Cumbria’s representatives travelled to Royal Leamington Spa for Bowls England’s National Finals and they left their mark on the national stage.

The eighteen days of national competitions began on Thursday, August 15, and ran until Sunday, September 1, with many a memorable moment produced along the way including two winning finals.

Thursday, August 15, to Sunday, August 18

The first three days of competitions provided plenty of promise as Cumbria in four disciplines.

Opening the festival of bowls Workington’s quartet of Rachel Forster, Carole Bannister, Tina Smitham and Victoria Cook were involved on the first day as the Women’s Fours were first onto the greens.

In their first game they beat fellow northerners Northumberland 22-9 and then won a close game with Berkshire 25-24 to make it to the second round.

The quartet lost another close game in the second round 14-15 to eventual winners Somerset.

In the Men’s Singles Aspatria’s Mark Irwin made it to the semifinal beating Hampshire’s Chris Cieciura 21-14, Isle of Wight’s Martin Butchers 21-16 and Devon’s Jamie Chestney 21-13 on a busy Friday.

Mark then made it past Durham’s Andrew Kirtland 21-9 before losing 21-16 to Kent’s Harry Goodwin, who was beating in the final on Saturday.

Courtfield’s Jo Dawson, Anne Coulthard and Gill Dawes had a difficult time in the Women’s Triples losing their only game 18 – 26 to Worcestershire.

The Men’s Pairs followed the Women’s Triples as Workington’s Steven Cook and Matthew Hodgson lost a close game 16 – 18 to Nottinghamshire on Sunday.

Monday, August 19, to Sunday, August 25

Aspatria’s David Wilson and Harry Creighton went in the Men’s Junior Singles at the start of the week.

David Wilson won his opening game 21-10 against Cauly Swift of Northamptonshire but went out in the next round 17-21 to Wiltshire’s Jake Webster.

Harry Creighton almost join his club mate in the next round losing a tight game 20-21 to Charlie Beeton of Suffolk.

In the Senior Men’s Pairs Croft’s Huw Crosby teamed up with Workington’s Malcolm Smitham, beating Herefordshire 15-12 in their opening game before losing 10-19 to Essex in the next round.

In the Women’s Senior Pairs two clubs came together again as Appleby’s Leslie Metcalfe and Aspatria’s Ann Creighton played but lost their first game 7-16 to Worcestershire.

As the Junior Women’s Singles took to the green Wigton’s Molly Haney set off well beating Cambridgeshire’s Jodie Gosling 21-8 and Surrey’s Jemma Tuohy 21-17 on Wednesday.

She then beat Norfolk’s Ellie Johnston 21-15 and Kent’s Leah Saxton 21-8 to book her place in the semifinal where she lost 4-21 to eventual champion Millie Tuck from Dorset.

In the Women’s Singles Leslie Metcalfe went out in the first round losing 8-21 to Sian Honnor of Kent.

Also in the Women’s Singles Victoria Cook got off to a winning start with a 21-8 win over Leicestershire’s Jamie-Lea Marshall before a dominant 21-1 win over Yorkshire’s Alison Paxton.

The third game was a step to far as Oxfordshire’s Caroline Campion put the Workington player out with a 17-21 win.

Joined by Rachel Forster, Victoria Cook then started the Women’s Pairs competition on Saturday but were beaten 17-9 by Northamptonshire.

Molly Haney and Chelsie Browbank started their Women’s Pairs campaign with a win beating Gloucestershire 20-9 before losing 12-21 to Lincolnshire.

In the Mixed Fours on Sunday Rachel Forster, Victoria Cook, Steven Cook and James Park won their opening round game 16-13 against Hertfordshire.

Monday, August 26, to Sunday, September 1

The Mixed Fours from Workington continued on Monday but went out 4-25 to Northumberland. 

The Women’s Senior Fours got underway on Tuesday with Wigton’s Angela Hayton, Anne Dalziel, Penny Peile and Jeanette Bell winning their opening game 13-18 against Oxfordshire before losing 13-16 to Yorkshire on Wednesday.

The Two Wood Singles competitions got underway on Thursday with Workington’s Tina Smitham losing 5-18 to Northamptonshire’s Rebecca Wigfield.

While Workington’s Noreen Fleet won her first game 3-15 against Kent’s Eileen Pickering before losing 6-17 to Oxfordshire’s Lorraine Kuhler.

In the Men’s competition Aspatria’s Kevin Harrison won his first game 14-6 against Warwickshire’s Andy Prickett and his second 16-8 against Howard Watts of Oxfordshire.

However his third game in the second round ended in a 6-17 defeat to Surrey’s Jamie Tindall.

It was a golden Friday for Cumbria as they won two finals.

In the Men’s Junior Pairs Whitehaven’s Ryan Corkill and Wigton’s Callum Hodgson started on Wednesday with a close 11-12 victory over Cornwall before an extra end decided a 19-18 win against Cambridgeshire.

Thursday was a slightly more relaxed day as the pair won 20-16 against Hampshire and then dispatched Gloucestershire 17-10 to make the final where they beat Berkshire 14-18.

WATCH HERE: BERKSHIRE v CUMBRIA

Cumbria Pairs winning skip Callum Hodgson said: “It’s absolutely amazing I still can’t believe we did it after making it to the national finals last year and just not making it across the line to come back the year later and smash it.”

He then went on to praise his lead saying: “I didn’t have to do much all week with Ryan leading quality from the front, I just turned up with the big balls when they mattered.”

Whitehaven’s Ryan Corkill said: “I am absolutely speechless. Can’t believe we did it to win the national finals in my first pairs down there is amazing.”

Ryan also praised Callum saying: “I couldn’t do it without Callum’s confidence in me and always cheering me on. He’s played amazing all week and just to have me play the way I did in the final made his life easier.”

The pair both thanked the “brilliant” Cumbrian support at Leamington with Ryan adding a personal note: “To win this and sadly not have my grandad, mam, dad and nana there made it even more special to win it for them.”

In the Men’s Senior Fours Carlisle Subscription’s David Lee, Laurence Kelly, Tom Prescott and John Baird started on Tuesday with a 13-24 win over Hertfordshire.

On Wednesday the Carlisle team beat Hampshire 18-12 and then Kent 22-5 to book their place in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

A 18-14 win against Bedfordshire and a closer 16-15 victory over Oxfordshire set up a final showdown with Buckinghamshire which the Cumbrians took 18-11.

The Carlisle Subscription team will get the chance to go on to represent England against Ireland, Scotland and Wales.