KATY Smith has won the women’s national U25 singles championship title, writes DAVE EATON.

The Westlecot indoor bowler took the title by defeating her elder sister Lucy, 21, in the final at City of Ely IBC yesterday afternoon 2-0 in sets.

Katy, who celebrated her 20th birthday a fortnight ago, becomes only the third national title winner at Westlecot since the indoor section was first opened in 1983.

The other two successes were also in women’s events. They were in the Mason Trophy, ladies Over 60s double rinks in 2003 and women’s Over 50s two wood triples team of Jean Bird, Joyce Laming and Wendy Anderson in 2005.

The first set between Katy and Lucy was nip and tuck all the way with Lucy leading early on but Katy went ahead 5-4 for the first time on the sixth end and eventually took the set 7-5 after nine ends.

Set two was virtually one-way traffic as Katy rolled in two counts of three early in the set to lead 7-0 and finally won the set 10-3 to clinch the U25 crown in which she was beaten semi-finalist last season.

The victory climaxes a remarkable last 18 months for Katy who has made her England debut at U18 level outdoors, reached the final of the mixed fours indoors, made her Potters World Championships debut in her own right and early next month will make her England ladies U25 debut in the Home International Series.

By reaching the national U25 ladies final at City of Ely both Katy and Lucy qualify for the world U25 championships.

The Smith sisters qualified for the last 16 at Ely by both winning their west regional final sections at Bristol last November and were kept apart in the last 16 of the U25 draw.

En route to the U25 final in the top half of the draw Katy beat Louise Haladiji (Northamton) 2-0 and followed up with another 2-0 success over Leah Bamford (Folkstone).

In the semi-finals Katy was pushed much harder beating Kirsty Richards 2-1 winning the first set 8-7 but losing the second 12-4, however, clinched her place in the final by winning the opening two ends of the best of three ends tie breaker to set up a unique family affair.

Lucy had a much more comfortable passage in the bottom half.

After defeating England internationals Devon Cooper (Riverain, Hitchin, Herts) and U25 captain Chelsea Tomlin (Spalding, Herts) 2-0 she recorded another 2-0 success in the semi-finals over Harriet Stevens (Torquay United), winning the sets 9-4 and 8-2 to book her place in the final against her sister.