Outdoor Club Competitions 2025
Dorchester Bowls Club concluded their Club Competitions Finals with a series of decisive victories.
The event, taking place over a long weekend, saw Karen Ellis and Martin Pavey securing the Ladies and Men's Championships with scores of 21-5 and 21-2, respectively. A standout performance came from the duo of Graham Cockett and Harry Hovenden, who together claimed three competition victories. Having shown excellent form throughout the season, they overcame Les Selby and Jim Kelly 18-9 in the Men's Pairs, and James Roe and George Aslett 17-7 in the Australian Pairs. The duo then joined forces with Jim Lennon in the Men's Triples, defeating Jim Kelly, Bob Holmes, and Les Selby 26-10. Cockett also secured a 21-9 victory against Robbie Legg in the Veterans singles.
In the Ladies Singles competitions, Jenny Blake and Sue Jennings clashed in the Two Wood Singles, with Blake winning 15-10. Jennings, however, claimed the Veterans Singles with a 21-9 win. Blake then faced Karen Ellis in the Handicap Singles, where Ellis narrowly won 21-20. Maureen Jones emerged victorious in the Ladies Sets, defeating Isobel Calway 2-0 in the tie-break set. The Men's Singles Finals saw three different champions. Ged Costello added to his trophy collection after winning the Sets Play event against Bill Ford, finishing 8-5 and drawing the second set 5-5. George Spracklen won the Two-Wood title against Jim Kelly with a score of 14-9, while George Aslett narrowly defeated James Roe 21-19 in the Handicap Singles. The Ladies Pairs and Triples finals both required an extra end due to level scores after 18 ends. Shirley Bowley and Sue Jennings won the Ladies Pairs against Barbara Smith and Debbie Talbot, while Teresa Jeanes, Debbie Talbot, and Linda Hill won the Triples against Barbara Smith, Hannah Edwards and Annie Baldwin. The Ladies Invitational Pairs final was won by Debbie Talbot and James Roe, who overcame Val Wright and Les Selby with a 17-11 victory.
Indoor Specialists also played their summer competitions.
In the Open Singles, Mike Lofthouse staged a comeback from 13-2 down to win 21-13 against Hazel Ryan. Jane Meredith claimed a 21-13 victory over Geoff Plant in the Novice Singles. The Open Drawn Pairs was won by Marlyn Bickel and Hazel Ryan, who defeated Vicki Edwards and Jason Barrett 16-10. Hugh Quinn and Brian Keirl secured a 25-12 victory against Ian Newbold and Rob Perry in the Open Novice Pairs. The finals, held during a weekend of fine weather, were well-attended, adding to the enjoyment of players and spectators alike.
The Dorchester Bowls Club now looks forward to the rest of their season, buoyed by the competitive spirit and sportsmanship displayed during the finals. The club’s management expressed gratitude to all participants and supporters for making the event a success, highlighting the camaraderie and sportsmanship that defined the weekend.
