Jefferson, Wright singles champs

record: Robin Jefferson has won a record 10th centre men's singles title.File picture by Paul Rickard

ROBIN Jefferson has won a record 10th Bowls Gisborne East Coast centre men's singles title.

Marie Wright, of the Kahutia Bowling Club, won the centre women's singles for the second year in a row.

Gisborne Bowling Club's Jefferson received the Martin Cup, presented in memory of local bowls legend J. J. Martin, whose grandsons Joe and Frank Martin still support the event.

This was Jefferson's 54th Gisborne East Coast centre title. He won his first GEC centre singles title in 1993, and it is testament to his competitive spirit, enthusiasm and dedication to bowls that 26 years later, at 78, he has set a record for GEC centre men's singles titles.

Centre records put David File at No.2 in the list of centre men's singles winners, with six titles so far.

In the final on Sunday, Jefferson had to pull out all the stops against Te Karaka club member July Williams, who played excellent bowls throughout the weekend.

Williams raced to an early lead and when he was 16-10 ahead, Jefferson's chances of winning the final looked slim.

However, Jefferson mounted an amazing comeback, with a scoring blitz that did not allow Williams to score again in the match. Jefferson gained the required 11 shots for a 21-16 victory.

Marie Wright confirmed her standing as one of the top female bowlers in the district when she won the centre women's open singles for the second year in a row.

She was up against a formidable bowler in Gisborne Bowling Club's Queenie Takurua, her opponent in the 2018 final — a cliffhanger that Wright won 21-20.

This time, Wright's consistent draw play helped her to an early advantage.

Takurua started to make a comeback but Wright regained the ascendancy and took the final 21-14.

For her win, Wright received the Brown Whanau Trophy for the second time. Ben and Sarah Brown were on hand for the presentation.

Results —

Men, post-section play — Quarterfinals: Mal Trowell (Gisborne) 21 Vern Withey (Wairoa) 9; Vern Marshall (Tolaga Bay) 21 Steve Goldsbury 16; July Williams (Te Karaka) 21 Bruce Ball (Poverty Bay) 9; Robin Jefferson (Gisborne) 17 Charlie Ure (Gisborne) 13.

Semifinals: Williams 20 Marshall 16; Jefferson 21 Trowell 15.

Final: Jefferson 21 Williams 16.

Women, post-section play — Quarterfinals: Glenys Whiteman (Kahutia) 21 Sarah Brown (Te Karaka) 19; Queenie Takurua (Gisborne) 21 Ngawai Turipa (Poverty Bay) 9; Dayvinia Mills (Gisborne) 21 Betty Herring (Poverty Bay) 12; Marie Wright (Kahutia) 21 Barbara Gibson (Gisborne) 18.

Semifinals: Takurua 21 Whiteman 19; Wright 21 Mills 15.

Final: Wright 21 Takurua 14.