Friday Flash 1 March 2024

National lawn bowls champions crowned in Taranaki

Over 160 Fours teams descended upon Taranaki to contest the Men's and Women's National Championship Fours titles over four days of intense competition.

Defending champions Rodney Greaney, Paul Matheson, Adrian Robins and Kevan Greenwood fell at an early hurdle during their attempt to become the first 'back to back' Men's Fours winners since Rowan Brassey, Jamie Hill, Mike Reid and Ross Haresnape achieved the feat in 2003.

Other strong teams skipped by World and National Champions such as Gary Lawson, Sam Tolchard, Lance Pascoe, Blake Signal, Peter Belliss and Dan Delaney all also fell by the wayside as the tournament progressed, with English International Sam Tolchard losing a tightly contested semi-final against the eventual champion team.

READ BOWLS NZ FULL STORY

2024 National Men's Fours champions: David Clarke, Martin Dixon, Steve Fisher, Mike Galloway

2024 National Women's Fours champions: Dale Rayner, Kaaren Guilford, Reen Belllis, Linda Ralph

1-5s present tough decision!

In the wake of Auckland's triumph in the 1-5 Year Rep campaigns, Head Selector Peter Blucher faced a challenge as the final Rep Day nears on Sunday, 10 March. The selection process has become increasingly complex with teams composed of both seasoned Rep players and promising newcomers who have impressed in recent competitions.

Among the notable additions to the Women’s side is Ting Ting Ip from Howick, whose potential to excel at the highest level has caught the Selectors' attention. Similarly, Peter McConnell from Royal Oak has proven the consistency and skill necessary for inclusion in the Men’s team.

FIND OUT WHO MADE THE SQUAD

Good luck

Get ready for an action-packed weekend at the Molecheck 7s! Qualifying rounds hit the ground running this Saturday with a whopping 61 teams battling it out across Men, Women and Any Combination comps - spread out across 10 clubs. These competitions promise to be nothing short of thrilling.

Make sure to come out to show your support for your club and team! With such a diverse range of talent in action - you'd want to witness the skill and intensity firsthand!

EVENT DRAWS, RESULTS & INFO

Roll up for over 200 students

Mt Eden Bowls has been buzzing this week with over 200 students from Diocesan School for Girls taking over the greens as part of their PE classes!

Amidst the hustle and bustle, we spotted some future bowling stars in the making.

Pictured here is Jhanna Savov from Mt Albert, delivering top-notch instruction during a session on Thursday. Keep an eye out for these talented youngsters!

What a bowl!

Check this out!

Manaia Stewart from The Alternative Commentary Collective nails this delivery while commentating at the Super Lawn Bowl.

Possibly the best bowl ever! What do you think??

Twilight Bowls Finals fast approaching

The Auckland Centre Twilight Bowls Finals Day is fast approaching, and we want clubs to be a part of the excitement.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, 7 April, from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, as we determine who has the best Twilight League in Auckland!

Who will reign as the ‘Champ of Champs in the world of Twilight Bowls? It's your chance for your club's Twilight League talent to shine on the green.

MORE INFO & TO ENTER YOUR TEAM...

Rarotonga Bowling Club Challenge

In July of 2023, John Crummey from Carlton Cornwall Bowls engaged in some friendly competition at Rarotonga Bowling Club. However, what started as a casual match has evolved into something extraordinary—a reverse challenge!

Now, it's your chance to be a part of this exciting international showdown. On 27 & 28 March, 36 members from Rarotonga Bowling Club will grace Auckland with their presence. Will you answer the call and join the Kiwi Challenge squad?

Dates: 27 & 28 March 2024
Format: Triples on Wednesday, 2-4-2 Pairs on Thursday
Entry options: Single entry or assemble your dream team
Entry cost: $10.00 per person, per day (covers catering)

While there's no specific prize money, the thrill of the competition and the camaraderie are priceless. Plus, there's talk of playing for the prestigious Vince Pitman Memorial Trophy—adding an extra layer of excitement to the matches.

Looking to try something new, the Rarotonga Bowling Club Challenge promises two days of fun, excitement, and memorable moments on the green.

Secure your spot by emailing Jess at carltoncornwallbowls@xtra.co.nz or texting 027 BOWLS4U (027 269 5748). Hurry, as the first 36 names received for each day will secure their spot!

Kohi's Singles champs

Congratulations to Kohi's Club Champion Singles winners!

Despite the change in weather conditions on 24 and 25 February, Kohi hosted another fantastic contest. Bev Callingham successfully defended her title as Women's Singles Winner, with Fiona Matheson as the Runner-up. In the Men's Singles category, Charles Martin emerged as the Winner, with Jim Jericevich as the Runner-up. Interestingly, this year's results were a reversal of the 2021 outcomes, where Jim was #1 and Charles was #2.

Field Day

Auckland and North Harbour Greenkeepers Association will be holding a Field Day on Monday 25 March at Takapuna Bowling Club at 9.30am.

We will have Tara from NZ Sports Turf Institute joining us, as well as Carl from Prebble Seeds. Topics will be on Growsafe and Certified Handler on legislative requirements. There will also be talks about the training program that is now available to greenkeepers.

All Greenkeepers, Club Superintendents and those interested in attending are most welcome. A light lunch will also be provided.