Seven-time previous winner Alison Merrien had to come through two hard-fought contests to reach the showpiece occasion in the event which pits elite players from each of the home nations as well as the CI.
In the preliminary round on Tuesday she was up against long-time friend and rival, multiple world champion Julie Forrest, and was trailing the Scotland star 12-3 after eight ends before staging an impressive comeback to draw level at 15-15 before pulling away to win 21-15 having taken each of the last half-a-dozen ends played.
It was something of a role reversal for Merrien the following day in her semi-final against Shauna O’Neill as she started the stronger and established a 12-7 lead, but her Irish opponent kept battling and pulled level at 19-19 before Merrien claimed back-to-back singles for a 21-19 victory.
Merrien was up against England’s multiple Commonwealth Games medallist Sian Honnor in yesterday’s final and there was little between them for the opening 14 ends before the Sarnian followed a couple of singles with a three to stretch 17-11 ahead.
Honnor responded strongly with a three followed by a full-house to edge ahead and although Merrien pulled level, the English player claimed the crown with a two and a single in a 21-18 success.
In was a remarkably similar story in the subsequent men’s singles final with Pitschou beaten by the same scoreline.
His opponent Stephen Kirkwood of Ireland seemed to have the upper-hand when a full-house took him 11-6 up, but Pitschou, who had overcome England’s Tom Holmes 21-19 in the semi-finals, did not panic and was quickly back level at 12-12.
The lead continued to change hands with the Guernseyman 18-15 ahead at one stage, but Kirkwood finished with a 1-3-2 flourish to seal the title.
Pitschou had endured an even closer defeat the night before as skip for the CI men’s senior four in their final against Ireland, which he, Dave King, Mike Le Noury and Martyn de Carteret lost 19-18.
They had eased past England 20-4 and Scotland 24-7 to reach the final.
