In the women's main event of the Isle of Man June Bowls Festival, Jenny Moore etched her name further into the history books, smashing more records along the way as the South Ramsey favourite picked up her fourth festival title.

This followed the Manxwoman’s previous successes in June 2016, as well as September 2021 and 2023.

What made this win more impressive is that Moore was four points back on all her opponents, starting off +1. She now incredibly faces the prospect of being off -2 in the September festival, with the winner being docked three chalks for picking up the title.

With Moore having to score 20 chalks to her opponents’ 16 to win, a good start was vital as she took on her biggest rival on the island for several years, Janet Monk (Mooragh Park).

The four-chalk deficit was swiftly turned into a three-chalk lead after six ends to lead 9-6. Moore only relinquished the lead once from this point and crucially did not trail as the game was level at 13-13 after 14 ends.

She made her move once more by scoring five chalks over three ends on a longer length to lead 18-13. In reply, Monk went on to pick up two singles, only for Moore to jump in with a double to restore her five-chalk lead at 20-15.

As the South Ramsey player headed for the corner, a good two bowls from Monk saw a glimmer of hope for her as the Mooragh Park bowler headed to the crown and picked up another single to close the score to 18-20.

Monk then headed from the crown back to the corner. With nerves of steel, Moore bowled in with a great last bowl to secure her second June festival title and fourth overall.

While receiving the £1,250 first prize, Moore also received the visitiom.com trophy for being the furthest local woman. Monk could console herself with the runners-up prize of £625.

In the semi-finals Moore put paid to the challenge of Clair Russell (Alkincoats PWA) with a 21-10 win, while Monk had a battle on her hands with Elaine Moore (South Ramsey).

With the latter leading 14-9, the eventual runner-up used all her experience to overturn the deficit and book her place in the final with a 21-17 victory.

Moore started her day with a comfortable 21-9 victory over previous festival winner Alexis Lunn-Gadd (Ossett Flying Horse), while Russell beat rising star Alex Edmondson (Pudsey BC) 21-14.

In the other half of the draw, Monk held off Emma Earlam 21-16 (Castle Sports & SC), while Elaine Moore overturned a 10-16 deficit against Jayne Kent (Meersbrook BC) to edge home 21-20.

Having picked up the Tourism title on Thursday morning (see below), it is believed that Jenny Moore is the first to achieve the feat of winning the women’s June main event and Tourism title in the same week, and only the third person to do this overall following Katrina Caley (Bentley Colliery) in September 1995 and Jane Jones (Wirral) in September 1994.

The week saw Moore go 14 singles games unbeaten, including seven games in the main event when giving her opponents a four-chalk head start and a further seven games in the Tourism.

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

Jenny Moore set herself up nicely for the last 32 in the main event that same afternoon with a hard-fought and nail-biting 21-20 victory over Louise Cotton (Wrockwardine Wood).

Moore had led 17-8 at one point in the game and looked to be cruising, only for Cotton to get hold of the jack to pull the deficit back to one chalk at 16-17 after 15 ends.

Moore got back in at the right time to maintain her lead, but both players alternated winning ends from this point until the end of the game for the score to be tied at 20-20.

Cotton led out and played a good lead bowl approximately 18 inches past the jack. Showing no sign of pressure though, Moore played a front toucher gently nudging the jack to count one for game.

Cotton was unable to beat this, which sealed the Tourism title for Moore.

The eventual winner reached the final thanks to a 21-15 win over Jayne Kent (Meersbrook BC), while Cotton finished her game with Hazel Borradaile (Netherfield BC) strongly to get over the line 21-19.

In the quarter-finals Moore beat Katie Morgan (Denby Grange) 21-14, while Kent beat Sharron King (Kirkham) 21-12.

In the other half of the draw Cotton started her day with a 21-15 win over Karen Hill (New Mill), while Borradaile just got over the line 21-20 against Caroline Bushell (Lindal BC).

GLYNN HARGRAVES