The 2025 Welsh Mixed Pairs competition was held at Airbus on Sunday 24^th August on a very hot day for players and officials. Attending the event were 24 pairs and WCGBA Management members Sandra and Ron West, Tournament Officer Ashley Zepeda and Assistant Simon Walker. Deputy President Peter Higham also lent his support. Referees Arthur Peake, Alan Davies and Peter Hughes worked hard all day to see fair play.Airbus green was, probably, the greenest green I have seen this summer. There was a preliminary round for 12 pairs before we got down to the serious stages of elimination.

Round three, and we started to see the pairs settle into their strides. There were good wins for Jess Lacey and Owen Jackson 21-11 over Tracy Over and Simon Tyler. Nicola Boulton and Adam Penlington 21-6 over Hayley Carpenter and Carl Lewis. A 21-7 win for Emily Gowan and Francis Penlington with other losses in the rest of the matches into double figures.

In the first Quarter Final, Jess and Owen played Nicola and Adam. The first pairing were on excellent form and won 21-12. Emily and Francis had an equally comfortable game with Rachel Hawker and John Jones to win 21-15. The closest game was between Jane and Paul and Sarah Loundes and Andy Hughes –  a nail biting final score of 21-28 to Jane and Paul. In the last Quarter final, Partners Aileen and Ian played well to beat Linda Williams  and Jack Dougal 21-16.

For the Semi Final round, Jess and Owen played Emily and Francis, who never really found their way into the game. Some really superb bowling by Jess and Owen saw them seal their place in the final with a 21-8 victory. The second semi final looked as though it would go the same way. Aileen and Ian were soon 12-3 up on Paul and Jane. At 13-9 down, Paul and Jane took a ‘full house’ of four bowls to make it 13 across. Aileen and Ian replied with some sound bowling and striking to end the game in their favour 21-15.

The Final promised to be an interesting one. Aileen and Ian took command from the beginning. At 20-7 to them, it looked all but done and dusted. It would be a long road back for Jess and Owen. A short run of winning chalks saw them come to 14-20 down. Despite some unbelievable bowling by the pair, it was too much to ask and the AI technology from Aileen and Ian won them the competition 21-14.

Wales has three pairs through to the BCGBA Centenary Mixed Pairs Comp. later in the season. Aileen and Ian, Jess and Owen and Jane and Paul.