Gisborne teenager Kyle Pinn was presented with the division one runner-up medal by Bowls New Zealand club and community general manager Chris Lander at the Kittyhawk New Zealand Under-21 Singles Championship.
Gisborne teenager Kyle Pinn was presented with the division one runner-up medal by Bowls New Zealand club and community general manager Chris Lander at the Kittyhawk New Zealand Under-21 Singles Championship.
Kahutia club teenager Kyle Pinn went agonisingly close to national glory at the Kittyhawk New Zealand Under-21 Singles Championship held at Naenae Bowling Club.
Pinn was beaten 21-18 by Dunedin’s Jacob Potiki-Tagg in the division one final - his only loss of the tournament.
Pinn, brother Liam and Malachi-Moses Grayrepresented Gisborne East Coast and the Kahutia club at the tournament.
Flying the Gisborne East Coast centre and Kahutia club flags at the national Under-21 lawn bowls champs were (from left) Malachi-Moses Gray, Kyle Pinn and Liam Pinn.
Kyle produced an exceptional run through section two, displaying consistency and composure in winning all seven of his games - 21–15, 21–20, 21–6, 21–14, 21-6, 21-18 (against Potiki-Tagg) and 21–4.
With a bye in the opening round of the division one playoffs, Pinn carried his momentum into the quarter-finals, defeating Marshall Kenny (Wellington) 21–16.
He followed this with a strong semifinal performance, overcoming Mikaere Wiki (Manawatū) 21–16 to book his place in the final against Potiki-Tagg.
The Dunedin bowler produced a powerful late surge to defeat Pinn 21–18 in a match packed with momentum swings and high-quality bowls.
Pinn burst out of the blocks to lead 7-0 after five ends and was 11-4 ahead after nine.
Momentum swung Potiki-Tagg’s way when he picked up four shots on the 10th end, followed by another two on the 11th to trail 11–9.
Pinn replied with a single on the 12th and two shots on the 13th to lead 14-9.
A close-up shot of the runner-up medal Kyle Pinn won at the Kittyhawk New Zealand Under 21 Singles Championship hosted by the Naenae Bowling Club in Lower Hutt.
But Potiki-Tagg wasn’t done. He collected three on the 14th end and a brilliant four on the 15th to take a 16-14 lead.
Pinn answered with back-to-back doubles on the 16th and 17th ends for an 18–16 advantage - one shot from victory.
Potiki-Tagg, however, held his nerve to level the score on the 18th end and edged ahead with a single on the 19th.
