Around the Greens: Club Bowls news

JUNIOR MEN: Gisborne Bowling Club’s junior men’s title winners were, back (from left) Geoff Pinn and skip Nathan Trowell and, in front, brothers Kyle and Liam Pinn. Pictures supplied

The club's juniors put on a splendid display of skills in their singles championships last weekend.

Although very few were eligible to play in the division for players with up to three years of bowls experience, it was good to see Joan Gledhill, Gill Atkins, Otto Louw and young Ashar McKnight taking part.

The winners of this section, Joan Gledhill and Andrew Ball, gave notice that the more experienced players would face stiff opposition in the years ahead.

In the group of players with up to eight years of bowls experience, Ngawai Turipa — with her usual steady draw bowling — took the title from Kathryn Flaugere.

The men's section produced a most interesting final between Tam Buckingham and Tony Dobson. Each had lost to the other in earlier rounds, which made for a high-tension contest in the early evening.

After six ends, Buckingham led 9-2. After 13 ends, Dobson led 15-10. However, Buckingham had saved his best play for last, and took the next six ends without an error, winning 21-15.

As Buckingham has won the junior singles this year, he cannot now enter the open singles, an event he won last year. Had Dobson won the junior final, Buckingham would have been free to enter the open as well.

Both the men's and women's junior fours club championships were completed on Sunday. Only two teams entered each event, with the two-life system operating.

Congratulations go to Barbara Gibson (skip), Angela Gibson-Sam, Karen Pinn and Diane Oates. They beat Margot Willock (skip), Lyn Brown, Libby Clay and Nanette Treloar twice in consecutive games 13-9 and 18-12 to take the junior women's title.

The junior men's championship was a much more drawn-out affair. After three exciting games, Nathan Trowell (skip), Geoff Pinn and Pinn's eight-year-old twin sons Kyle and Liam finally prevailed.

Trowell drew the winning shot with his last bowl to win the deciding third game 11-10.

Gallant runners-up Tim Sherriff (skip), Don Oates, Steve Ward and Mike Donnelly won the first game 16-12 but Trowell's team took the second 19-11.

Even though Sherriff and his team finished second, they deserve much credit for their performances over the three games.