The four of Leighton Shanks (left), Kyle Pinn, Liam Pinn and July Hoepo flew the Kahutia flag high at the Summerset National Open Men's Fours. They were pipped 19-18 in the semi-finals.
Gisborne bowlers Leighton Shanks, twins Kyle and Liam Pinn and July Hoepo reached the semi-finals of the national men’s fours in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.
The Kahutia Bowling Club combination were unbeaten in five rounds of section play – their sixth game did not go ahead – and won three post-section games to come within a win of a place in the final.
As equal-third placegetters, they earned bronze medals.
They lost their semi-final to eventual fours champions Sheldon Bagrie-Howley, Craig Merrilees, Darral Gordon and Hamish Wilson, 19-18.
Bagrie-Howley secured the one-shot win with his last bowl. Kyle Pinn’s bowl had been holding second shot, and the team were hoping to play an extra end.
The Bagrie-Howley four beat Graham Skellern, Bart Robertson, Brent Malcolm and Dennis Brewster 20-14 in the final.
Another Gisborne-East Coast entry – wearing Te Karaka Bowling Club colours – also reached post-section play. They lost a game in qualifying but won their group.
Adam Blucher, Paddy Stewart, David File and Shaun Goldsbury had a bye in the round of 64 but lost their round-of-32 game to Steve Boyce, Stephen Hughes, Alan Cotter and Ivan Unkovich, 21-17. The Boyce four were eliminated in the next round.
The Shanks-led Kahutia four’s performance was built on a solid base with touches of excellence. Multiple centre tournament winner July Hoepo played lead and his bowls were on the kitty throughout the tournament. Liam and Kyle Pinn, at two and three, showed fine judgment and precision in their play, and Shanks applied the finishing touches as skip.
In their opening match, against a team from Omokoroa Bowling Club, the Kahutia four recovered from conceding four shots on the opening end to win 17-16. A crucial draw from Hoepo and a clutch final run shot from Shanks proved decisive.
In the second round, Kyle Pinn played a shot that moved the jack and shifted momentum after the Kahutia team had trailed 6-1 early in the match. They surged home to win 18-10.
Against a Frankton Junction Bowling Club team, the Shanks four completed the first day’s play with a comfortable 17-6 win.
The fourth-round match against a strong Hawke’s Bay team was locked 10-10 after 11 ends. Two superb draw shots from Shanks late in the game, coupled with some precise drawing from his teammates, secured a hard-fought 17-14 win.
With qualification assured, the Kahutia four trailed early in their fifth-round match but fought back to dominate the closing stages for a 24-12 victory.
The round-of-32 match against a Rewa Bowling Club team was close until a four-shot end opened a gap. Controlled ditch-weight play, precise touchers from Hoepo, and disciplined head-building secured a 20-13 win.
In the next round, the Kahutia team overwhelmed their opponents and the match was conceded with the score at 19-5. Tactical drives from Shanks, precise drawing from Kyle and Liam Pinn, and consistent touch play from Hoepo featured in an outstanding performance.
Against Raymond Martin, Neville Rodda, Liam Hill and Gavin Hamlyn at the Bowls Mount Maunganui greens, the Shanks four held their nerve in a tense quarter-final for a 13-11 win.
It set them up for what proved to be a classic semi-final against the eventual competition winners.
Te Karaka Bowling Club colours were on show at the national fours on a team skipped by Auckland premier men’s squad member Blucher, who had a minor setback on the second day when he forgot his bowls and bowling shoes.
He made do with a pair of crocs – worn with socks – and a borrowed pair of bowls that were similar to his own. No harm done ... the team won all three games that day, qualifying top of their group with five wins and a loss, and Blucher remembered his bowls and shoes the following day.
File said it was good to catch up with former Te Karaka club member Stewart, now playing in Christchurch, and to play with 20-year-old Blucher.
“Adam skips the Auckland fours and was in the winning team at the Taranaki Open Fours,” File said.
“He’s young and full of confidence. We thought we’d let the young fellas go for it.”
Goldsbury was lead, and File and Stewart played two and three.
Their round-of-32 loss carried a large slice of bad luck.
“We were a couple behind playing the last end but were holding three shots,” File said.
“But their guy got lucky with his last bowl and killed it. Then we were holding four on the replay and he got another lucky one and got all four of our bowls out of the way. You just shake your head.”
ROUND-BY-ROUND RESULTS
R1: David File/Adam Blucher/Shaun Goldsbury/Paddy Stewart won 19-17. Leighton Shanks/Kyle Pinn/Liam Pinn/July Hoepo won 17-16.
R2: Shanks won 18-10. File lost 19-17.
R3: File won 17-13. Shanks won 17-6
R4: Shanks won 17-14. File won 20-15
R5: File won 14-12. Shanks won 22-12.
R6: Shanks did not play. File won 19-13.
File topped their section; Shanks second in theirs, on differential.
Both had byes in the round of 64.
Round of 32: File lost 21-17 to Steve Boyce/Stephen Hughes/Alan Cotter/Ivan Unkovic.
Shanks won 20-13 versus David Campbell/Bryan Scott/Jimmy Neal/Jeremy Kidd.
Round of 16: Shanks won 19-5 v Brian Pearce/Grant Pease/Brian Needham/Trevor Taunt.
Quarter-finals: Shanks won 13-11 v Raymond Martin/Neville Rodda/Liam Hill/Gavin Hamlyn.
Semi-finals: Shanks lost 19-18 to Sheldon Bagrie-Howley/Craig Merrilees/Darral Gordon/Hamish Wilson, who went on to win the title.