Around the Greens: Club bowls news

TROPHY WINNERS: Val Smith Tournament winners Robin Jefferson (left) and Dayvinia Mills with the Evelyn Mills Memorial Trophy presented by Trevor Mills. In front is a scrapbook with photos taken of a visit to Gisborne by Val Smith. Picture supplied

Robin Jefferson and Dayvinia Mills have won the 14th Val Smith 2x4x2 Mixed Pairs Tournament.

They were presented with the Evelyn Mills Memorial Trophy for the victory by Trevor Mills.

Runners-up — and winners of the Norma and Garth Peck Tray — were Kathryn Flaugere and Andrew Ball, both of whom are still junior players.

Poverty Bay Bowling Club set up this tournament in recognition of Val Smith, from Nelson, who was the 2008 bowls world champion in singles and pairs.

This event has been sponsored by Kiri Te Kanawa Retirement Village for many years, and prizes were presented by Pip Griffin, who has recently retired from the position of sales adviser with the village.

Her personal support of bowling clubs in Gisborne will be missed and we wish her a long and happy retirement.

Players from four clubs made up the 24 teams who entered the tournament. Teams were divided into two sections of comparable abilities. Each section played at Poverty Bay Bowling Club one day and Gisborne Bowling Club the other, so players played on both natural and artificial greens.

Poverty Bay appreciate Gisborne Bowling Club's co-operation in the organisation of the tournament.

Four rounds of 10 ends or 90 minutes were played each day. Placings were decided on game points — two for a win and one for a draw, with “ends won” coming into the equation if teams were equal on points.

Results — Section A: Dianne Phillips and Boon McIlroy, 12 points (six wins), 50 ends, 1; Jon Davies and Jan Powell, 12pts, 46 ends, 2; Charlie Ure and Queenie Takurua, 12pts, 43 ends, 3.

Karen Higgins and Ricky Miller, 12pts, 42 ends, and George and Anita Vaotuua, 12pts, 42 ends, were unlucky not to be placed.

Junior players Libby and Peter Clay, got 11 points and had some good wins against much more experienced players. They could be proud of their play.

Section B: Robin Jefferson and Dayvinia Mills, 14pts, 1; Kathryn Flaugere and Andrew Ball, 13pts, 2; Ben and Hollie Ellington, 12pts, 3.

Father-daughter team Ben and Hollie Ellington play at Tolaga Bay and are also junior players, so they would have been delighted with their play.