THREE York women who stunned themselves by becoming British champions are now looking ahead to playing in two major international competitions.

Angela Gaughan, Chris Best and Lisa Hoy captured the British women's petanque triples crown in London, taking the title in a thrilling finish.

Playing with the team name Yorkies, they came from behind in the final to gain the ultimate revenge on opponents from the Chilterns who had beaten them twice in the barrage matches to decide which teams would meet in the final.

"We were 8-6 down but scored six on one end and then needed only one more to triumph, which we did," said Yorkies captain Gaughan, who lives in Acomb and plays for the Westoe club in York Villages' Petanque League.

"We started our first game at 9.30am and the final didn't end till 9.45pm. We played seven matches in all.

"We haven't got a clue how we have done it," was her reaction to winning the title. "We've played in the event before but never got to the final stages 'til this year and quite how we ended up as champions I really don't know. I can hardly believe it."

The Yorkies qualified for the final stages when they finished eighth in the preliminary round played at Luton.

"We were in last place of the eight teams to qualify for the finals and so we expected to be out of our depth in London but somehow we ended up as champions," said Gaughan.

Now the trio will represent Britain at the North Sea Countries' Championship in Cardiff next month and then go to Denmark for the European Championships in August.

Gaughan has been playing petanque for seven years, taking up the sport when Chris Best, her sister-in-law, gave her the present of boules for her 40th birthday.

Best, a member of the Wigginton club, has been playing petanque for a dozen years. Hoy, an England junior international after five years in the sport, also plays for Wigginton.

"Lisa's experience of being a junior international helped a lot," added Gaughan. "My husband and I travel around regularly to play in club competitions but I am new to national championship level of competition.

"Now that we're to represent Britain we'll be getting a team coach and all the arrangements for competing at international level will be done for us. But I'm still coming to terms with us having won the British title."

Updated: 10:31 Thursday, June 02, 2005