THE final day of the York Open saw Gary Bunce (Haxby Rd) walk away with two titles the blue ribbon event, the mens singles and teaming up with Anne Illingworth (Scarcroft) in the mixed pairs.

Gary has now won the mens singles three separate occasions 1997, 1998 and now 2004. A record to be proud of.

His opponent Brian Birch (Heworth) was appearing in his first major final. The experienced Bunce took an early 8-1 lead and at 18-6 all appeared lost. Two successive ends of a 3 and 2, gave Birch hope, but Bunce got the three shots required at the next end, final score 21-11.

The ladies singles final brought together Judy Abel (Shipton) and Mary Charlton (South Shields).

Abel, who won the title in 1998, lost the first end, but then went on to score at the next five ends, taking her into a 10-2 lead. At 18-6 the game appeared to be a lost cause, but Charlton fought all the way, although the final score was 21-12.

The men's pairs brought together Geoff Raper-Trevor Grassly (Goole) and Jim Moulds and Tom Winter (Hull). The Hull pair stormed into a 13-0 lead after five ends. After twelve ends, the Hull pair were still dominating the game 18-6, and although the Goole pair restricted their opponents to one shot per end, the final score was soon 27-10.

The mixed pairs and the ladies pairs were two outstanding games.

In the ladies pairs it brought together Pat and Maureen Walker (Clarence Ladies), winners in 2000, and Carol Williams (Nestl Rowntree) and Betty Richardson (Bert Keech).

After eight ends the Walkers were leading by just one shot 8-7, at the 15th it was 15-12 with the Walkers hanging on, but a disastrous four at the 16th left them trailing by one shot, Williams and Richardson scored a single at the penultimate end to lead by two, which was one shot too much for the Walkers 18-17.

The mixed pairs final pairing of Gill and Ray Clark (Tockwith) against Anne Illingworth and Bunce, both past winners, was expected to be a very close encounter. Bunce and Illingworth dominated the game leading 9-1 but three winning ends, including a six, saw the Clarks take the lead for the first time.

At the 13th end, Illingworth and Bunce scored five, to take them clear, but the Clarks hit back with two twos.

At the final end, Bunce and Illingworth were leading by one shot, and with one wood to bowl, the Clarks were holding the shots for the title.

Bunce produced a wonder bowl to reduce the count to one and tie the scores. On the extra end, Illingworth and Bunce held the shots required for game, and edged home after Clark had a chance to fire the last shot down the middle but it did not come off.

The Junior singles title was bound to produce a new winner, as last year's finalists were too old. This year's final brought together Zoe Eagles (Railway) and Scott Burrell (Nafferton).

Burrell has already won the Yorkshire under-18s and under-25s singles and is representing Yorkshire in the all England final next month.

Zoe's task was therefore not going to be easy. After five ends Eagles was trailing 4-2 but putting up a spirited fight, a few at the sixth end, followed by a single and two, took Scott into a healthy lead. Eagles retaliated with three 2's to close the gap to 13-9, at this stage Burrell picked up his second four and finished the game with a couple of twos.

Updated: 11:11 Monday, August 02, 2004