Spalding Indoor Bowls Club were the proud hosts of the national under-25 singles finals over the weekend.
A capacity crowd at the club saw some of the best under-25 bowlers in the country battling it out for the title.
Spalding were represented in the men’s and women’s events by Stephen Harris and Ruby Hill respectively, having worked hard to qualify for the event throughout the course of the season.
Despite battling back from a set down to force a tie break, Harris lost on a tie break in the last 16 against Lloyd Sabatini from the Whiteknights club in Berkshire.
Hill suffered the same result a round later, losing in the quarter final against her junior and senior international colleague, Cassidy Lenton (Exonia in Devon).
Despite Harris and Hill losing out, the event was still well supported and, going into the second day, there was still some Lincolnshire interest as Sleaford’s David Bristow won through to the semi-final.
Bristow played well throughout but fell short in the semi-final against Ryan Atkins (Malvern Hills), who went on to win the title for the second time after defeating defending champion Connor Cinato (Kingsthorpe) in what was a repeat of the final last season.
Atkins first won the title back in 2015 and is only the third player in history to win the title on more than one occasion – with it last being done by Boston’s Nick Cammack when he won it for the second time in 1997.
The ladies’ event was won by Exonia’s Nicole Rogers, beating Rebecca Moorbey (St Neots) in the final in straight sets.
Rogers went one better, having lost in the national final last season.
The event will be held at Spalding again next season.
