West End scored a double over the weekend when Susan Cottam and Trish Howard took out the Andersons Pies-sponsored women’s Taranaki open pairs at Tower on Sunday.
The duo defeated Opunake’s Rita Davey and Pauline Davy 21-18 in the final in blustery conditions.
After conceding two shots on the opening end, Opunake went on a scoring spree, winning the next five heads to lead 11-2.
But West End replied in kind and after the completion of the 11th end, the scores were locked at 11-all.
The game tensed up further and after 18 of the scheduled 21 ends, West End held a slender 16-15 advantage. But a three and a two to West End sewed up the contest, creating a six-shot lead playing the final end. Opunake replied with a three but it wasn’t enough.
It was Cottam’s third success in the event and her fourth Taranaki title in total, while it was a maiden success for Howard who has made great strides with her game over the past two seasons.
In the semifinals, Davey and Davy beat Paritutu’s Briar Atkinson and Tina Atkinson-Watt 24-21. Cottam and Howard needed a three on the last end to pip Fitzroy’s Faye Gecse and Maree Gadsby 19-18, after they had earlier trailed 13-4.