Bears Win White Rose for first time

Representing the Bears in the White Rose were Lewis Gardner (Three Spires), Sam Shuttleworth (Whitnash), Aiden Maries and Dan Ellicott (both Avenue Leamington) with the other rink being Tom Wheeler, Jacob Mills (both Rugby), Harry Smith (Nuneaton) and Jordan Ward (Rugby). In the semi-final their opponents were Nottinghamshire, Ellicott hit the ground running with a first end four and then limiting their opponents to a single shot to reach ten ends seventeen shots up. Ward however made a slow start but recovered to trail by five at the midway point. Ward levelled the scores the next end though slipped to two down with four ends to go, on Ellicott's rink Notts staged a comeback, cutting the deficit to eight before Bears took it to eleven also with four ends left, the overall lead nine shots.

With one end left to play Ward's rink had again levelled the scores, Ellicott and co however had seen their lead drop to five and then dropped a last end treble to win 22-20. In a tense finish Ward and co kept their cool and picked up a single to win 18-17, overall score 40-37, the Bears reaching their second White Rose final in three years, their opponents would be Hampshire who defeated Northamptonshire 44-31 in their semi-final.

The opening half of the game saw Ward's rink locked in a tight tussle with their opponents, the scores all level, Ellicott and co however were limited to just four singles as Hants lead by seven. Three ends later Ellicott had almost cleared the deficit, now just one down while Ward had taken a four shot lead.

With four ends to go Hants had taken their lead against Ellicott and co to three, Ward and co now six up with the overall lead three shots. Both Bears rinks took the next end with a double putting Warwickshire seven ahead.

The Ellicott rink swung greatly in favour of the Bears when a very risky shot by the Hampshire skip to try and turn one down into two up took an unfortunately wick to give the Bears three shots and Ellicott a three shot lead. Ward and co dropped a double and brace of singles to finish 18-14 winners, the overall score now seven up with one end to go. Ellicott and co held firm, picking up a single to also win 18-14 giving the Bears an overall 36-28 victory and win the White Rose Trophy for the first time in their history.

For Tom Wheeler, Harry Smith, Dan Ellicott and Jordan Ward it was a poignant victory as this was their last appearance as Juniors.

* Dan Box and Andy Walters (Welford) also made it through to the final of the Mens Pairs but were undone by a strong performance by Ean and Tristan Morton (Huntingdonshire). In the Tony Allcock Over 60s Mixed Double Rink Welford on Avon BC reached the final but had to settle for runners up.