Te K, Kahutia to fly GEC flag at NZ champ of champs triples

Te Karaka Bowling Club members (from left) David File, skip Paddy Stewart and Steve Goldsbury will represent Bowls Gisborne-East Coast at the national men’s champion of champions triples in Auckland. Picture supplied

Te Karaka men and Kahutia women will represent Bowls Gisborne-East Coast at the national champion of champions triples in Auckland on August 2, 3 and 4.

They won the centre champ of champs men’s and women’s tournaments on Te Karaka Bowling Club’s new greens this month.

The greens were as fast as usual, and players needed to be accurate and controlled with their deliveries.

The women’s finalists on the Sunday were the Kahutia team of Glenys Whiteman (skip), Dayvinia Mills and Karen Pinn, and — representing Te Karaka — Jasmine Merrick (skip), Janet Baty and Diane Murray.

Te Karaka scored some early points but Kahutia quickly established a hold on the game, winning 19-7 and going through the weekend undefeated. It was the pattern of their play throughout. They had comfortable wins over the other teams . . . from Poverty Bay, Gisborne and Tolaga Bay bowling clubs.

The men’s competition had representatives from each of the centre’s six clubs. Matches on the Saturday tended to be one-sided, and by the end of the first day, Poverty Bay, Tolaga Bay and Wairoa had been eliminated. Kahutia were to follow on Sunday morning.

This left Te Karaka (skip Paddy Stewart, David File and Steve Goldsbury) on two lives and Gisborne (skip Malcolm Trowell, Tim Sherriff and Andrew Ball) on one life.

On the Saturday, Te Karaka had beaten Gisborne 21-2 but in the provisional final it was much closer. Gisborne pulled away in the last four ends to win 16-11.

This meant both teams had one life going into the final game.

Te Karaka put the pressure on early and maintained it throughout to win 22-7.

Going on the form displayed in these games, the Gisborne-East Coast centre’s representatives should compete well at the nationals.