THE Windsor Bowls Club held their championships and finals weekend in glorious sunshine.

With all matches being under the management of the Scottish laird Ken McLeod, every aspect involved went like clockwork.

On Saturday, September 10, there were victories for Angela Hudson, Mary Huntley and Ann Johns in the ladies’ triples. Then Chris Gunter and Matthew Woodcock secured the mixed pairs title.

The ladies’ four wood pairs went to Kay Dyer and Veronica Flitney, and in the Brice Cup, Veronica’s husband and club captain Richard beat Ken McLeod. The highlight of the day was the ladies’ championship between Angela Hudson and current Welsh international player Emma Woodcock.

Despite Angela’s best efforts, the sheer consistency of Emma’s bowling, brought her victory.

Other results saw the men’s four wood pairs go to Austen Meredith and Steve Close, and the two wood men’s to Tim White and Tony Holmes. The two finest bowlers at Windsor contested the first of their monumental finals, and Matthew Woodcock just edged Tony Holmes by 21 shots to 19.

Sunday proved an even hotter day in many ways.

The Harden Cup will be on display in Marine Parade, as David Rees came out on top against mercurial Alan Davies. The men’s two wood went Ken McLeod’s way after a nip-and-tuck 21 ends against Steve Close.

The ladies then took centre stage, as Diane Ellard and Lars White triumphed over Mags Coughlan and Lona Thomas. The Chris Young Cup then allowed Lona to gain revenge as she out drew Diane in the first to 21.

The ever-reliable Angela Hudson won her second trophy by defeating Veronica Flitney and confirming that there is at least one champion bowler in the family. The last of the ladies matches saw Kay Dyer gain success over Mags Coughlan in the two wood final.

Not a single Windsor member, and there were many surrounding the green, could ever have imagined what was to follow, as Matthew Woodcock, the defending champion, took on Tony Holmes in the men’s championship.

Everyone agreed that the 21 shots to 19 victory of Tony produced the finest display of drawing woods in living memory for the club. The majority of the ends had five or six woods within two feet of the jack, benefitting the friendship of the two contestants.

The match was played in an exemplary manner and a standing ovation ensued at the end of a quite breath-taking match.

The excitement of the day, however, was not over as news arrived from the Welsh training camp that Windsor’s ladies’ champion had been selected as one of just three Welsh ladies to play in The World Bowls in New Zealand for five weeks in November. This represents a first for Windsor Bowls Club, and Penarth, and confirms the club’s pre-eminence in ladies bowls in the Principality.

Last, but far from least, many congratulations to the much respected Penarth Rectory Road bowler Ron Birkby, on winning their men’s championship. However, the claim that he is the oldest in their history to become champion at 79 years of age is open to scrutiny, as surely Nick Chandler can claim that distinction.

Other matches played in the previous week included the Windsor gentlemen against Penarth in the LHT on Thursday, September 15.

Windsor won the match by 22 shots and earned 12 points.

M Mathews, M Fullbrook and K McLeod 15 - 8

S Ellard, C Palfrey and E Thorne 12 - 14

B Rogers, I Mathias and M Lloyd-Jones 19 - 3

T White, M Cucciniello and C Burton 14 - 13

On Saturday, September 17, the team were away to St Fagans in the PG1.

Windsor won by 12 shots giving them 12 points.

S Ellard, T White, E Thorne and C Burton 17 - 26

A Morgan, P Morrish, R Hudson and S Close 21 - 17

M Mathews, B Rogers, R Flitney and K McLeod 24 - 13

T Evans, M Cucciniello, P Gooding and M Woodcock 26 - 20