2023/24 champions: Helen Paterson, Roberta Waldeck, Dee Winsor
Skips P W L F A Pts
Roberta Waldeck 4 3 1 57 48 6
Julia Barron 4 3 1 59 52 6
Ellaine Jopling 4 2 2 75 61 4
Elaine Weskin 4 1 3 419 77 2
Mavis Price (L Sibson) 4 1 3 59 55 2
BY a slender two-shot margin over four rounds of competition, Helen Paterson, Dee Winsor and Roberta Waldeck emerged as deserved winners of the triples championship after a final day of drama.
Helen, Dee and Roberta went into the last day in top spot with a better shot difference over Veronica Thysse, Joy Gillian and Julia Barron and after eight ends they had increased their advantage by being 8-5 ahead of Tina Hay (subbing for Mavis Price), Ann Walsh and Lyn Sibson, while Veronica, Joy and Julia trailed 5-12 to Gayle Harding, Val Ikin and Elaine Weskin.
But the picture rapidly began to change as Julia's team won the last seven ends to notch up a 20-12 win, while the other game tightened up before Roberta's side clicnhed a 14-10 victory.
'Obviously we're a little disappointed at not being able to get over the line but I'm delighted for Roberta and her team. It's good to have some new names on the honours board and in the first round they beat us so they fully deserved to come out on top,'' said Julia, who was hoping to add the triples to her success in the pairs with Edwina Foster.
DEFENDING champions Julia Barron and Joy Gillian have been handed a chance of retaining their title with new team-mate Veronica Thysse, after the latest series of results.
While Julia, Joy and Veronica were sitting out this round, Ellaine Jopling's team of Edwina Foster and Soly Batka ended their competition by wrecking the 100 per cent record of the Roberta-skipped rink of Helen Paterson and Dee Winsor by a comprehensive 23-11, to throw the competition wide open.
That leaves Ellaine's team at the top and they could stay there if both Julia and Roberta lose in the final round. Julia's rink plays Gayle Harding, Val Ikin and Elaine Weskin, who were thrashed 23-6 to give Ann Walsh, Lyn Sibson and Mavis Price their first win of the competition. Mavis now meets Roberta with several scenarios still possible.
The outcome will not be known until the new year, January 10 to be precise, with the champion skips being either Ellaine, Julia or Roberta.
Fascinating...
THE battle of the El(l)aines went the way of rookie skip Elaine Weskin over one of the club's top skips Ellaine Jopling by the narrowest of margins, 17-16.
Ellaine's team of Soly Batka and Edwina Foster made a bold bid to pull the game out of the fire, after Ellaine, Val Ikin and Pauline Wright (substituting for Gayle Harding) stormed out of the blocks to lead 9-1 on six before conceding ten shots in four ends to trail 9-11.
Elaine regained the initiative to move ahead 17-11 (13) but then came another fightback that came up one shot short.
Defending champions Julia Barron and Joy Gillian, with new member Veronica Thysse, moved into second place behind Roberta Waldeck's rink on shot difference, after beating Ann Walsh, Gail Kempton (substituting for Mavis Price) and Lyn Sibson 14-11.
Behind for most of the game, Lyn's team took three shots on the penultimate end to close the gap to just two shots, 13-11, but there was to be no comeback win. The defeat leaves them bottom of the ladder.
ROBERTA WALDECK'S triple of Helen Paterson and Dee Winsor has emerged as favourites for the triples crown after an 18-6 win over Elaine Weskin's team, following up their victory over defending champion skip Julia Barron in the opening round.
Roberta, Helen and Dee are the only team with a 100 per cent record as Julia, Veronica Thysse and Joy Gillian gave themselves an outside chance of retaining the title by beating Ellaine Jopling's triple.
A five on the penultimate end brought Roberta's game made it mathematically impossible for Elaine, Gayle Harding and Val Ikin to overhaul the lead and as it is a round robin competition all 15 ends have to be played.
Julia, Veronica and Joy have a negative shot difference, which could prove crucial in the final reckoning. They led 15-7 over Ellaine, Edwina Foster and Soly Batka but lost four of the last five ends to end up winning by just one shot, 16-15.
DEFENDING champions, Julia Barron and Joy Gillian, face an uphill battle to retain their crown, after an opening round defeat.
Along with new lead Veronica Thysse, Julia and Joy went down 14-9 to Helen Paterson, Dee Winsor and Roberta Waldeck.
The lead changed hands for the first six ends but after that Roberta's team built up a 10-5 lead before being pegged back 10-9. They pulled away again, taking four shots in the last two ends.
In a round robin competition, the champions are not yet certain to lose their crown but they will need to win all their remaining games to stand any chance of retrieving the situation.
A 21-15 win for Soly Batka, Edwina Foster and in-form skip Ellaine Jopling puts them top of the table on shot difference.
Ellaine faced two of her pennant team-mates, Ann Walsh and Lyn Sibson with Mavis Price at skip. Mavis's team made a gallant attempt to snatch an unlikely victory with six shots on ends 13 and 14 to close the deficit to two, 17-15.
Ellaine's girls, who started the game with a five, made sure of victory with four shots on the last end.