WILLIAM BOWLS OVER ALL COMERS

Iain Ferguson

A local bowling star arose at the end of Fort William’s Ten Pin Bowling League in July, taking all but one of the trophies he was eligible to play for.

William Lansborough from Caol bowled his way to success playing every game throughout the season, racking up the points in many categories which led to him to gaining a clutch of awards at the presentation ceremony in the Nevis Centre.

Barely managing to catch breath between collecting the silverware, William took the FW Bouncy Castle Trophy for the most overall scratch points with 168 points, beating Steve Day into second place with 152 points and Brian Stewart as third with 145 points.

The Robert Cairns Shield for the most men’s handicap points was closely contested, with William on 114, followed by Brian on 113 and Steve with 112.

William also took the Nevis Radio Highest Total (scratch)

Pinfall Trophy with 3,731 pins, well ahead of runners up Steve with 3,507 and Brian with 3,362.

Next on the prize list was the Triple B-BnBG Cup for the most men’s scratch points with 136, again followed by Steve on 121 and Brian on 117, followed by the Nevis Centre High Game Award with the top scratch game of the season of 214 which secured him a place in the Nevis Centre 200 Club 2023 along with fellow bowlers Pam Weller with a 203 and Steve Day who had games of 201 and 200.

One trophy which evaded William by just one point was the Weller Quaich for most handicap points overall which went to Steve Day with 140 points, with William pushing

Brian Stewart into third place, also by a single point.

In the ladies section, the Purple Cup for the most scratch points went to Pam Weller with 32 points, followed by Gaynor Weldon on 16 and Zoe Gregor with 12.

The British Legion Trophy for the most ladies’ handicap points also went to Pam with 27, this time followed by Zoe with 18 and Gaynor with 16.

As if taking so many top places wasn’t enough, just a few days later William scored another ‘first’ by coaching First Minister Humza Yousaf into scoring a ‘strike’ as he toured the Nevis Centre before announcing the Scottish Rural Parliament would be meeting at the venue next November.