Beattie wins her 30th centre title

TRIPLES WINNERS: Gisborne’s Arthur Hawes (skip), David Beattie (centre) and Mal Trowell defeated the fancied David File Te Karaka combination to win the Bowls Gisborne-East Coast men’s triples title on Sunday. Pictures supplied

GISBORNE Bowling Club teams won the Gisborne-East Coast men’s and women’s centre open triples on their home greens at the weekend.

Bobbie Beattie (skip), Tanya Harrison and Barbara Gibson took out the open women’s competition to win the Blair Cup. Judy Blair was present for the prizegiving.

Beattie’s team won the final 23-12 against Lucy Shanks (skip), Michelle Brown and Diane Murray, of Te Karaka.

The match was even after six ends at 8-8, but the winners eventually pulled away.

In the semifinals, Beattie defeated Diane Christie’s Poverty Bay team 19-12, while Lucy Shanks won her match against Kahutia’s Glenys Whiteman 11-9 when she drew the shot with her last bowl.

Beattie has achieved 30 centre successes. For Gibson, a new arrival from Auckland, it was her first.

Of the four teams who qualified in the men’s competition, three won three of their games, while the Gisborne team of Arthur Hawes (skip), David Beattie and Malcolm Trowell won all four of their qualifying games.

In the semifinals, the team skipped by David File’s Te Karaka team beat July Hoepo’s Gisborne team 23-15, and Hawes beat Murray Murton’s Kahutia team 20-4.

The final looked to be an even contest, but after nine ends Hawes had a 10-4 lead. Points were shared over the rest of the ends, and the Hawes team won 16-11.

Hawes played many telling bowls to swing the game his team’s way. Trowell was steadiness personified, and Beattie made a significant contribution.

Well done, Arthur. The Terry Gardiner Memorial Trophy is a welcome addition to the Gisborne clubhouse.

The greens at Gisborne were excellent for this time of year.

Well done, Gisborne, for presenting your facilities in tip-top condition.