Four Seasons, One Green: A Spring Open to Remember
- Apr 15
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 17
If ever there was a festival that proved crown green bowlers can handle anything, it was this year’s Esselle Spring Open in Blackpool!
Celebrating our 35th year, the Spring Open once again marked the opening end of the Esselle bowling season, and what a way to start. Despite a couple of late withdrawals, we were delighted to welcome almost 200 bowlers, all ready to take their chances on the greens… and with the great British weather.
And what a mix it served up! From glorious sunshine to driving rain, with a flurry of hail and even snow thrown in for good measure — it truly was four seasons in one day. Safe to say, players needed more than just a steady hand… they needed a steady wardrobe too!
Thankfully, while the weather may have been unpredictable, the greens were in fine form—running beautifully throughout the week. Our host clubs delivered a warm welcome (in every sense), keeping everyone going with hot drinks and a tempting selection of homemade cakes. After all, a good end isn’t just about the jack, it’s about the cake table too.
The competition rolled out across the week, starting with the Men’s and Ladies’ qualifiers on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday saw the Mixed Pairs take centre stage in a round robin format, before Thursday brought the business end of the tournament. Main Knockout rounds played to 11, with the semi-finals and finals stepping up to 15. Alongside, the Plate and Consolation competitions ensured everyone stayed in the running right to the final bowl.
And what a story it was at the top.
After knocking on the door for years, James “Jamie” Fitzpatrick finally found his perfect line, claiming the Men’s Main Cup after a hard-fought final against Graeme Wilson. No more near misses this time, Jamie drew the winning wood when it mattered most.
But he didn’t stop there…
Jamie teamed up with Clair Russell to take the Mixed Pairs title, making it a fantastic double. Clair herself had an outstanding week, also lifting the Ladies Main Cup for the second time — proving she was well and truly on a roll!
Full list of winners and runners-up:
Men’s Main Champion: James Fitzpatrick | Runner-up: Graeme Wilson
Ladies Main Champion: Clair Russell | Runner-up: Jane King
Mixed Pairs Champions: James Fitzpatrick and Clair Russell | Runners-up: Neil Slater and Sue Tuffy
Men’s Consolation Champion: Steve Mellor | Runner-up: Tony McDonagh
Ladies Consolation Champion: Sally Turner | Runner-up: Jean Wanbon
Men’s Plate Champions: Mark Sattler and Mark Howarth | Runners-up: Frank Ball and Tom Peters
Ladies Plate Champions: Michelle Cubbon and Julie Reilley | Runners-up: Pam Telfer and Joy Higham
Off the green, Thursday evening’s presentation brought everyone together to celebrate a fantastic week, with special guest Brian Duncan – Green King - winner of the Talbot, Waterloo and BCGBA Champion of Champions - joining us to round off the event in style.
A big thank you goes to our sponsor, Taylors Bowls, for their continued support, and to the Sheraton Hotel, who once again proved to be superb hosts. Comfortable rooms, great food, welcoming spaces and friendly staff, it’s always a pleasure to return.
All in all, it was a week full of great bowling, great company, and plenty of memorable moments, whatever the weather threw our way.
And the good news? We’re just getting started…
Join us next at the Cliffs Classic in June and the Illuminations Masters in September. Or, if you fancy swapping tricky greens for sunnier scenes, why not roll into our first overseas bowling holiday in Torremolinos this October?
Have a look at our bowling festivals here.
Because at Esselle, there’s always another end to look forward to.
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