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                                          BRITISH ISLES CHAMPIONSHIPS
             6                            BRITISH ISLES CHAMPIONSHIPS
                                             Ireland are top dogs overall Wales are 

                                               second and England fail again!
                                                The Premier Championships have been run since 1986 and
                                                the “A” Team Championships since 1997. Each of the Cham-
                                                pionships consist of a team event involving four rinks from each
                                                country, plus individual events in Singles, Pairs, Triples and
                                               Fours.
                                                   The Premier event also has a trophy for the best overall
                                           team, making 11 trophies available. In the end, proving their domi-
                                        nance in the sport, Ireland won 9 of the 11 Trophies with two going to
                                  Wales. The Championships were spread over two days and the rounds were
           staggered but for clarity they have been telescoped together for this report.
                                                                  Premier Singles
                                                                   Premier Singles
                                                                Leckey for Ireland
                                                                 Leckey for Ireland
                                                  In the opening Singles, England’s Ryan Knight was in a ding
                                                  dong battle with Scotland’s R. Lenza but eventually lost 14 -
                                                  16. Meanwhile, in the other game Ireland’s Andrew Leckey
                                                  beat Wales Aled Humphreys 21 - 9 after winning the last six
                                                  ends.
                                                        In the second round Andrew Leckey faced R. Lenza and
                                                  recorded a very comfortable 20 - 1o victory. Aled Humphreys
                                                  led Ryan Knight 11 - 9 with five ends to go but the England
                                                  player found an extra reserve of talent and took the next five
                                                  ends for an 18 - 11 win.
              Premier Singles Champion                  In the third and final end Knight and Leckey faced each
                  Andrew Leckey with              other in a winners takes all match for the Singles title.  After
            IIBA President Mrs Flo McNally        ten of the eighteen ends the match stood at 8 all but five ends
           later Leckey led 12 - 9. A full house four then put Knight back in front at 13 - 12 but on the next
           end Leckey scored a four of his own to lead 16 - 13. Knight closed the gap to just one shot with a
           two but on the final end Leckey took a three for a 19 - 15 victory for Ireland. In the other match
           Wales’ Aled Humphreys secured third place with an 18 - 10 over R. Lenza
                  The Conroy’s take the Premier Pairs for Ireland
                  The Conroy’s take the Premier Pairs for Ireland
           For Ireland, Kevin & Sean Conroy were in great form against Wales’ Arwel Morgan & Michael
           John and were quickly 10 - 2 up, going on to win 21 - 11. Completing the opening round, England’s
           Craig Strong & John Pitcher romped home 28 - 9
           against Scotland’s G. Riley & M. Patterson, scoring
           three full house fours along the way.
                 In the second round the English Pair faced Ire-
           land and found themselves 5 - 11 down after eight
           of the eighteen ends. They then fought back to 10 -
           11 but the Irish Pair struck again to lead 15 - 10 and
           with two ends to play they led 18 - 15 and then fin-
           ished off the English with two two’s to win 22 - 15.
                 The  other  game  once  again  saw  the  Scots
           under the cosh, by six end they were 1 - 11 down
           and  so  the  game  went  on,  with  the  Welsh  Pairs            Premier Pairs Champions
           eventually storming home 27 - 8.                                 Kevin & Sean Conroy with

                                                                          IIBA President Mrs Flo McNally
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