Last of Tolaga Bay’s champs crowned

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Tolaga Bay has completed all its club championships for the season.

The open men's fours was won by Chas Henry, Mike Atkins, Mark Walker and Mike Namana.

From lead to skip all four were in incredible form in convincingly beating Ben Elkington, Anton Tashkoff, Peter Hughes and Trevor Rink, and Vern Marshall, Mick Maunder, Andy Tamanui and Murray Duncan.

The junior women's pairs champions were found, with Bessie Eyles and Kay Goldsbury going through unbeaten.

n Tolaga Bay players have also been in travel mode.

Four players — Ben Elkington. Anton Tashkoff, Mike Namana and Mark Atkins — headed to Taranaki to contest the Aotearoa National Bowls tournament. Nothing went their way on the greens but the exposure and being part of that atmosphere made the trip worthwhile.

n Vern Marshall, Murray Duncan and Russell McDonald entered what is known as the meat tournament at Opotiki — an event where if you don't get in the money, you at least take home a roast.

The two-day triples tournament featured 22 teams from around the Bay of Plenty and two teams from Gisborne-East Coast.

Both GEC teams progressed through the two qualifying stages to make the semifinals.

Te Karaka's David File, John Dawson and Lofty Hurrell played the hot local favourite side skipped by Tony Parkinson.

The home team had aleady beaten File's crew twice and made it three times with a 12-11 win.

Marshall's Tolaga Bay team advanced with a comfortable win over an Ohope combination.

The final was close until the penultimate end where Parkinson picked up four shots to take a comprehensive 11-6 lead into the last end.

Playing a full-length end, Marshall came through with the very last bowl — a slightly weighted shot — to claim six shots and the title, leaving Parkinson and Co reeling.

n Tolaga Bay congratulates Ben Elkington and Mick Maunder for their selection in the Gisborne East Coast team for the National Inter-centre tournament in Wellngton later this month.