Finals Fever this weekend!

This weekend, the pressure’s on and the stakes are sky-high as Royal Oak Bowling Club hosts a blockbuster Finals Weekend! 

Expect epic Singles showdowns, fierce triples rivalries, and the rise of tomorrow’s stars. National champs, 1-5 talent, and club legends collide under one roof—who will walk away with Centre glory and the Centre titles?

👉Don’t miss the full preview of who’s playing! 
👉Follow results here
👉Check out broadcast links below

Plenty of action at Royal Oak's Easter Triples!

-- Alastair McKenzie

The 2025 $11,000 Easter AC Triples Tournament at Royal Oak Bowls was a hit, packed with energy, fierce competition, and vibrant club spirit, despite a soggy start. Heavy rain on Friday rendered B Green unplayable, the action shifted under the Auckland Plumbers Group Pavilion roof for three tightly contested 12-end games.

There was plenty of buzz on and off the green, boosted by the energy of four visiting teams and supporters from Rarotonga Bowling Club—true ambassadors of Cook Islands spirit! Bowlers also joined from Kia Toa (Timaru) and Tower Bowls (Hawera), making it a real celebration of bowls camaraderie. 

The new Four Division format delivered thrilling matchups and kept the crowd engaged. In the Division 1 Final, Adam Blucher, Lee Warburton, and Chris Gore claimed victory over Royal Oak’s Steve Fisher, Nicole Singer, and Danny Johnston (Kia Toa).

Division Winners:

• Div 2: Davita, Fraema T. Akaruru & Thomas Teinaki
• Div 3: Logan Clark, Shane Drabble & David Clark
• Div 4: Steve Gaughan, Craig Harold & JC Fuller

With standout uniforms, great food, and awesome vibes, Royal Oak's 2025 tournament was one to remember!

MA Easter Fours a smash hit

-- Nathan Haturini

The inaugural Mt Albert Invitational Easter Fours delivered a thrilling weekend of bowls, with a $30,000 prize pool attracting some of the country’s top talent— Tony Grantham, Finbar McGuigan, Lance Pascoe, Sheldon Bagrie-Howlie, Jamie Hill, and more. 

Mt Albert Bowling Club President Nathan “Rang” Haturini said persistent rain kept organisers guessing. “We weren’t sure if any play would even get underway.” But thanks to Greenkeeper Steve “Rambo” Ramsay and a dedicated crew, matches began on time each day.

Four rounds of 25 ends narrowed the field of sixteen teams down to four semi-finalists competing for the main event. Semi-finals saw Dan Dickison’s team edge out home favourite Nick Thompson’s side in a nail-biter (22–21), while Aiden Takarua’s crew held firm against an impressive rising youth trio led by Liam Hill. Losing semi-finalists each pocketed $4,000. 

The final promised to be a titanic game, and that’s how it played out, for 6 ends anyway—tied 4–4, before heavy rain forced play to be abandoned. Aiden’s team claimed the title on points differential, with both finalists agreeing to split the $20,000 top prize.

The event, initiated by Tony Grantham and supported by club members, the event was hailed a resounding success by players and fans alike.  

Special thanks to our sponsors, all the wonderful volunteers and kitchen heroes who kept everyone fuelled and smiling. “We’re looking forward to hosting the event next year and watching it grow,” Rang says.

A Bonus Season @ Kohi Bowls

-- Jim Jericevich

Tuesday marked the finale of the Kohi Summer Mixed Triples Series — a hugely successful event that bowled over expectations this season!Hosted over 14 alternate Tuesdays from early September, the series enjoyed stellar weather, with only one day lost to the elements. Participation was strong, averaging 79 bowlers per week from seven to 10 clubs — a fantastic 22% increase in attendance from the previous year.

Thanks to generous sponsorship from New World Stonefields, weekly meat pack prizes were up for grabs. With such a wide prize spread, nearly everyone had a shot at a win — and only one team managed to take out top honours twice all season!
But the real drawcard - the season-long $1,000 cash prize pool. Tuesday's final showdown kept spectators and players on edge, with the top four bowlers separated by just two points going into the last two games of the day.

In the end, Donna Davison (St Heliers) emerged victorious, claiming the $450 first prize. Fellow clubmate Richard Kempthorne secured second place and $300. The 7th place prize of $150 was shared among six players, while ten others split the 12th place prize of $100.

A huge congratulations to all the winners — and a heartfelt thank you from the Kohi Bowling Club to everyone who supported and participated throughout the season.
Here’s to another summer of great bowls, great company, and great competition!

Top: Season winner: Donna Davidson, Jim Jericevich [President Kohi Bowls] & Richard Kempthorne [2nd]Bottom: Tuesday’s winners:  Julie Gunthorp, Richard Atkinson-Moore & Bev Callingham