Last weekend not only heralded a 'Super Saturday' for Team GB at the Olympics, but also for popular local bowler Steve Reese.

For just like many of those magnificent British athletes in London, Steve struck gold for himself when he lifted the highly coveted Gold Cup at Tenby Bowling Club's annual Open Week tournament.

A longstanding member of the Pembrokeshire county side, Steve, who plays for the Whitland club, was delighted with his success, his first in the tournament, which again attracted an entry of over 100 bowlers from around the principality and beyond.

Sadly, as reported last week, many of the host club's own players were not among those taking part this year as they had withdrawn from the event due to a clash with the important Carruthers Shield quarter-finals in which they were successfully involved at Llandrindod Wells.

But this did not detract in any way from Steve's achievement, for the field still featured many Welsh internationals and past winners, including five times Gold Cup winner David Kingdon, of Kidwelly, previous double winner and ex-Tenby member Lee Williamson, now of Cheltenham, and another former Tenby member and defending champion Phil Carpenter, of Aberdare Harlequins

They were joined by a number of other rising stars, such as Andrew Hopkins, of Resolven, Jarrad Breen, of Gilfach Goch, and Robert Chisholm, of Dunvant, as the prestigious tournament, now in its 88th year, proved as popular as ever, both on and off the Sutton Street green.

Ironically, though, the week could have been all so different for Steve Reese, as he came close to bowing out of the competition on the opening day, only surviving a first round scare against Tenby's own Jon Hubbard by the nailbiting margin of 21-20.

After that he defeated Marcus Smith, of Presteigne, in the second round by 21-16, before squeezing through 21-19 in another closely fought match in the third round against Ben Salmon, of Whitchurch.

Quarter-final opponent was Open Week stalwart Tom Daniel, of Beaufort, who he accounted for 21-15, while Steve stepped up a gear in the semi-finals to dispose of Carmarthen's Martyn Harries by 21-7.

In the final he met Phil Lewis, of Welshpool, who must have fancied his own chances of walking away with the magnificent trophy after ousting tournament specialist David Kingdon in the quarter-finals and David Weale (a name synonymous with Welsh bowls - although this time not brother Robert), of Presteigne, in a thrilling semi-final, edging through by the narrowest of margins, 21-20.

But Steve, who lives in St. Clears and also works there for Tooby and Williams, obviously had other ideas.

Keeping his cool in the Sutton Sreet cauldron and showing the excellent form which he had displayed throughout the week, he controlled the final to run out winner by 21 shots to 12.

Afterwards, a smiling Steve congratulated the organisers on another highly successful week of bowls at the Tenby tournament. He also thanked everyone for their support during the week and his own Whitland club for the congratulations he had received following his victory.

Any dreams Steve may have had of completing an Open Week double, though, were dashed early on when he crashed out in the first round of the Silver Bowl to Lyn Guy, of Berwick, son of former Tenby bowler Haydn Guy.

Lyn himself also accounted for David Weale in the second round, but his progress came to an abrupt halt in the next when he came up against the imperious David Kingdon, who again appeared to be making his way smoothly through the rounds of both the Gold and Silver competitions.

If Lyn Guy was disappointed by his defeat, then another player who must have been sick of the sight of that man Kingdon by the end of the week was last year's Gold Cup winner, Phil Carpenter.

For the former Tenby ace failed to get the better of him in both events, losing out to him 21-14 in the third round of the Gold and picking up two shots less in his quarter-final defeat in the Silver.

Kingdon himself eventually bowed out of the Gold at the quarter-final stage, losing out to finalist Phil Lewis, but continued his march in the Silver Bowl, comfortably disposing of Mathew Partridge, of Parc-y-Dre, in the semi-finals as he set up a mouth-watering final clash against Robert Chisholm, who had ended the hopes of another former Tenby favourite Lee Williamson.

But Englishman Chisholm, who skipped for Wales indoors this year, had no answer in the climax to the competition as Kingdon again reigned supreme, showing all his skills to claim yet another trophy at the Tenby tournament. In fact, he rarely seems to return home without one.

Final competition of the week was the Five Arches Bowl, a secondary or plate competition, played for by those who make an early exit from the two main events.

This year's winner was young Shane Hill, of Porthcawl, who defeated Mark Weiland, of Presteigne, in the final.

Results

GOLD CUP

Second round (contd): Phil Lewis 21 Peter Jenkins 4; Brian Young 21 Mike Gouldingay 12; Phil Carpenter 21 Phil Richardson 8; Robin Burden 21 Eilyr Lloyd 12; Jon Williams 21 Tony Duckfield 20; Dai Kingdon 21 Steve Hill 20.

Third round: John Williams 7 Robin Burden 21; Steve Reese 21 Ben Salmon 19; Tom Daniel 21 Richard Osborne 15; David Weale 21 Andrew Hopkins 11; Matthew Partridge 19 Martyn Harries 21; Nigel Davies 21 Dai Newth 1; Brian Young 2 Phil Lewis 21; Phil Carpenter 14 David Kingdon 21.

