Thanks to Jeanette Higham for this report
The 2024 Mixed Pairs Competition was held on Sunday 25th August at Rhuddlan BC. President, Pauline Lindley hosted the event and members of the WCGBA Management were on had to assist in the running of the competition. The referees, Alan Davies, Peter Hughes and Richard Haywood worked hard all day.
On a breezy, often wet day, this year’s 21 pairs squared up to the challenge. We had a mix of well established and newly formed pairs taking part.
In the opening round, Chris Jones and partner Louise Dougal chalked up an impressive lead of 17-9 up against Paul Roberts and Jane Lamb. As always with pairs, the lead can change dramatically in only a few ends. In what can only be described as a game of two halves, Paul and Jane soon fought back to 17-15 and then went 18 across before Chris and Louise settled the match 21-18.
There were strong wins for Jess Lacey and Owen Jackson 21-6, Adam Penlington and Nicola Boulton 21-9 and John Bonatti and Belinda Lloyd 21-12.
By the quarter finals, the field had been narrowed to Paul and Marie Hallett, last year’s winners, who faced Jess and Owen. Well known to each other they had a great game with Paul and Marie finishing 21-18. Adam and Nicola made short work of their match with Ashley Zepeda and Scott Edgerton winning 21-11. Francis Penlington and partner Emily Gowen also romped home with a 21-6 win over Terry and Angela Howard. In the last match, John Bonatti and Belinda beat Ian Jones and Aileen Coleman 21-13.
We now had three of the four pairs from Flintshire Area. Adam and Nicola continued to play well to beat seasoned pair Paul and Marie 21-14. Francis and Emily ensured their place in the final with a 21-16 win over John and Belinda.
In the final, there was to be no early lead by either pair. Each ‘set’ stalling for a few ends, allowing their opponents to catch up. A sporting trivia note for you in that we had three members of the same family in the final. As the game reached 15=12 to Adam and Nicola, they were determined to finish on top. They won out 21-13.
Wales will have three pairs going through to the BCGBA Mixed Pairs final day in September.
David Evans submitted this presss report:
SON BEATS FATHER IN EXCITING WCGBA MIXED PAIRS FINAL 2024 AT RHUDDLAN
After a day of five and a half hours of competitive bowling, Adam Penlington and Nicola Boulton won this season’s WCGBA Annual Mixed Pairs Final beating Francis Penlington, his father and Emily Gowan, sister 21-13 on Rhuddlan Bowling Club’s superb green. Penlington Jnr and Boulton managed to secure control in a most exciting finale to a match in which all four participants hailed from the successful Broughton Bowling Club, Flintshire.
25 pairs from four counties Flintshire, Glyndwr, Gwynedd and Wrexham entered this prestigious competition with three pairs qualifying for the BCGBA Finals on Saturday 5th October 2024 10:00am start at Owley Wood, Weaverham, Cheshire West.
At the semifinal stages, this season’s eventual winners accounted for Paul and Marie Hallett, the 2023 holders from Wrexham 21-14 who nevertheless qualified for the BCGBA finals. John Bonatti and Belinda Lloyd, another Flintshire pairing, were narrowly beaten 16-21 by Penlington Snr and Gowan but consequently lose out on further qualification under competition rules.
Finally, a word of praise for referees Alan Davies, Richard Hayward and Peter Hughes, three unsung heroes, who braved the elements of unpredictable Bank Holiday weather!
