Foster eyes record as Marshall misses out
Paul Foster is on track to equal best mate Alex Marshall’s record six World Indoor Singles titles following a pulsating semi-final victory against qualifier Wayne Willgress at Potters.
But the Troon ace had to dig deep to rescue a match that looked to be heading the Englishman’s way.
Showing all his steely resolve Foster finally came through 3-12 9-6 2-1, bowling in with his final delivery of the match to snatch the dream away from Willgress.
“Can someone tell me how I won that game?,” asked Foster afterwards, who was simply out-bowled by the brilliant Willgress in the first set, with the Norfolk painter and decorator also maintaining his standards in the second set.
Foster had to resort to weight several times to drag him out of the mire, such was Willgress’ excellence with his drawing skills, and just managed to fend off the local hero to trigger a nail-biting and hugely dramatic tie-break.
Willgress took first blood after Foster’s final bowl amazingly toppled into the ditch when trying to draw the shot, but the five-time winner majestically hit back in the second to force a one-end shoot-out.
With Foster lying shot Willgress, under huge pressure, drew in for shot and just as it looked like the big man was about to reach Dave Ryding yesterday became the first British alpine skier to win a World Cup gold medal with victory in the men’s slalom in Kitzbuhel.
The 35-year-old surged from sixth place after the first run to finish first, 0.38 seconds in front of Norway’s Lucas Braathen with another Norwegian, Henrik Kristoffersen, in third.
Ryding said: “I’m 35 now, but I never stopped believing, I never stopped trying, and to bring the first victory for Great Britain in a World Cup, a fairytale final, up stepped Foster to beat it by inches, taking a leaf out of Willgress’ book by raises his arms aloft in victory.
“Wayne was absolutely outstanding,” Foster admitted. “He was a worthy winner of the first set and he didn’t falter in the second. I had to play some massive bowls.”
On the shot that got him through to a final with Les Gillett, he said: “All you can do is try to draw the shot and I thought it was good, and fortunately I got it. I am delighted.”
Sadly, it won’t be an allScottish affair as Marshall was chopped down to size by Englishman Gillett, who reached his first Open Singles final, in a match shorn of the drama of the first semi.
Marshall was outstanding in his quarter-final win over Greg Harlow on Friday night, but looked ill at ease as he just couldn’t find any sort of consistency.
Gillett, who has reached five previous semi-finals, stormed to a 10-1 first set win and any hopes Marshall would come bouncing back were wrecked as he struggled to match Gillett once more, who took the set 8-4, clinching his place in the showpiece.
“It’s about time I reached a final, I’ve had enough goes,” said the 51-year-old, known as Razor.
“I knew it was going to be tough, it is always difficult against Alex. He didn’t perform anywhere near his best and I got away with it. I have to improve as Paul Foster was fabulous.”
SKIING
in Kitzbuhel, I don’t know if dreams are made better.”
Ryding’s victory, one day after he was confirmed in the team for his fourth Winter Olympics in Beijing next month, also makes him the oldest winner of a men’s World Cup slalom race.
Ryding had previous success at Kitzbuhel, having become the first British alpine skier to reach a World Cup podium in 36 years when he took World Cup silver in 2017.