HEREFORDSHIRE-based bowls star Rob Weale added the British Isles outdoor singles championship to his ever-growing list of honours when he took the title at Belmont, Belfast, writes Glyn Wictome.

The Presteigne club bowler, who became the World Indoor singles champion in 1999, represented Wales in the championship after winning the national singles championship last year.

In the semi-final against Gary Pitschou, of the Channel Isles, he was always in control and went on to book his place with a comfortable 21-12 victory.

In the other semi-final Ireland's Ian Ross beat John Ottaway of England 21-18 in a closely contested match to claim a meeting against Weale.

Ross started well in the final and built up a 8-3 lead after six ends, but a mistake on the seventh end, when his last wood turned over a shot to Weale, proved decisive. Weale immediately changed the length and from then on controlled the match to claim the singles title for the first time with a 21-11 win.

Previously he had teamed up with his brothers David, Stuart and Brian to win the British Isles fours title in both 1993 and 1997.

This Saturday the brothers join forces again as they attempt to retain the Mid-Wales fours title at Llandrindod. Last year Rob, with the help of his brothers, gave the Presteigne club a clean sweep of the titles, winning the singles, pairs, triples and fours.

David is also in Saturday's triples final when he skips a trio with Mark Smith and Hereford's Gareth Wills. Wills also contests the under-25 singles final.

Rob Davies, the promising 16-year-old Presteigne bowler, will be trying to win two singles titles. He booked his place in the senior singles final when he beat defending champion Rob Weale and he will meet his Presteigne colleague Trevor Gummer in the under-18 final.