Club bowls news

FIRST BOWL: Gisborne-East Coast centre vice-president Jon Davies sends down the first bowl at Kahutia Bowling Club’s opening day on Saturday. Picture by Paul Rickard

KahutiaGisborne-East Coast centre vice-president Jon Davies delivered the first bowl at Kahutia Bowling Club’s opening day on Saturday.

Thirty members took part in the Ryman Healthcare-sponsored opening day tournament.

The afternoon turned out to be fine, although some players had indicated they were unavailable to play because of the weather or the effect of winter ailments.

Those who played had two 75-minute games of triples, which was not too taxing for those folk getting their bowling eye and co-ordination sorted.

The winning team of Ray Smith (skip), Joe Wimutu and Chris Hewson (lead) scraped home, beating runners-up Murray Murton (skip), Marie Thomas and Noel Dunn on differential.

In third place were Judy Taylor (skip), Alic Brown and Richard Mann (lead).

Ryman’s representative Pip Griffin was on hand to present the prizes and tell members about upcoming events at Kiri Te Kanawa Retirement Village.

The M and P Murton-sponsored tournament scheduled for Sunday had to be postponed due to rain. This will be held at a date to be advised.

The Harold Powell Heavy Equipment-sponsored optional single-entry tournament was to be held at the club today, starting at 9am. Fingers crossed for a fine day.

GisborneYou usually know summer is just around the corner when the bowling season kicks off, but the warmer months felt a long way off when the Gisborne Bowling Club held its opening day on Saturday in cold and blustery conditions.

But bowlers are a hardy lot and 30 braved the elements to complete three keenly contested games of triples after the club’s longest-serving member, Richie Raggett, a member since 1980, sent down the first bowl of the season.

Disappointingly, an anticipated turnout of upwards of 50 bowlers was stymied when the Gisborne East Coast representative teams’ annual Sunday day trip to Whakatane to play Bay of Plenty was extended to take in Saturday. Sixteen Gisborne Club members and some supporters who would normally have played on opening day were involved in that trip.

Meanwhile, back at Gisborne’s Rawiri Street headquarters, three teams finished the afternoon with two wins apiece and had to be separated by the number of ends won.

Dan Barr (skip), Mike Harris and Ann Ward, with two wins and 13 ends won, headed Harry Jackson (s), Rex Richardson and Steve Ward, two wins and 12 ends. Rod McCulloch (s), Tim Sherriff and Terry Deere were third with two wins and 11 ends.

Sponsor Geordie Osler presented the Gear Meat Salver to the winners.

Dinner date

Carol Hawes is cooking up a storm this Friday for her season-starter dinner. Those wishing to attend need to get their names in quickly so Carol knows how many she is catering for. The cost is $25 a head, to be paid with your booking. Dinner starts at 6pm.

Alex Allan Triples

The club will hold its first open tournament of the season, the Alex Allan Triples, on Saturday.

Entries close at 4pm tomorrow (Thursday). The dress code is mufti and play starts at 12.30pm. Ryman Healthcare’s Kiri Te Kanawa Retirement Village is the sponsor.