We are rolling into a massive weekend of bowls, including 1-5 Year Interclub, the inaugural Premier 2 Octagonal Challenge, and the National Intercentre in Christchurch. 

We will provide updates via our channels throughout the weekend to ensure you can stay up to date and cheer on all those competing from wherever you are. 

A huge thank you to all those assisting in delivering the events, including host clubs and volunteers! From everyone involved here at Bowls Auckland, we wish everyone the best of luck, especially those representing Auckland – bring it home!
 

Dean Bartlett
CEO, Bowls Auckland

Auckland 1-5 win Quad Challenge

Sunday, 12 March 
Auckland's 1-5 Year reps continued their recent solid run of form at Sunday's Quadrangular Challenge, hosted this year by North Harbour at Sunnybrae Bowling Club. Teams of Fours, Triples & Pairs from Waikato, Northland, Auckland and North Harbour competed against each other in a head-to-head format.

Auckland got off to a flier in the first round, with both sides winning all three games against Northland.

In the second round against North Harbour, it was a lot tougher! The Men comfortably won 2-1, while the Women lost all three games to a more experienced line-up. The final round against Waikato saw both teams win 2-1 to seal the overall victory. 

Auckland Men were the winners, Auckland Women were second, and Auckland was the overall winner!

The Men's Triples team of David Motu, Steve Fisher, and Colin Aryis-Webster continued their winning success. So far this season, they remain unbeaten. Likewise, the Men's pairing of Zoran Bartulovich and Stephen Campbell comfortably won all three of their games.

The Women's Pairs combination of Andrea Wilson and Jeanine Browne won 2 from 3, the Fours team of Gloria Tenaki, Rhonda Thompson, Sarah Childs, Nicole Singer & Lee Singer also won 2 from 3,

Our team management was very pleased with the result, and we are looking forward to our final rep day for the season, a head-to-head competition against Counties-Manukau on 16 April.

-- Peter Blucher

Auckland Centre Finals

It has been a very disrupted season, so well done to all clubs and players to get to this point.

Congratulations to all those playing in the Centre Finals and thank you in advance for being patient and for your cooperation in the arrangement of the Finals, we wish you every success on 1 and 2 April. 

We will publish the charts next week to ensure all players and teams know how the day will unfold.

Champ of Champs entries

Auckland Champ of Champs events kick off in mid-May, so we'll be opening entries shortly. 

If your club hasn't completed a champ discipline yet - no problem, just make an entry and provide us with the details once your champ has been found!

UBC's New Lynn Kiwis

New Lynn Bowling Club hosted a total of four UBC qualifying events in 2021 and 2022 with players travelling from all over New Zealand to compete. With UBC's software in play, live streaming, and performance statistics, New Zealand got its first taste of the Ultimate Bowls hype.

Event 1 featured the second event winner from 2022, a rock-solid team hailing from Central Otago. Events 2 and 3 saw 'The Predators' who impressively won two NZ qualifying events. 

You can enjoy all the thrills again!  Team entries for the 2023 NZ Qualifying Event being played at New Lynn Bowling Club on 22 & 23 April are open now! The winning team will compete in the August 2023 Ultimate Week at Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club.

-- Rebecca Jelley, UBC

Newcomer in winning form

A newcomer to bowls, college student Hannah Dawson looks to have an affinity for the sport.

Mid-last year, Hannah joined Pakuranga Bowls as a collegiate member. Excited by her newfound interest, she enrolled in ABCA's 1-5 Year winter coaching programme. Coaching paid off! Hannah was part of the winning 2022 Campi Cup. 

To broaden Hannah's experience and green time, she recently joined Howick Bowling Club, and it's paying dividends. In Howick's Open Singles, Hannah made it to the semi-finals. Then, last Sunday, teamed with another new player Joyce Li, they won Howick's 1-5 Year Pairs title. Congratulations, ladies.

Her dad Dave said, 'Hannah is pretty low key, but she's loving the game - she's hooked! And now she's getting some wins. Her next challenges are the two Bowls NZ events - U20 Bowls3Five, and Rangatahi Secondary Schoo Pairs later in the month."

Your enthusiasm for the game is inspiring, and we look forward to following your progress!

Men's Open Singles

Kevin Dixon played Marty Dixon in Royal Oak's Men's Open Singles Final which was a brilliant match. 

Earlier, the 5^th round was played on Saturday. Colin (2 lives) played Kevin (1 life). Kevin won 21-19. Steve Fisher (1 life) won his game against Vili Fifita by default. Marty Dixon beat Les McFarlane. 
 
Kevin defeated Steve in the first Semi-Final while Marty beat Colin in the second. Leaving Kevin to play Marty in the dramatic final.  Kevin won 21-20. Congratulations Kevin.

The power of two

The power of two. The Tony's, Fabling and Marinkovich are the Balmoral BC 2023 Pairs Champions.

In a final which they controlled well from the beginning, they ran out 21-15 winners over Chris Dearsley & Steve Kirwan. Great bowls were played across the weekend by all, and well done to the new champions.

-- Linda Farley

Social Bowls

Last week's Social Bowls Finals night at Bridge Park, won by Flying Bowls.