Blind Bowls: Monk wins 20th national title

David Monk on his way to a 20th national title. Opponent Parveen Sankar awaits his turn and wife and director Kathleen Monk offers guidance. Photo / Paul Taylor

Tauranga's David Monk is comfortable making headlines for blind bowls.

The B1 division for totally blind players competitor did it last year when he won the world title in his division. He did it at his previous world championships when he captured silver.

Yesterday Monk, 71, was the toast of the 28-player national tournament at Havelock North when he completed a clean sweep of five singles wins to secure his 20th national title.

"That was the rehearsal I was after in the buildup to the February international disabled tournament in Wellington," Monk explained after being smothered in congratulatory hugs and handshakes.

His closest match was a 15-11 victory against Aucklander Glen Hanahan in his first game on Monday.

"There's always a bit of settling involved in your first outing," Monk, who has been a blind bowler since 1990, explained.

"The greens were fast here which is good because the greens we will be playing on in Wellington will be fast by February," Monk said.

His eye sight began to deteriorate in 1987, two years after taking up bowls with full-sighted players. Monk had stints in the B2 and B3 divisions for partially-sighted players before becoming totally blind in 1999.

Wife Kathleen has been Monk's director since 1997. He will attempt to retain his world title when the next world championships are staged in South Africa in 2017.

Host club members were quick to celebrate the success of their sole player in the event, former England representative Keith Bell, who won the B2 division with just one loss. Bell had clubmate Sue Ashton as his director.

Bell, 74, has been in New Zealand since 1997. He won the English blind bowls championship twice and represented his country in the world champs in Canada and also in Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

Hawke's Bay's other entrant, B3 division player Don Clark of the Kia Toa club, finished fifth after losing all four of his games yesterday. He finished with two wins and five losses.

Clark had clubmate Robbie Burns as his director. Aucklander David Stallard won the B3 division title with one loss.

Paeroa's James Duncan registered one loss on the way to winning the B4 division title.

Mixed pairs tomorrow and Thursday complete the tournament.

Partners are drawn and players don't get told who they have until this morning.