Shropshire's Callum Wraight picks up Whitby Festival triumph

The Shrewsbury star rounded off a stunning week on the east coast by winning the main title and £500 first prize in Whitby on Friday to help ease the pain of 12 months ago at the same event.

His victim in a comfortable final success was Michael Wood, after victories over Danny Sillitoe of South Yorkshire in the last eight and promoter Paul Morgan in the semi-finals.

“I was 17-8 up in the final last year and didn’t score again – and that’s niggled me ever since. So I have put that right now and would like to thank everyone for a wonderful week,” said Wraight after receiving his prizes.

His proud partner Zoe Edwards, mother of his two children, said: “That’s another Festival in the bag – Whitby main, the singles, pairs and two-man team title for four wins out of the five comps – which isn’t bad!”

Not content with that, Wraight travelled back to Shropshire and went and won a singles sets competition at Castle Sports in Northwich on Saturday.

The Castlefield man beat Dave Jackson 2-0 (11-3 & 9-4) in the final to land the £250 top prize, having ended the fine run of Hanmer’s Matt Beeston 2-0 in the semi-finals.

And there’s no time for Wraight to reflect on his latest title triumphs as he has a full book of appointments over the Jubilee Bank Holiday, starting with the Tixall Classic at Oxton on the Wirral on Thursday and then a £1,300 Invitation 32 on Friday at Huntly Unison in Bury.

n A sound recovery after two years hit by the pandemic continues for the Highley Bowls League with the wraps taken off its individual competitions.

One of them is the Mark Bennett Memorial, a singles knockout in memory of the league’s late chairman and driving force who passed last year.

“Entries are invited for the Market Bennett Memorial and Division 2 Singles before June 15,” said John Palmer, the new chief of the Local Print Pros-sponsored league.

“Qualifying (if required) will be on Tuesday, June 21, and the finals will be played at Stockton on Sunday, July 21 – fittingly, almost exactly 12 months since Mark passed away last year.

“Entries can be emailed to chairman@highleybowlsleague.org.uk (phone/text 074602672655) and players are reminded that they can only play in only one of these competitions, not both, as they are played at the same time.”

The league’s Ladies Singles will be on Sunday, June 12, at Cleobury (12.45pm draw for a 1pm start) and the over-60 singles for the Jim Palmer Memorial Trophy is at Chelmarsh on Sunday, July 3 (again 12.45pm draw for a 1pm start).

Entries in all competitions cost just £3.