Good luck for the JBWere Auckland Open

We’re officially on countdown! Best of luck to everyone heading into the JBWere Auckland Open, as our first World Bowls Series event gets underway in just a few days’ time.

With an expanded three-day format, this year’s Open is shaping up to be something special. Players can look forward to a doubled prize pool (now $10,000), valuable World Bowls ranking points, national broadcast exposure – and a few extra surprises along the way.  👉 Read more Auckland to Host World Bowls Series Tour Stop

Event details
🗓️Dates: 28-30 December 2025
📍Venues: Howick, Mt Eden, Pt Chevalier & Te Atatu
👉 Check out the draw

Exciting extras
In partnership with our broadcast partner WSL, one championship semi-final and the Final will be televised live on Sky TV (Channel 52) from 12pm–6pm on Tuesday 30 December, with full coverage also streamed on our YouTube channel… meaning fans everywhere can tune in!

Good luck to all players – we can’t wait to see it all unfold!

Family Roll Up Days

We’re also taking the event beyond the competitive green with two Family Roll Up Days, designed to welcome local communities down to Mt Eden on 28 December and Howick on 29 December.

They are perfect for families, friends, and anyone keen to give bowls a go in a relaxed, fun environment. Both events  are completely free. Expect face painting, games, giveaways, sausages on the grill, and loads of good summer energy. Everyone is welcome, no experience required.

⬇️Click on tiles below for more details.

As 2025 comes to a close, we want to send a huge thank you to everyone who has made this year so memorable. From club champions to volunteers, coaches to officials and supporters, your energy, commitment, and love for the game have kept bowls thriving across Auckland.

This year has been full of highlights – exciting tournaments, unforgettable moments both on and off the greens and the everyday connections that make our bowls community so special. Every bowl rolled, every cheer shared, and every moment of teamwork has contributed to something bigger: a stronger, more vibrant bowls community.

Here’s to celebrating what we’ve achieved together and looking forward to 2026 with the same spirit, fun, and passion. Enjoy a safe, happy, and relaxing holiday season, you’ve earned it!

Ngā mihi nui
The Bowls Auckland Team

Measure Up – Get Confident in the Closest Calls!

Ever been in that situation on the green where the result comes down to millimetres and everyone’s leaning in with an opinion? Bowls Auckland is excited to launch Measure Up, a practical, hands-on session designed to give players confidence and clarity when it really matters.

Measure Up focuses on the correct techniques for measuring, including introductory use of boundary lines, scopes, and laser measures, as well as how to handle those tricky, real-game situations that can cause uncertainty or debate. This is about using the right tools, the right way, and understanding what happens next when the call is tight.

Importantly, this is not an umpires' course, but it is a fantastic pathway for players who want to better understand the game and potentially explore officiating in the future. Whether you’re a club stalwart, a competitive player, or simply keen to sharpen your knowledge, this session will add real value to your game.

Spaces are limited, so we encourage players to register here early! This event is exclusively advertised to Friday Flash subscribers ahead of its public release on 22 December. For more information, contact Les Smith on 027 451 1802.

Measure well, play fair, and take the guesswork out of the game.

⬇️ Click on the flyer for more event details

Howick Triples: A Wesche weekend to remember

-- Rod Sadgrove

Last weekend Howick Bowls hosted its club championship triples for women and men in classic Howick conditions – fine weather and barely a breath of wind.

Four women’s teams took part, including Linda Fenton’s defending champions, but a round-robin format quickly tightened the field. After two games, every team sat on one win and one loss. After three rounds, the finalists emerged. Fenton’s side and a “scratch” team put together by Les Eagleton to make up the numbers.

Sunday’s finals on A Green saw Eagleton’s trio; Les Eagleton, Lilly Wesche and Pippa Cook, claim the women’s title. A closer look suggested the scratch label didn’t quite fit: Eagleton is a respected coach at club and Bowls Auckland level, Wesche is already an Auckland representative with multiple junior honours, and Cook is coached by North Harbour rep Carlson Barnett.

The men’s title went to Stephen Campbell, Matt Wesche and David Weir. After a heavy loss in their opening section game, the trio regrouped, built momentum and finished strongest. A nice footnote saw David follow in his father Lindsay’s footsteps, who won the title back in 2013.

The weekend’s standout storyline belonged to the Wesche family. Fourteen-year-old Lilly starred in the women’s winning side, before dad Matt completed the double later in the day. In just their second season at Howick, both now head to the Auckland Champion of Champions in May.

Aucklanders shine at UBC in Moama

-- Allan Blackman

The recent Ultimate Bowls Championship Ultimate Week in Moama delivered plenty of drama and a proud silver-medal moment for Auckland-connected talent.

The Southern Stars, Kiwi trio David Motu, Liam Hill and Aiden Takarua powered their way into the final of one of the three tournaments held across the week. No small ask at an event boasting more than $280,000 in prizemoney and a field stacked with the world’s best bowlers.

Their road to the final was anything but easy. The Stars battled through 11 round-robin games, just squeezed into the top six, then went on a giant-killing run through to the finals. They knocked over the Musgrave Pelicans (featuring former world champions Gary Lawson and Ryan Bester), followed by the OzECool Joeys led by Australian star Ben Twist, before taking down Adelaide Heat, winners of the first tournament of Ultimate Week.

That win set up a blockbuster final against the Warilla Gorillas a true powerhouse lineup of Gary Kelly, Aaron Teys and Corey Wedlock, all genuine legends of the sport. The Stars jumped out early, but experience ultimately told, with the Gorillas claiming a 68–55 victory.

Still, silver at this level is a massive achievement. The Southern Stars banked $20,000 as runners-up and, more importantly, proved they can mix it with the very best on the global stage.

👉 Catch some of their standout bowls here