Jefferson joins File and Whiteman in ‘50 club’

Focus On A Lawn Bowls Ball With A Low Depth Of (The) Field

WAIROA was the venue for the Gisborne-East Coast champion of champions triples bowls events.

Men’s and women’s club champions in open grade and in divisions for those with up to eight years of bowls experience turned out in force to contest the winners’ badges.

In the women’s “eight-and-under” division, Poverty Bay were the winners. They came through unbeaten but the final between them and Wairoa was close, Erin Sutherland producing a saving bowl to give Poverty Bay a 15-14 win.

Wairoa can be well pleased with their performance as they had a first-year player in their team.

The winners were Erin Sutherland, Joy Davis and Diane Christie.

In the senior women’s competition, Kahutia — represented by Glenys Whiteman, Francie Adair and Dayvinia Mills — proved too strong for the field, winning the final match 23-10.

This success gave Whiteman her 52nd centre title, Adair her 22nd and Mills her ninth.

Keep up the good work, Glenys. You have reliable support players giving their all for you.

Peter Robinson led Wairoa’s eight-and-under men’s team well, with support from Wayne Goodley and Seddon Jane, and they, too, came through unbeaten, disposing of Gisborne 19-7 in the final.

Gisborne showed promise and improved as the tournament progressed, Mike Harris and Jack Notting getting their games together to support Dennis Raggett.

In the open men’s division, Kahutia’s Vern Marshall, Robin Jefferson and Charlie Ure also went through unbeaten.

However, Te Karaka pushed them before Kahutia got home, 14-13.

In the final, Gisborne fought back from 9-2 down to level the scores at 14-all with two ends to go. But Kahutia snared two singles to take out the final 16-14.

Ure was impressive over both days of the event, while Marshall was consistent. Jefferson, while he achieved his 50th centre success, would prefer to forget this tournament. However, he must be congratulated on his achievement.

He is the fifth male to achieve this, the others being Te Karaka’s David File, Central Otago’s Bill Clement, Wanganui’s Ray Park and Wairarapa’s Ian Monaghan.

Glenys Whiteman is believed to be the only woman to achieve 50 centre titles.