Atlantic Championships
England’s victorious men’s and women’s teams pose for the camera in Cyprus
England strike gold in Cyprus
Men’s and ladies’ teams take top honours in Atlantic contest T
hree gold and two silver medals helped England take both the men’s and women’s team titles in the Atlantic Championships in Cyprus. Norfolk’s Jamie Chestney was the undoubted star of the show, picking up a gold medal in the Men’s Singles after having won the Men’s Triples earlier in the competition alongside John Hick and Graham Shadwell.
Ellen Falkner returned home with a gold medal after she, Julie Saunders, Sian Gordon and Amy Gowshall won the Ladies’ Fours, whilst Falkner also collected a silver medal after reaching the final of the Ladies’ Triples alongside Saunders and Natalie Melmore.
Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Melmore earned herself a second silver of the competition after finishing runner-up in the Ladies’ Singles.
It was an irresistible team performance by the English bowlers, who once again underlined their credentials as one of the world’s leading forces in the sport. For Chestney, in particular, the tournament was another exciting chapter in what is fast becoming a decorated career. Playing at skip in the Men’s Triples alongside Shadwell and Hick, the 24-year-old was in sizzling form as the trio charged into the knockout stage of the competition without losing a game.
And after South Africa were disposed of by an 18-14 scoreline in the semis, Scotland were put to the sword in the final, England edging a nervy battle 14-11. Buoyed by that success, Chestney turned his attention to the Men’s Singles where he kept his hot-streak going and, again, qualified for the knockout phase without losing.
That earned him a place in the semis where he overcame Jersey’s Malcolm de Sousa in a tight match, 21-14, before he disposed of Wales’ Jonathan Tomlinson
21-16 to take a second gold medal of the competition.
In the other men’s events, the South African duo of Gerry Baker and Bobby Donnelly pipped Ireland’s Gary Kelly and Ian McClure to the gold medal in the Pairs, with Scotland’s Martyn Rice, Alister Kennedy, Grant Logan and Graeme Archer disposing of another Irish team - comprising McClure, Marty McHugh, Mark McPeak and Graham McKee - in the final of the Men’s Fours. There was some success for the Irish to savour during the championships, though, with Catherine McMillen bringing home the gold in the Ladies’ Singles, beating Melmore in the final. Scotland’s Claire Johnston claimed the bronze.
Johnston then teamed-up with Margaret Letham to claim a second gold medal for the Scots in the Ladies’ Pairs. They beat their South African opponents 20-12, with the United States and Spain playing out the bronze medal match.
A third Scottish gold then came along in the Ladies’ Triples, courtesy of Anne Dunwoodie, Mandy O’Donnell and Lorna Smith. They beat the aforementioned Falkner, Saunders and Melmore 18-11. Skip Smith summed-up the performance, saying: “We played better overall and, from the first end, we put England under a lot of pressure. From that point on we were never in danger and are really pleased with the result.”
The Scots had earlier beaten Spain 19-10 in the semi, with England squeezing past South Africa in the other last-four battle, 18-15 the score.
The Scots’ hopes of taking the team title, though, were scuppered by Falkner, Saunders, Gordon and Gowshall winning the Ladies’ Fours. They edged out South Africa in the closest final of the championships, winning 17-16 to claim the gold and the ladies’ team title to go with the men’s team title.
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