BOTH the ladies and gents from Helensburgh Bowling Club had reason to celebrate at the weekend after competition victories.

On Friday, Marion McClenaghan from the club played in the final of the GWBA Singles at Cardross BC. Marion faced Natalie Sharp from Colgrain BC with Natalie getting off to a good start when she won the first two ends to lead by 5 shots to 1 after four ends.

Marion then fought back to overtake Natalie to lead by 6 shots to 5 and continued the good form to forge ahead to lead by 12 shots to 6. Natalie was not finished and responded to reduce the score to only 4 shots of a difference at 12 to 8 against her.

From this point on Marion was never behind although she got a bit of a fright when Natalie bagged 4 shots, then a single to trail by only 1 shot at 15 shots to 14.

Marion regained the control of the game and did not concede another shot and lifted the trophy in her first entry into the competition by 21 shots to 14.

On Saturday a rink from Helensburgh Nick Cudby, Walter Jamieson, Iain Macleod and Joe Cameron (Skip) travelled to Lenzie Bowling club to play in the annual Renfrewshire versus Dumbartonshire challenge game for the Inter County Cup.

This challenge match started away back in 1912 and is always a keenly contested game between the two associations.

In its current format the six highest up rinks in both associations play against each other for the coveted trophy.

Helensburgh were drawn against the Renfrewshire club Johnston BC and on the day defeated the Johnston BC team by 19 shots to 9 to win the trophy for the first time in the history of Helensburgh BC Historically the trophy has only been won by very few clubs in the Gareloch area with Barremman BC winning in 1950 and 1952, Colgrain winning in 1954 and Rhu BC winning in 1962.