Tauranga South bowlers win national title

TOP CLASS: Tauranga South's national championship winning fours team, left to right, Sue Hodges, Robyn Davis, Margaret Reed, and Jenny Welch. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Winning one major bowls title in a season is worth celebrating.

But the women's four from Tauranga South really do have something to cheer about.

The team of Margaret Reed (skip), Sue Hodges (third), Robyn Davis (second) and Jenny Welch (lead) have swept all before them in a remarkable season of consistent performances.

"It is an incredible result given this is the first season we have played together. We ended up winning everything in fours. We won our club, our centre, our region and New Zealand titles," Sue Hodges said.

They won the fours competition at Tauranga South which qualified them to take on the best of the Bay of Plenty clubs in the Champion of Champions.

An unbeaten run saw them through to the final and a 20-7 victory over Ngongotaha played at Omokoroa Bowling Club last Sunday.

In October the Tauranga South four won all seven games at the Bay of Plenty Centre Open Fours competition and qualification to the big one on the calendar - the National Club Championships (Pathways) held in Dunedin on March 15-16.

Tauranga South were up against 26 other teams from throughout New Zealand chasing the title of best women's four in the country.

"We played seven games in Dunedin to qualify for post-section play which is automatic knockout should you lose a game," Hodges said.

"In post-section play we played Canterbury beating them 14-10, Hinuera 10-1 then Queenstown in the final 15-13. We had to fight for every game and this put us in good stead for the final which was a very tough game. We were behind up until the 14th of the 16 ends."

Team work, compatibility and the experience of two-time national title winners Reed and Davis were the key factors in their success, Hodges said.

"Robyn and Margaret were very supportive for Jenny and I to get our first New Zealand titles so they were gunning for that a little bit behind the scenes.

"We had come so far and we just wanted to win that final game."

Hodges had been runner-up four times at New Zealand national finals so when she realised she finally had won a title it was an understandably emotional moment for her.

"It was very emotional and I actually surprised myself. I had a tear in my eye and I wasn't the only one. My mother lives in Dunedin and she actually came and watched all our games which was great."

The commitment shown by the team was summed up by lead bowler Welch. She lives in the small Waikato town of Ohinewai and travels one hour 30 minutes to Tauranga for bowls each week.

A national title sure makes up for all those hours on the road.