NORTH WILTS Ladies have high hopes of adding to their impressive record of three national championship titles since the indoor club first opened its doors 19 years ago.

They won the national inter-club team championship in 2008 for the Yetton Trophy and in the same year added the ladies fours title, while in 2010 Sue Cooke and Alex Jacobs lifted the ladies national pairs crown.

This season as the women’s indoor national championships and competitions warm-up and reach the quarter-finals stage in team events and inter-area finals in championship events, North Wilts are still deeply involved in six different events.

The ladies Vivienne Trophy side, after wins over Bristol 91-81, Nailsea 96-64 and Isca (Exeter) 87-58 three weeks ago face Dolphin (Poole) on Thursday in the quarter-finals seeking a semi-final spot for the first time against either Adur (Southwick, West Sussex) or Mote Park (Maidstone, Kent).

The ladies have also qualified for the quarter-finals in the Yetton Trophy on February 14 against Bournemouth following victories over Thornbury 84-73, local rivals Clarrie Dunbar 86-61, Bristol 99-58, Ilminister 87-71 and in round five last week against Plymouth 79-67.

Meanwhile in championship events, the dynamic duo of Cooke and Jacobs are still running in no fewer than four championships or competitions.

Together with Jean Collier they defeated Angie Thompson, Heather Grinter and Maureen Mitchell (Ilminster) 23-14 on Sunday in the inter-area final to book a place in the regional final against either Gillian Callaghan (Mid Devon IBC, Tiverton) or Sara Quayle (Plymouth) by March 1 - just one step away from the final stages (last eight) at Nottingham on March 23-24.

Cooke and Jacobs along with Janet Hardie compete this Saturday at Street (4pm) in the ladies triples inter-area final against Sue Sinclair, Jane Smith and Judy Forse (St Andrews, Weston-super-Mare), only one step away from last stages at Melton & District (Leics) from April 4-9.

While Cooke and Jacobs are due to play Clare Williams and Karen Malone (Victoria, Street) in the inter-area pairs final at Bristol on Sunday, February 15 (10am) at Bristol - again one match away from Melton.

To complete the quartet of national matches, Cooke and Jacobs are joined by Molly Manning and Janet Hardie for the inter-area fours final against Kirsty Hembrow’s foursome from Taunton Deane on Sunday, February 8 - one match away from a regional final and two from Melton.

Another defeat has ended North Wilts men’s slim hopes of possibly claiming a Wessex League end of season play-off wildcard spot.

In their latest central region group match they went down in a tight encounter 73-71 to basement club Thornbury on Sunday morning.

Rink honours were shared at 2-2 but the Chippenham club missed out away in Thornbury.

Scores were tied at North Wilts 34-34 with Dave Williams’ rink winning 18-16 but Keith Hutchens’ four losing by the same score.

However at Thornbury they went down 39-37 despite Alan Small’s rink winning 23-15, the 24-14 loss by Trevor Cooke swung the pendulum the way of Thornbury.

Although North Wilts have two matches remaining they cannot catch Clattie Dunbar who have won the section again or Bristol who will finish in second place.