Laser Eye Centre Champ of Champs Singles

Our Auckland bowlers were valiant competitors in the first national Champ of Champs discipline – the Singles.

Royal Oak’s Mike Galloway had two wins in qualifying, but alas, it wasn't enough to see him progress to the post-section.

Lisa Prideaux made it all the way to the final. Lisa and her opponent, Sue Hodges, were both on top of their games all weekend, proving to be deserving finalists. The final was highly competitive, a back-and-forth battle throughout the match – their talent and skill on full display! Ultimately, it was Sue who clinched the title, 21-16.

Congratulations to the 2024 Laser Eye Centre Champ of Champs Singles winners - Jordan Keene of Stokes Valley Bowling Club and Sue Hodges from Tauranga Bowling Club.

Third Equal: Rory Soden - Kaitaia Church Road (Far North), Third Equal: Maurice Symes - Fitzroy (Taranaki) Winner: Jordan Keene - Stokes Valley (Wellington), Runner up: Paul Harrison - Bowls Hastings (Hawke's Bay)

Third Equal: Cheryn Menhennett - Bay View (Hawke's Bay), Third Equal: Lisa Dickson - Takapuna (North Harbour), Winner: Sue Hodges - Tauranga (Bay of Plenty), Runner Up: Lisa Prideaux - Auckland (Auckland)

Champ of Champs Pairs head to nationals

We’re excited for our Auckland Champ of Champs Pairs titleholders who are gearing up for the national Pairs this weekend! Representing our region and of course, their clubs, are Aggie Motu and Lesley McLinden from Bridge Park, alongside Chris Lowe and Jordan King from Mt Eden.

Lesley and Aggie kick off their campaign today with an early 8:00 am start, facing the team from Tauranga. But stay tuned, because in round 2 they are on the broadcast rink, playing against Kaye Gorrie and Pania Sigley from Russell. Use this link to watch live.

Meanwhile, Jordan and Chris hit the greens at 3:00 pm, taking on Anton Ferrari and Ray Hudson from Central Levin (Kapiti Coast).

Good luck, we wish the best of luck to both teams! 🌟

Shine a light on your volunteers!

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Dramatic conclusion to PBA Auckland's short season

PBA Auckland wrapped up its short season with an exciting final week, where crucial ranking points were on the line. The week featured the second-ranking points tournament and the UK Singles qualifier.

Saturday at New Lynn: Warm weather led to a slower green, challenging the 24 competitors, including a strong contingent from Mt Albert. Nick Thompson, Steve Ramsey, and Zoran Bartulovich all claimed first-round victories. Bartulovich's journey was exceptional, defeating Ramsey in the quarter-finals, North Harbour legend Colin Rogan in the semi-finals, and last week’s victor, Nick Thompson, in the final with a convincing 10-3, 11-4 win.

Sunday's UK Singles: Papakura’s Frankie Lim dominated, with Ryan Hill reaching the semi-finals but losing to Lim. Thompson exited in the quarterfinals, while Bartulovich, Ramsey, Walters, and Walton faced first-round defeats.

Looking ahead: The national finals are set for Paritutu Bowling Club in New Plymouth from 30 August to 1 September. Auckland's season winners include:

• Ranking Singles 1: Paul Daniels (Manly)
• Scottish Singles: Andy Dorrance (Manly)
• Open Singles: Nick Thompson (Mt Albert)
• Open Pairs: Nick Thompson & Ryan Hill (Composite)
• Ranking Singles 2: Zoran Bartulovich (Mt Albert)
• UK Singles: Frankie Lim (Papakura)

In the overall New Zealand rankings, Nick Thompson is 6th and aims to secure a spot in the NZ Test team. In his first PBA season, Zoran Bartulovich, ranked 40th, is a top contender for Rookie of the Year.

With Dunedin and Invercargill left to complete their matches, the national finals promise a high-quality field.

Join PBA Auckland: PBA offers a competitive, knockout environment where bowlers can test themselves against top players and advance to national and international levels. This season saw significant success among junior players, with most winners being in their first five years of competition.

For more information, visit PBA New Zealand or find "PBA AUCKLAND" on Facebook to connect with members and learn about joining next year.🌟

Above: Zoran Bartulovich  Below: Frankie Lim & Simon Reesby

Lion Cup 2024

A quality international field assembled for this week’s Singapore Lion City Cup with the prospect of World Bowls Series (WBS) ranking points on offer.

Pair combinations from eight nations—China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Malaysia, India, Japan, New Zealand, and hosts Singapore—compete in two open men’s and women’s events, using both an ends format and a sets format. Some nations have also entered the Lion City Cup under-25 men’s and women’s competitions being held concurrently, playing both ends and sets disciplines.

Regional Director Oceania, Brett O’Riley, representing World Bowls at the event, acknowledged the significance of this event for bowls in Asia. “The organising team has taken the Lion City Cup to a completely new level as a World Bowls Series ranking event. They have attracted support from Sport Singapore and sponsorship from the Tote Board, VDL, Lexian Electronics, Dessert Empire, Pokka, and the host Tanglin Club. This will help showcase our game in Singapore, where there is so much potential for growth,” said O’Riley.

Recent results:Under-25 Women’s Pairs: Olivia Mancer and Briar Atkinson of New Zealand won silver, with Malaysia securing gold.

• Men’s Open Event: Sheldon Bagrie-Howley and Keanu Darby earned bronze and valuable WBS ranking points, narrowly beaten by Hong Kong.
• Women’s Open Event: Leeane Poulson and Robyne Walker reached the quarter-finals but were defeated by the Philippines, who advanced to the final against Malaysia.

Read Bowls NZ's full story here.

Mower for sale

Plus, they have surplus equipment - open to offers!

Auckland Coaching session in August postponed

Due to a Coaching Programme being run by Bowls NZ on 7 August, we have decided to postpone the Auckland Coaching session on SWOT analysis and Selection until the following Wednesday, 14 August at 6:00 pm. The session will be held at Bowls Auckland.

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