It was an early start to the day for Mal and Chris Laycock, Vicky G and yours truly, preparing the green and club for the teams arriving for registration at 9.30.
Such was the eagerness of players that most arrived at 9.00 and were treated to teas, coffees and chocolate biscuits before taking the green for the first of their four games.
The competition
The early pace was set by Harry Woodards and his team of Rob Saddler, Angela Merchant and John Wright; by lunchtime it looked like a two horse race between Harry and Mal Laycock to the final.
Strange things happen after lunch, and the other teams started to make a move, resulting in a very close top-of-the-table finish after the final game. Despite having a huge shot difference in their favour, Harry and his team finished in third place as Harold Clarke and his merry men sneaked into second spot, beating Mal Laycock by one shot in the final qualifying game.
The final
The final was played over 15 ends and, having lost to Harold in their last game, Mal and his team turned it around. In the end, they won convincingly 20-12.
Congratulations to the winners and commiserations to the runners up.
A pound in the pig
A number of wrong bias occurred during the day including one from the winning skip but it was most pleasing to receive £4 from Paul Wilfan from team Clarke for his 4 wrong bias which now puts him in contention with Rob Taylor for the most bias in a season.
And finally...
A special note of thanks must go to Terry Coleman, Mac Kirby, Mike Amos, Mike Turnbull, Jim Purvis and newcomer Angela Merchant for stepping in at the last minute to replace folks who had been hospitalised, fallen down, trapped a nerve or caught the new Covid variant. Without them,there would not have been a competition!
Hilary G
Club Captain 2023
Competitions Secretary 2023