Quarter-finals: Steve Reese 21 Tom Daniel 15; Nigel Davies 9 Martyn Harries 21; David Weale 21 Robin Burden 19; David Kingdon 14 Phil Lewis 22.

Semi-finals: Steve Reese 21 Martyn Harries 7; David Weale 20 Phil Lewis 21.

Final: Steve Reese 21 Phil Lewis 12.

PERCY HOWELLS

SILVER BOWL

First round: Wayne Owen 8 David Kingdon 21; Ben Salmon w/o Joe Hewitt scr; John Morgans w/o Luke Stanley scr; Brian Kingdon 14 Phil Carpenter 21; Tom Holmes 14 Tom Daniel 21; Phil Richardson 21 Chris Williams 20; Les Davies Scr Mike Gouldingay w/o; Dilwyn John 21 Gerald Hewitt 17; Lyn Guy 21 Steve Reese 10; David Weale 21 Chris Price 13; David Evans 21 Peter Toomey 20; Jon Williams 19 Matthew Partridge 21; Steve Davies Scr Chris Thomas w/o; Steve Hill 21 Emelio Garcia 14; Brian Young 21 Ben Cloake 18; Harry Phillips 11 Andrew Hopkins 21; Dai Newth 13 Lee Williamson 21; Marcus Smith 21 Archie Phillips 15; Phil Lewis 21 Robin Burden 20; Colin Davies 14 Jarad Breen 21; Luke Rees 13 Aaron O'Sullivan 21; Rhodri Williams 17 Morgan Holmes 21; Cliff Hyde w/o Mike Oliver scr; Dilwyn Jones 21 Scott Williams 11; Steve Smith w/o Brian Richards scr; Martyn Harries 21 Nicky Jones 9; Dai Spencer 21 Peter Jenkins 14; Eilyr Lloyd 21 Jonno Hubbard 16; Jordan Hooper 16 Cameron White 21; Trevor Gummer 21 Dan Salmon 19; Tommy Nutt 4 Paul Bancroft 21; Richard Osborne 12 Rob Chisholm 21.

Second round: John Morgans 13 Phil Carpenter 21; Lyn Guy 21 David Weale 17; Tom Daniel 15 Phil Richardson 21; David Kingdon 21 Ben Salmon 18; Mike Gouldingay scr David Evans w/o; Chris Thomas 15 Brian Young 21; Dilwyn John 4 Matthew Partridge 21; Andrew Hopkins 21 Steve Hill 11; Lee Williamson 21 Marcus Smith 11; Cliff Hyde 14 Aaron O'Sullivan 21; Paul Bancroft 7 Rob Chisholm 21; Dai Spencer 9 Trevor Gummer 21; Eilyr Lloyd 13 Cameron White 21; Dilwyn Jones 6 Jarad Breen 21; Steve Smith 21 Martyn Harries 18; Morgan Holmes 15 Phil Lewis 21.

Third round: Phil Richardson 12 Phil Carpenter 21; Dai Kingdon 21 Lyn Guy 8; David Evans 6 Matthew Partridge 21; Brian Young 21 Andrew Hopkins 19; Lee Williamson 21 Aaron O'Sullivan 19; Phil Lewis 11 Jarad Breen 21; Steve Smith 21 Trevor Gummer 8; Cameron White 18 Rob Chisholm 21.

Quarter-finals: Phil Carpenter 12 Dai Kingdon 21; Matthew Partridge 21 Brian Young 7; Lee Williamson 21 Jarad Breen 10; Steve Smith 20 Rob Chisholm 21.

Semi-final: David Kingdon 21 Matthew Partridge 5; Lee Williamson 16 Rob Chisholm 21.

Final: David Kingdon 21 Rob Chisholm 12.

FIVE ARCHES BOWL

Preliminary round: John Cully 9 Shane Hill 21; Mark Osborne 21 Joe Price 16; Richie Cowling 21 Keith Evans 13; Peter Haines 4 Dale Gorman 21;

First round: Nathan Salmon 17 Darren Potock 21; Peter Toomey 14 John Smith 21; Mark Weiland 21 Tom Jones 8; Tom Holmes 21 Chris Williams 19; John Rees 19 Alan Thomas 21; Ronan Breen 16 Brian Kingdon 21; Mark Osborne 4 Shane Hill 21; Dale Gorman 21 Richard Cowling 15.

Quarter-finals: Brian Kingdon 18 Alan Thomas 21; Tom Holmes 17 Mark Weiland 21; John Smith 18 Darren Potock 21; Dale Gorman 10 Shane Hill 21.

Semi-finals: Mark Weiland bt Alan Thomas; Shane Hill bt Darren Potock.

Final: Mark Weiland 6 Shane Hill 21.