The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Dean so near yet so far as treble bid ends
Beaton’s title feat just out of reach
Elgin bowler Sandra Dean missed out on emulating Willie Beaton’s historic 2015 feat of winning the singles, pairs and mixed pairs competitions at the City of Aberdeen tournamentatWestburnPark, but only just.
Dean and fellow Moray club member Carol Simpson were knocked out in the semi- finals of the women’s pairs yesterday 15-8 by Alison Gillies and Lynn Ronald but, shortly after, a 21-10 victory against Aberdonians GladysHenry and Graeme Benzie saw her reach today’s mixed pairs final with her partner, Steven Bremner, from Aberchirder.
In her fourth tie of the day, Dean knocked out 2003 women’s singles champion Christine Donaldson, from Banchory, 21-16, so she will contest two finals this afternoon.
Dean said: “We were pleased to get through to the semi- finals of the women’s pairs competition and to go out to Alison and Lynn is no disgrace as they are both top-quality bowlers.
“I enjoy the singles competition, it’s probably my favourite. I find it difficult to get my weight right in the pairs competition and I tend not to play so well. In a singles competition, with four bowls, I seem to manage to keep going better.
“I’d be chuffed if I could go on and win even one of the competitions. I have been coming to play here for the last 10 years. I did make the women’s singles final in 2006 and I’ve always been there or thereabouts without quite being able to cross that line, so, hopefully, I can do it this time around.
“Instead of travelling back and forth from Elgin every day we decided this year to stay here for the whole week, we’ve just made a holiday of it and it’s been really enjoyable.”
Dean is equally excited about the prospect of the Moray club hosting a major international bowls competition this year.
She added: “The best under-25 male bowlers will be competing in the British Bowls Council junior home internationals on September 10 and 11 in Elgin. That is a really exciting prospect for everyone at our club at Seafield Street.”