their nerve to win all of their games to take the National Fours’ Title.

Despite their setback, Angie Knight, Marjorie Johns, Jan Brown & Mary Detheridge recovered to win their remaining games and claim the Silver Medal.

GENTS’ FOURS – MIKE’S TEAM WIN THE BATTLE OF SUPERBOWL :-

Only four Teams contested this discipline, three of them being from Superbowl. With the strong Benavista Team winning their opening two games it was a matter of which of our Teams would push them for the Title. Thanks to convincing wins over the Teams skipped by Terry Barrett and Michael Detheridge, it was Mike Goodwin, Craig Lewis, Murray Johns & Andy Salmon who emerged victorious. The Final was a close, tense encounter with the heads constantly changing and a high scoring game was never on the cards. Mike’s Team could never gain the initiative and lost 15-10 so they had to be satisfied with a Silver Medal on this occasion.

LADIES’ TRIPLES – ANGIE’S TEAM GO ONE BETTER AND WIN GOLD :-

Having completed the Fours in the morning Angie, Marjorie & Mary commenced their quest for the National Triples’ Title the same afternoon and didn’t start too well losing to a strong Team from Cabrera who ultimately won the Silver Medal.

Despite this setback, the Ladies won their next four games in convincing style. They came from behind on each occasion and finished with an excellent shot difference which was to prove decisive. The “come-back kids” had given themselves a chance.

Going into the last series of games, Angie, Marjorie & Mary needed a win to guarantee a Medal. Defeat for the Cabrera Triple would give them the National Title due to their superior shot difference. The last few ends were extremely tense and, with Cabrera losing on the last end, Angie’s Team emerged as Champions.



GENTS’ TRIPLES – NO MEDALS BUT GREAT TEAM PERFORMANCES :-

Our Provincial Champions ( Craig Lewis, Mike Glithero & Andy Salmon ) lost two of their four games by a single shot whilst our other representatives ( Tony Frowd, Denis Tolfree & John Howlett ) almost claimed Silver thanks to an excellent last game where shot difference was to prove decisive one again. Tony’s team did have the satisfaction of defeating the Champions by one shot in the opening game thanks to an excellent running Bowl from Tony, the last one of the game.

GENTS’S PAIRS – ANOTHER “ONE/TWO” FOR SUPERBOWL :-

Competition was always going to be tough to win this National Title and, with five games to play, the odds of any Pair being undefeated was unlikely. Our two Pairs were pitched against each other in the opening game and, after some early shocks, Alan Turner & Andy Salmon emerged as comfortable winners against Terry Barrett & John Cornwell. However, there was drama in abundance to follow.

Alan & Andy went into their last game guaranteed a Medal whilst Terry & Jon Jon knew that a win over the Cabrera Pairing, currently in the Silver Medal position, by
9 shots would give them Silver and guarantee Alan & Andy the National Title.


Terry & Jon Jon were quickly “out of the blocks” and established a 12 shot lead after 6 ends which they never looked like losing despite a late rally from their opponents. Two Rinks down, Alan & Andy could hardly believe what was happening. They had managed a hard fought draw against the Cabrera Pair and could be forgiven for taking their “foot off the gas” after five hard fought games in three days.

So, despite their loss in the final game, Alan Turner & Andy Salmon became the Spanish National Pairs Champions with Club colleagues Terry Barrett & John Cornwell claiming the Silver Medal after that amazing last game.



GENTS’ SINGLES – TOO HOT FOR TONY

The Singles discipline was played in two groups of four and our sole representative, Tony Frowd, was drawn in the same group as the eventual winner from Cabrera. Having just recovered from a badly broken “bowling” hand, with the plaster being removed three weeks before, Tony was never at his best but he competed well. He won his opening game, was beaten by the National Champion in his second before losing his third in a thrilling close encounter with nothing at stake for either player.

PRESENTATION TO THE CLUB’S COMPETITION SECRETARY :-

Murray Johns, the Club’s Vice Captain & Competition Secretary, had resigned from the Sport’s National Executive Committee in May but had agreed to stay on and co-ordinate the National Finals on behalf of the Federacion Española De Bolos. Tony Winterton ( F.E.B. National Delegate ), in his closing address, presented Murray with a special trophy to mark his retirement from both National & Provincial affairs

THE CLUB’S UMPIRES AND MARKERS AT THE TOURNAMENT :-

Marjorie Johns, Murray Johns and Angie Knight officiated as Umpires.
Bill Davey, Pat Fisher, Marjorie Johns, Murray Johns, David Jones, Angie Knight, Craig Lewis, Eleanor Morgan, John Morgan, Andy Salmon & Alan Turner acted as Markers during the Group Games in the Singles discipline.