Carpet bowlers from around the province were on their game last week in 100 Mile House, as they competed for provincial titles in the pairs and triples divisions.
The triples championship was hosted May 9-11 by the Interlakes Carpet Bowling Club at the Interlakes Community Hall, where Glenn and Margaret Howell and Chris Vanderstoep from Qualicum Beach won the gold medal.
Glenn Howell and Vanderstoep then went on to make it a sweep by also winning the gold medal in the pairs competition.
In the triples competition, Vanderstoep says, there was little room for error.
"The last game was very tough. We managed to squeak it out by two points."
The pairs team has been together for 18 years, but Vanderstoep says this may be the last time they compete at provincials because the cost of travel is so high. He estimates that after adding up the cost of the ferry ride, gas, hotel and meals, the total is close to $1,000.
It was a bonus year, however, for 100 Mile House competitors. As the host club, they had an automatic bye for one pairs team and another local team qualified to compete earlier in the year at zones.
100 Mile's Renata Cargnelutti and Hank Buckert earned the pairs silver medal, and the husband-and-wife team of Ed and Maureen Van Gool from Bridge Lake won bronze.
Cargnelutti and Buckert were the 2010 pairs provincial champions and have played together for two years. She says they play well together, but every day is different.
"You can have a day when everything goes perfectly and another day when not a damn thing goes right."
In triples competition, the silver medal went to the Interlakes Club team of Marion Nickelsen, Sophia Dunne, Kitty Caroll and spare Helen Morrow.
The bronze medal was won by the Kamloops team of Betty Smedley, Ron Joneson and Inez Beaton.
Carpet Bowling Association of BC president Eva Long, 89, travelled from her home in Barriere to present the awards.