Lesley and Robin lift pairs title

A very well-supported Invitation Pairs competition took place today down at Vigo Park. The Invitation Pairs - a one-day competition in which men and women agree between them to pair up to enter (as opposed to the drawn pairs, which sees entrants matched in a draw) - saw forty people on the green, each pair given three matches over six ends in the morning, with the four pairs with the best records over those matches going forward to the semi-finals.

The semi-finals - drawn by Royston Turner, present throughout the day - saw Andy Carnegie and Cindy McLaughlin take on Gill Roberts and Dave Taplin; while the other matched Lesley Turner and Robin Kingston against Jenny Guy and Tony Guy.

As with the morning session, both semis (also taking place over six ends) saw hard--fought, competitive matches in which the desire and will to win could be sensed in the atmosphere over the green. Andy and Cindy emerged as 6-4 winners although Gill and David ran them extremely close; Jenny and Tony Guy conceded as a shower started to bite after five ends with the score at 8-3 and following a heavy loss on the fifth end.

The final was as keenly contested as the semis, and some excellent bowls was on dsplay to enthrall an engaged and enthusiastic crowd of members, contestants and those not otherwise involved on the day alike. With the score at 4-3 after five ends, Lesley and Robin managed to step up a gear in the sixth and final eend to which Andy and Cindy, try as hard as they did, could not match. Lesley and Robin took home the wine alongside their title; Andy and Cindy the chocolates. Phil won the bottle of the wine for the spider.

Congratulations to Lesley and Robin and a sincere well-played to Andy and Cindy, as well as to all those who took part in the day; and well done to Cynthia for her superlative organisation of the day.

(Please note that all details and scores are TBC and subject to revision.)