In the women’s main event of last week’s Isle of Man June Bowls Festival, it was school-teacher Kellie Boyd (Woodlands Park) who etched her name into the history books by picking up her first title.

Boyd had the task of facing Tracy Wraight (Castlefields) in the final, with the latter making a strong start taking the first four ends to lead 10-5.

Boyd got in with a double, the first of three consecutive doubles and one of six in total throughout the game playing round pegs to devastating effect to lead 19-11.

Wraight finally got back in on the 13th end, but Boyd ensured there was to be no comeback as she displayed nerves of steel to see the game out with two singles to seal a 21-11 victory.

With Boyd receiving the £1,250 first prize, Wraight took home £625.

In the semi-finals Boyd put paid to the challenge of Sarah Fox (Woodlands Park) with an assured 21-12 win, while Wraight put paid to the hopes of Rachel Wilcox (Crossgates) of doing the double - following her success on Thursday in the Tourism event - with a hard-fought 21-19 win to progress to the final.

Boyd started her day off with a solid 21-14 win over Paula Gamon (Overton), while Fox just edged home 21-20 against Carly Williams (Comberbach).

In the other half of the draw, Wraight was in fine fettle with a resounding 21-6 win over Josephine McGhee (Knutsford), while Wilcox held off Louise Cotton (Wrockwardine Wood) 21-15 to advance to the next round.

In her speech Boyd said she hoped she would be able to return to the island in 2027 to defend her title, having received special permission from her headmaster to take the week off from her role as a schoolteacher - to get the week off in the first place was a once in a lifetime thing!

For local interest, Noble’s bowler Sue Gawne received the Visitiom.com trophy for being the furthest local woman, reaching the last 16 of the competition on Thursday afternoon, losing out 16-21 to be the highest scoring local in the round.

The Women’s Tourism was played down to the winner on Thursday morning on the Noble’s number two green.

Former local bowler Rachel Wilcox, who now plies her trade for Crossgates, comfortably made her way through the latter stages of the event, sealing the win in the final with a 21-9 success over Kathy Chadwick (Castle Sports & SC).

The latter won only three ends, while Wilcox scored heavily with seven doubles, taking only 13 ends to win the final.

Wilcox reached the final with a solid display in the semi-final, beating Louise Tebay (Marown) 21-16 in a contest that the Crossgates player was always in control of.

In the other semi-final Chadwick had a battle to hold off clubmate Emma Earlam (Castle Sports & SC) 21-18.

In the quarter-finals Wilcox put paid to challenge of current holder Jenny Moore’s (South Ramsey) hopes of retaining the title with a 21-16 win, with Moore getting the score back to 15-16 only for a strong finish from Wilcox.

Tebay advanced to the next round with a tense finish to the game, as she recovered from a 13-18 deficit to Denise Burchell (Castle Sports & SC) which went to a deciding end at 20-20, with the Marown bowler prevailing.

In the other half of the draw, Chadwick took a comfortable 21-12 win over Caroline Bushell (Lindal BC). while Earlam inflicted what would be the only defeat of the week on Kellie Boyd (Woodlands Park) with a 21-17 victory.

GLYNN HARGRAVES