ONE year on from suffering the crushing disappointment of missing out on a place in the Scottish Championship finals, Irvine bowler Calum Williamson finally made it to the top event.

The 20-year-old from Irvine Park defeated Sean Stirling of Springside 21-11 in the Junior Singles event at the Bowls Scotland District 27 finals last Tuesday.

Exactly a year earlier, he had lost 21-20 in the final to Jack Montgomerie of West Kilbride in the final, despite leading 20-11. However this time he came back from 15-4 down against the same opponent in the semi-finals earlier this month to beat him 21-17 and he can now look forward to the Scottish Finals at Northfield Bowling Club in August.

It promises to be a very exciting season for Williamson, who has also been called up to represent Scotland in the Under-25 Home Internationals in Belfast in August.

Williamson, whose older brother Martin has been called up by the full Scotland team for the Home Internationals said: “It was great to reach the final, especially after coming so close last year. Although I was well down against Jack I was always hopeful I could pull it back. This will be a great opportunity for me to compete in the Scottish Championships and my target will be to do well and hopefully win the title.” Kilwinning’s Janice Scaife and Chris Carswell won their way to the national finals after defeating Fairlie duo Amanda Simpson 25-14 in the final of the Mixed Pairs event and John Carswell and Billy Kennedy made it a double for Kilwinning by taking the Pairs title.

Billy Mack of Ardeer Recreation won the Seniors Singles and Dalry were victorious in the Triples event with Saltcoats winning the Fours.

Ardeer’s Michael Ward took the Singles title.

Results Seniors Singles: Ardeer Recreation (Billy Mack) 22 J Brown (Irvine Park) 7.

Fours: Irvine Park D (W Graham, E Dixon, W Clark, W McCreadie) 10 Saltcoats (W Brown, F Millar, J Kedley, J Reid) 16) Singles: Ardeer (Michael Ward) 21 Fairlie (Derek Rodger) 16.

Pairs: Skelmorlie (James Goldie, Chris Gavin) 12 Kilwinning (John Carswell, Billy Kennedy) 14.

Triples: Dalry (Michael Morgan, B Gallacher, G Borland) 11 Ardrossan (Graham Iley, Steven Burns, Scott Stevenson.

Fours: Blacklands (Scott Spiers, Graeme Lynn, Paul McIntyre, Robert Gatherer) 9 Saltcoats (William Reid, Michael Grant, Scott Bradley, Tommy Adamson) 20.

Junior Singles: Irvine Park B (Calum Williamson) 21) Springside (Sean Stirling) 11.

Mixed Pairs: Kilwinning (Janice Scaife, Chris Carswell) 25 Fairlie (Amanda Simpson, Gregg McAulay) 14.

JUNIOR CHAMP: Calum Williamson.

PAIRS POWER: John Carswell and Billy Kennedy won the Pairs title.

MIXED MARVELS: Success came for Janice Scaife and Chris Carswell in the Mixed Pairs.