Home star Kenny Wale snaps up Winter Championship victory
Home star Kenny Wale won the Winter Championship, which was played at Whitby on Sunday, a competition for the top 16 ranked players.
There is also a T&B for players who do not qualify for the championship.
In the first game Dave Moment (North Cliff) won 21-12 against Ashley Brunton-Douglas to face Joyce Harland (Whitby) who defeated son Ian 21-15.
Two more Whitby players, husband and wife Emmo and Sue Emmerson won their games to face each other in the quarter-finals, Emmo beating Richard Gowan (North Cliff) 21-16 and Sue winning 21-12 against Larry Dixon.
Four more home bowlers exited when Robert Child (North Cliff) won 21-14 against Alan Boland, Brian Dalby (Borough) beat Craig Hoos 21-11, Caroline Watson (Borough) had a 21-15 win against Tommy Roberts and Steve Dover beat Sue Purcell 21-18.
In the first quarter-final Joyce Harland won 21-13 against Moment while Emmo Emmerson duplicated that score against Sue Emmerson. Child crushed Dalby 21-8 to face Dover who pulled back to beat Caroline Watson 21-20. Emmo Emmerson then beat Joyce Harland 21-11 to set up an all-Whitby final against Dover who won 21-14 against Child.
The final was rather one-sided with Emmerson leading 9-5 after 4 ends and 11-6 after 7 ends. This lead stretched to 15-8 after 11 ends and 19-9 after 15. A 2 for Dover in the next end was answered by 2 singles for a 21-11 win for Emmerson.
The main competition started with the number 1 seed Paul Morgan (Whitby) losing 21-20 to Barrie Watson (Borough) with Kevin Gates (Dukes Park) crushing Geoff Oldham 21-5.
David Knights (Sheffield) won comfortably, 21-14, against Josh Emmerson (Whitby) to face Darryl Harrap (Castleford) who eliminated fourth seed Adam Chilvers (North Cliff) 21-11.
Trophy holder and 3rd seed Kenny Wale won an all-Whitby game against Geoff Watson 21-10 to face Nigel Trotter (North Cliff) who won heavily, 21-9, against Tim Purcell.
Finally Alan Lee came through an all-Cliff game against Scott Wardman 21-9 to face Liam Massey (Castleford) who crushed 2nd seed Ian Richardson (North Cliff) 21-5.
Gates was pushed in the first quarter final by Barrie Watson but held on to win 21-18 and face Harrap who also won 21-18 against Knights.
Wale had a close game against Trotter but won 21-19 while Massey had another big win, this time 21-9, against Lee.
The semis saw both home bowlers win against the Castleford duo, Gates by 21-15 against Harrap and Wale 21-14 against Massey.
The final extended over 31 ends and swung both ways. Gates started well but Wale pulled back to trail 6-5 after 8 ends.
Gates then away to lead 11-6 after 13 ends. Wale the pulled 2 back only for Gates to win 4 of the next 5 ends for a 16-9 lead after 20 ends.
Wale then hit form and won 7 ends to take the lead for the first time at 18-16 after 27 ends.
Gates won the next end but then Wale scored 3 singles to win 21-17.
The prizes were presented by Association President Emmo Emmerson.
On Sunday Whitby will host the first summer merit, a Two Plater Team event starting at 9:30am. Entries in advance to the Merit Secretary.