Hastings back to back Champion of Champions
The Henselite Women’s Champion of Champion Club Singles was played between State Coach, Therese Hastings (Guilderton) and State Squad member, Laura Merz (Manning).
In the earlier Semi Finals, Hastings had an up and down ride against the great Noelene Abe (Corrigin). Hastings started strongly to lead 6-1 and then 16-6, before Abe went to work to win the next five ends, including two fours, to take the lead 18-16. Therese Hastings then found her groove again to power away to a 25-19 win which included the last three ends.
In the second Semi Final, Merz also had a period of drowsiness in her win over Chris Ace-Watson (Boulder). Merz sprung away quickly to lead 8 nil after four ends, only to give it all back to be level 8-8 after nine ends. Merz made another mini run before Ace-Watson worked back to be behind 13-12. For a third time Merz put the foot down and with consecutive fours and then a three, put the game to bed to win 25-15.
The final was played the way of both the semifinals. Both players had long stretches of winning consecutive ends. The first six ends were sedate enough, with both players feeling each other out and then Laura Merz began to build a lead. First it was just getting a two and then dropping a single to work away to a 9-5 lead. It was then Hastings’s turn, as she won three ends in a row to lead 11-9.
The tables turned once again when Merz won six consecutive ends to look the winner at 19-11. However, Hasting’s had other ideas and not only would she work back into the game, she would do it rather quickly. First a two, followed by a four and then a three to grab the lead after being eight behind in only three ends. The crowd was waiting for the game to turn once more, but it wasn’t to be as Therese Hastings rattled off another three ends to win her second consecutive Women’s Champion of Champion Club Singles titles.
Results available at Champion of Champions Singles 2021
