The score was locked 10-all after 10 ends. On the 13th end, Turipa and Gledhill were ahead 12-11, only for Vaotuua and Ball to play match-turning shots to pick up four points for a crucial 15-12 lead.
Vaotuua and Ball defeated Lex Kennedy (s) and Val McGreevy 12-8 to get to the final.
Kennedy and McGreevy still had a life so played Turipa and Gledhill in a semifinal.
In a thrilling game watched by many members, Turipa and Gledhill won 13-12 after Kennedy and McGreevy went into the last end up by one.
Kennedy and McGreevy had taken a life from Turipa and Gledhill 10-8 in Round 5, so these teams were closely matched on the day.
The Village Butchery McKenzie Shield mixed 8-point triples, which was open to teams from any club, attracted 13 entries.
Four 90-minute games were played.
The winners were Glenys Whiteman (skip), Marty Ryan (director) and Ray Young (lead), with three wins and a draw, and 25 ends won.
Runners-up Ray Taylor (s), Alan Parker (d) and Joy Wagner (l) also had three wins and a draw, but won only 22 ends.
Four teams had three wins so placings were again decided on ends won.
June Stitchbury (s), Ngawai Turipa (d) and Larry Kaloucava (l) got the third-placed nod with 24 ends won, from Joy Davis (s), Jeff Davis (d) and Jude Hall (l) on 21 ends.
One of the closest games ended in a one-point win to Dave Hooper (s), Bruce Gledhill (d) and Joan Gledhill against Taylor’s team.
Stitchbury’s only loss was by two points to Marilyn Knowles (s), Andrew Ball (d) and Otto Louw (l).
The tournament was thoroughly enjoyable and highly competitive.
A stiff breeze and warm temperatures made for interesting bowls in the senior fours championships held last weekend.
Five teams competed in both the women’s and men’s divisions.
Some of the bowling was excellent and several junior players stepped up to pit their skills against top centre bowlers.
The women’s title was won by Queenie Takurua (s), Dayvinia Mills, Adrienne Smiler and Heni Hindmarsh.
Takurua’s four, despite being reduced to one life in the two-life system, were always going to be hard to beat.
They came up against Bobbie Beattie (s), Tanya Harrison, Kym Brown and Karen Higgins in a possible final as Beattie had both lives intact.
A magnificent shot by Beattie levelled it up at 10-all, which meant an extra end had to be played.
Harrison trailed the jack to the back of the head on that end but Takurua drew it dead for the win.
The experienced Takurua team were on top from the start in the final and went on to win 17-7 — a fair indication of play.
The men’s possible final between Charlie Ure (s), Tim Sherriff (lead), Hona Huriwai and Boon McIlroy, and Robin Jefferson (s), Mark Walker (l) Ricky Miller and Jamey Ferris was a delight for spectators.
Ure’s team, with two lives, were leading well until the halfway mark when one-lifer Jefferson took over and went on to win by five shots.
The final, as anticipated, was a crowd-pleaser.
Jefferson led 14-11 after 14 ends, which meant Ure needed three to draw or four to win on the 15th and last end.
When the skips changed over, Ure was holding five.
Jefferson’s first shot was short and Ure’s team breathed sighs of relief.
But there was the feeling he would not make the same mistake twice.
Jefferson’s second shot drew the jack as clean as you like and Ure’s last chance to pick up the jack, or drive Jefferson’s bowl, missed by an inch — a dramatic end to a superb final.
Outstanding play complemented the standard of the greens for which Gisborne is to be congratulated.
Te Karaka Bowling Club extends an invitation to all current and past members to its centennial celebrations on Anniversary Weekend, January 29 to February 1.
Those who wish to attend should contact secretary Janet Baty on (06) 862-3785 or president David File at (06) 863-3747, 027-8187833 or posumz@hotmail.com
The club does not have contact details of past members. They may wish to join its Facebook page (Te Karaka Bowling Club) for more information or to give feedback.
Te Karaka got its season started with opening day on September 13 after an abrupt finish to last season due to Covid-19. It was good for bowlers to catch up with each other while keeping social distancing. More confidence and positivity can be felt around the club.
