TEENAGER Katy Smith has been the pick of the bunch as Wiltshire women have struggled at the ladies national championships.

By Friday morning, Smith was Wiltshire’s only player to reach the quarter-final stages at Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa.

The 19-year-old Royal Wootton Bassett youngster qualified for the women’s singles, the first time the ex-U18 England international had reached the main championships apart from the U25 pairs with elder sister Lucy Smith.

On day one, Katy beat Jane Preston (Bush Hill Park, Middlesex) convincingly 21-6 and followed it with a 21-11 round two success over Linda Rose (Whitehaven, Cumbria).

The best win came in round three when she defeated England international Stefanie Branfield (Clevedon, Somerset) 21-14.

However, Katy’s run came to an end in the quarter-finals when she lost to the vastly experienced Donna Knight (Oxford City & County) 21-15, a pairs and fours national champion the previous two years, who went on to add the 2016 singles to her list of national victories.

Smith was 16-3 down at one stage, however, she fought back to only trail 16-15 but then lost the next end and finally went down 21-15.

The only other two quarter-final places for Wiltshire ladies were achieved by Box player Alex Jacobs in national competitions.

The winner of the national senior (O55s) singles crown at Leamington for the previous two years, she was unable to notch a straight hat-trick of titles despite a brave attempt.

Jacobs won her opening last 32 match, beating Janet Ballard (Hants) 21-15, and in the last 16, recorded a comfortably 21-10 win over Lancashire’s Christine Hardman.

But she lost in the defence of her title in the quarter-finals 21-16 to West Country rival Val Osmond (Ardagh, Horfield, Bristol Glos).

Jacobs also went out in the ladies champion of champions competition in the last eight, losing narrowly 21-20 to Caroline Campion (Banbury Central).

The ladies championships draw to a close this weekend, with the men’s championships commencing in earnest together with the remaining mixed competitions.

First up for Wiltshire are Holt’s Rodney Summers and Kevin Oliver in the senior (O55s) pairs, while Kyle Anderson (Bassett) and Tom Warner (Amesbury) go in the junior (U25) singles.

Monday sees the start of the fours championship, featuring Royal Wootton Bassett’s team of Kyle Anderson, Tom Walkley, Dave Godwin and skip Steve Snell. Also taking part are the Purton rink of Dave Hall, Eric Collier, Colin Baker and David Jones.

Westlecot’s Keith Williamson, Kevin Carter and Ray Sowden open up in the national triples on Thursday.

Also representing Wiltshire are the Spencer Moulton trio of Andy Colebrooke, Russell Francis and Graham Shadwell bidding to regain the triples crown.

Wiltshire’s final interest in the ladies championships lies with Lucy and Katy Smith today and tomorrow in the junior (U25) pairs championship - they meet in round one Linconshire’s Ruby Hill and Chelsea Tomlin.