WILTSHIRE men recorded a thumping 147-89 victory over the ladies in the annual showdown between the two held last week at Chippenham Park, the home green of men’s president Dave Williams.

The match was close until halfway but the men then turned on the after burners to blast to a comfortable success.

The ladies had made a good start and led 27-24 across the board after five ends and although they were caught, they were only 56-49 down after 10 ends.

However, the men then moved into overdrive to power away to lead 96-64 at 15 ends, 120-78 at 18 before finally winning 147-89.

The men won heavily on four rinks but lost narrowly on the other two.

Top of the honours list for the men were the foursome of Stewart Allison (Chippenham Park), Graham Annetts (Salisbury), Richard Gardiner (Supermarine) and skip Gerald Webb (Devizes), who won 34-11.

Close behind, the rinks skipped by Martyn Whittaker (Chippenham Park) and Bill Collier (Amesbury) both won by 15 shots, while senior vice-president John Crowder led his rink to a nine-shots victory.

Triumphant for the ladies was the rink skipped by Susan Griffiths (Supermarine) 23-20 and skip Fizz Mace (North Wilts) and her quartet, who edged home 21-20.

The battle of the presidents went to Williams convincingly as he was in Whittaker’s four that defeated Janice Rowe’s rink that included women’s president Ruth Gerrish (Bradford-on-Avon).

Williams said: “I told the men in the team talk beforehand that I was not happy that the result of the match was a draw last year.

“I emphasised that I expected on my watch nothing less than a big win, particularly on my green, and the lads certainly did me proud.

“The match was close in the first half but after that we raced away to a big victory.”