HIGHWORTH’S Linda Young was the most successful bowler at the annual Swindon & District Women’s Bowls Association championships held at Westlecot last Sunday.

Young won three of the six titles on offer and only missed out on a fourth when being pipped by a shot on an extra end in the charity triples.

She began with a 22-13 victory in the ladies champion of champions final over her nearest rival for top honours, Royal Wootton Bassett’s Charlie Godwin.

Young led 5-3 after five ends and 13-7 at 10. She had moved 17-12 up at 15 and sealed a 22-13 success with a count of three on the 19th end.

Her second victory came in the final of the two wood singles when she beat Laura Laytham (Town Gardens) 16-9.

Young led 4-3 after five ends, 7-6 at 10 but was 9-7 down at 12. She recovered to edge ahead 10-9 after 15. She then won the next four ends to move into an unassailable 16-9 lead.

The Highworth player completed her hat-trick of titles when combining with club colleague Ashlee Lin to cruise to the pairs title 28-7 over Supermarine duo Ann Andrews and Marilyn Kilburn.

They led 16-0 after nine ends but then dropped a four on the 10th. Lin and Young only lost two more ends before collecting a big count of seven on the 16th end when the concession came.

However, Young missed out on a clean sweep in the finals she contested when skipping Highworth in the charity triples.

Highworth were 6-3 up at five ends but 13-10 down at 11 to a Bassett side skipped by Godwin.

Highworth then went 14-13 up at 14 ends, were tied 15-15 at 16 but led 17-15 at 17, only for Bassett to grab a two to tie the match 17-17 at 18 ends and send it into an extra end, which Bassett won.

This victory enabled Godwin to become the second most successful player on the day, having also won the four wood singles by beating Highworth’s Joanna Hicks.

Godwin led after five ends and 12-5 at 10. She increased the advantage to 17-7 at 15 and sealed a 21-9 victory on the 20th end.

The only S&D women’s final not featuring a Highworth or Royal Wootton Bassett player was the double rinks, which was contested by teams from Shrivenham and Haydon Wick.

It was a closely-fought affair, with one rink from Shrivenham scoring eight shots on the last three ends to draw 18-18.

While the other rink saw Shrivenham holding a 23-11 advantage at 15 ends but having to hang on for a 24-19 success to win overall.

Haydon Wick led overall 9-8 at five ends but Shrivenham hit back to lead 19-16 at 10 and 33-23 after 15.

Haydon Wick rallied to cut the gap to only 34-32 at 18 and set up a grandstand finish, which Shrivenham took 42-37.

The presentation luncheon is scheduled for Saturday, November 24 at Westlecot Bowls Club.

All monies raised from raffles and presidents day will be presented on that day to Brighter Futures Radiotherapy Appeal.