Paul Lopez recovered from a nightmare start to beat Watlington’s Sam Watts 21-16 to lift Oxfordshire Champions of Champions title at Oxford City & County.

Playing on his home rink, Lopez lost six of the first seven ends to trail 9-1.

But he got into his stride, taking eight of the next nine ends to lead 15-10.

The game developed into a marathon, before on the 26th end, Lopez scored a three to secure the silverware.


The success rounds off a memorable season for Lopez which started with his selection for the Middleton Cup.

Watts’s presence added to his under 25 singles title and his appearance in the county singles finalwhere he lost out to Banbury Borough’s Mark Sykes.

In the semi-finals, Lopez had defeated Witney Town’s Brian Bloomfield 21-19, while Watts led Headington’s Mark Charlett 11-0 lead after six ends on the way to a 21-14 success.

Margaret Bullock (Shiplake) took the Ladies’ Champion of Champions title with a 21-17 victory over Angela Ives in the final at South Oxford.

In the semi-finals, Bullock squeezed past Gill Muir (Carterton) 21-20, while Ives defeated Sheila Oldham (West Witney) 21-12.

Oxfordshire suffered their first home friendly defeat of the season, when they lost 117-103 to Essex at Shiplake in their last game.

Bob Gilkes’s rink were the only winners for Oxon, who completed their friendly season with 16 wins in 19 games.

Oxfordshire 103, Essex 117

(Oxfordshire scores)

Rink 1: C Lewis, L Eltringham, K Williams & C Weller lost 22-14.

Rink 2: S Tolhurst, G Weedon, M Oliver & A Ley lost 21-15.

Rink 3: A Hunt, T Beaumont, G Hooker & P Latter lost 26-12.

Rink 4: R Slater, H Franklin, D Bullock & A Hall lost 19-18.

Rink 5: M Cameron, J Timms, H Payne & I Whelpton lost 21-20.

Rink 6: M Cranstioun, P Brittin, J McGeough & B Gilkes won 24-8.