in the final to Mickey Walker. At Hunstanton in 1972 the number of qualifiers was increased to 64, with the semi-final and final played on the same day. Walker retained her title beating Claudine Cros-Rubin in the final. The number of qualifiers returned to 32 in 1973. Walker reached the final for the third successive year but lost to Ann Irvin. The 1974 and 1975 championships were won by Americans, Carol Semple and Nancy Roth Syms. There were 64 qualifiers in 1975 but the number again returned to 32, from 1976. In 1976, Alison Sheard was the first South African to reached the final, but she lost to Cathy Panton, the first Scottish winner for 18 years. Angela Uzielli won in 1977 while Edwina Kennedy was the first Australian winner in 1978. Kennedy led the qualifying in 1979 but lost to another Australian, Jane Lock in the semi-finals. Lock was beaten by Maureen Madill in the final. Anne Quast Sander won in 1980 beating Liv Wollin in the final. In 1981 Belle Robertson led the qualifying and went on to win the championship, beating another Scot, Wilma Aitken, in the final. Robertson, aged 45, became the oldest champion. Kitrina Douglas won in 1982 and she was followed by Jill Thornhill in 1983. An American,Jody Rosenthal, won in 1984 despite having taken 90 in the first qualifying round and only just qualifying. Lillian Behan, from Ireland, won in 1985 while 17-year-old New Zealander Marnie McGuire won in 1986. McGuire beat Australian Louise Briers in the final, and became the youngest winner since May Hezlet in 1899. Linda Bayman led the qualifying and was top seed in 1987, 1988 and 1989, but failed to get past the second round. Janet Collingham, Joanne Furby and Helen Dobson won in those three years. Julie Hall won the championship in 1990, while Valerie Michaud won in 1991, beating Wendy Doolan in the final. Pernille Carlson Pedersen was the first Danish winner in 1992 while Catriona Lambert won in 1993. Emma Duggleby won in 1994 beating Cécilia Mourgue d'Algue in the final, while Hall won for the second time in 1995, beating Kristel Mourgue d'Algue, Cécilia's daughter, in the final. An American, Kelli Kuehne won in 1996, while there was another Scottish winner, Alison Rose in 1997. Kim Rostron won in 1998, beating Gwladys Nocera in the final, the third losing finalist from France in five