The ESMBA together with the TLH leisure resort in Torquay hold an annual English Top Club competition. There are two qualifying events held in July and January from which the top 16 clubs are determined to go forward to a finals competition held in Torquay in April/May each year. This year’s event took place over the weekend of 28th/29th April. Churchill and Blakedown short Mat Bowls Club qualified for this event in July last year.
Churchill and Blakedown bowlers participating in this year’s competition – Terry Clifford, Ian Davis, Trish Clifford, Alan Walters, Sandra Felton, Richard Rose, Malcolm Saunders and Dave Grove.
The preliminary stages consisted of four groups of four clubs with Churchill and Blakedown playing two clubs from Northamptonshire and one from Dorset. Although losing their first group Match ( 1 x singles, fours, pairs and triples), they went on to do very well in their matches with the other two clubs to finish second in their group. This meant that they were through to the last eight for the first time since they have played in this competition.. The quarter final knockout match was played against Southampton and with wins in the singles and pairs, but losing in the fours and triples, the match was drawn with the deciding factor being shot difference which did not go in Churchill and Blakedown’s favour. Although out of the competition at this stage the team were well satisfied with their overall performance throughout the tournament.