The mixed pairs were played over the weekend of September 19 and 20. July Williams and Alicia Ruru won from Arthur Baty and Diane Murray.
A GREAT turnout, with weather to match, graced the club championship singles last weekend.
Results — Senior women: Sarah Brown def Del Tamanui 21-15.
Junior women, under-8s: Diane Murray.
Under-3s: Erica Thompson.
Senior men: Adam McIlroy def July Williams 21-19.
Junior men, u8s: Willy Murray.
U3s: Hemi Edwards. (picture p25)
Congratulations to all members for taking part. The club is looking forward to seeing them all again in the club championship pairs on October 31/November 1.
Members enjoyed fine weather at Kahutia’s club day pairs. The only pair with two wins were Allan Parker and Neville Wagner.
The Ryman Healthcare aggregate was played over four consecutive Thursday afternoons. Norm Young was first with second-division winners being Marie Thomas, Kevin Bright, Chris Hewson, Tom Johnston and Mo Kapua. Pip Griffin, from Ryman Healthcare, presented the prizes, and the club greatly appreciates its sponsorship.
The second lot of club championships was played last weekend.
Seven teams entered the mixed pairs, which featured games of 18 ends or a two-hour time limit.
Round 1: Siblings Lucy and Leighton Shanks had the bye; Marie Wright and Frank McLoughlin defeated Neville and Joyce Wagner; George Vaotuua and Paige Richter def Glenys Whiteman and Ray Young; Murray Murton and Carol Jukes def Allan Parker and Marie Thomas.
Round 2: Wright/McLoughlin had the bye; Vaotuua/Richter def Murton/Jukes 16-13 after picking up a three on the 16th end when the time limit ended the game; Whiteman/Young def Parker/Thomas; Shanks/Shanks def Wagner/Wagner.
Round 3: Vaotuua/Richter had the bye; Whiteman/Young def Murton/Jukes (eliminated); Shanks/Shanks def Wright/McLoughlin.
Round 4: Wright/McLoughlin def Whiteman/Young (eliminated); Shanks/Shanks def Vaotuua/Richter.
Round 5: Shanks/Shanks, with two lives, had the bye. Vaotuua/Richter def Wright/McLoughlin (eliminated).
Round 6: A potential final between the Vaotuua and Shanks combos, with no time limit, featured terrific draw bowls and see-sawing scoring. On the 10th end, Vaotuua picked up a four, only for the Shankses to emulate that on the 13th end. Going into the 18th and final end, with the teams tied 16-all. Vaotuua drew the clinching shot with his last bowl for a 17-16 win. This forced a final to be held at a later date.
Tolaga Bay finished its first lot of club champs over the weekend.
The mixed pairs open and junior titles were up for grabs.
The open division started with seven teams and it was good to see a lot of juniors having a go and showing they could foot it with their senior mentors.
Junior players Treva Rink and Kay Goldsbury got to the last four before losing to Mike Atkins and first-year bowler Holli Elkington on the last end.
Don Williams and wife Sylvie were too strong for Jo Atkins and Mike Namana in the other game.
Sunday’s final was on track to be a one-sided affair, with Atkins leading Williams 10-0 after four ends.
With only 11 ends to play, the Williamses had a lot of work ahead of them to stem the flow.
Having killed the following end, they managed a two, four and one to be three behind with seven ends to play.
Atkins picked up a single and a three to jump to a seven-point gap and it looked like that would be enough.
Not so. The Williamses responded with nine scoring shots over the next six ends to win by two.
It was a great win, particularly as Sylvie had her first-ever game of bowls on the Saturday.
Four teams contested the junior pairs, in round-robin format, on Sunday. After Saturday’s open performance, Goldsbury and Rink looked to be favourites.
After the second game they were the only pair with two wins.
Anton Tashkoff and Elkington had one win going into the last round against Goldsbury.
With Goldsbury on a +20 differential and Tashkoff +13, Tashkoff had to win by four shots or more for overall victory.
Tashkoff and Elkington got out of the blocks quickly and won 19-7.
Elkington deserves special mention. She was consistent throughout the weekend, a fact reflected in her also making the open final.
