A healthy entry of 34 pairs took part in this year’s Port St Mary mixed doubles open competition held at Breagle Glen on the recent bank holiday Monday.

Losing out at the quarter-final stage were Sue Gawne (Noble’s) and Andy Kennish (Marown) 17-21 to Marown pair Rebecca Teare and Paul Dunn. An all-South Ramsey affair between Kim Hargraves and Peter Collister against Elaine Moore and Glynn Hargraves was well contested, with the latter pair progressing 21-18.

Jean Thackrah (Port Erin) and Bernard Thackrah (Port St Mary) reached the end of the road as they were beaten 10-21 by South Ramsey’s Jenny Moore and James Teare, while Port Erin’s Voirrey Curphey and Seamus Whelan lost out 14-21 to Philippa and Alec Taylor (Marown/Peel).

The first semi-final saw Teare and Dunn up against Moore and Hargraves, with the latter pair forced to swap the playing order as they trailed 10-14 before going on to turn the game around to book their place in the final with a 21-17 win.

In the other semi-final, Moore and Teare won 21-9 in only 11 ends as the Taylor’s scored a three on the single end they did win.

The all-South Ramsey final was expected to be a tight match with E. Moore and Hargraves sticking to the order that had got them through the semi-final as they won the first two ends with singles.

J. Moore and Teare scored two doubles in between E. Moore and Hargraves picking up two more singles to tie the score at 10-10. The following two were dead ends, with Teare taking the jack off the green and E. Moore returning the favour.

On the next end E. Moore and Hargraves were lying three, only for Teare to play a great last bowl to edge ahead 11-10. E. Moore and then took control of the game with three consecutive doubles, conceding two singles in between another double to lead 18-13.

A single put E. Moore and Hargraves 19-13 ahead. On the next end, J. Moore and Teare were counting one, only for E. Moore to trail the jack through to lie game which J. Moore was unable to beat, therefore E. Moore and Hargraves took the win 21-13.

The presentation was made by Port St Mary Bowling Club president Margaret Tasker who thanked everyone at the club that helped on the day.

In his speech Glynn noted that it had been a couple of years since he and Elaine had won a mixed doubles competition.