Bowling: Bowlers get a helping hand

Kia Toa's Don Clark is one of two Hawke's Bay bowlers in action at the Havelock North-hosted national blind tournament this week. Photo / Paul Taylor

Like any bowler, Hawke's Bay's Don Clark will regularly ask the question of his skip.

"Which hand? And he or she will reply this one. They forget to say left or right ... I don't get any special treatment because I'm partially sighted," the Kia Toa club member explained.

However, it's different for Clark when he is competing in the national blind tournament which began at the Havelock North club yesterday and ends on Thursday. He has clubmate Robbie Burns as his director and with Burns using the clock system, which involves telling Clark to aim for one, two or three o'clock as required, he won two of his three B3 division singles games yesterday.

"I won the men's and overall titles in the division last year and I'm aiming to repeat that this week. Hopefully, I will win all four of my games tomorrow," Clark said.

A bowler for 15 years, Clark, recovered from a 9-0 deficit to beat Aucklander Suzie Tukariri 16-14 in his final game yesterday after earlier losing 21-16 to Commonwealth Games representative and Blind Bowls New Zealand president Sue Curran, of Hamilton, and beating Sue Harris, of Auckland, 21-5.

Clubmate Katie Portas, a Commonwealth Games medallist and clubmate, encouraged Clark to become involved two years ago.

"Katie told me it was fun and highly competitive and she was right. Once you are out on the green no quarter is given."

Clark and the other Bay bowler in the 28-strong field, Havelock North's Keith Bell, have been selected in the New Zealand team to play in the February international disabled tournament in Wellington. Bell, 74, won all three of his B2 division (players who can't see anything up to 2m away) games yesterday.

With the assistance of clubmate and director Sue Ashton, Bell, beat David Bradding, of Hamilton, 18-7, Ron Syme, of South Auckland, 19-11 and Steve Yagmich, of Auckland, 17-8.

Former England representative Bell has played blind bowls since 1975 and played in the last Havelock North-hosted nationals in 2007. Despite being the only host club player, Bell isn't experiencing any extra pressure.

"The home advantage isn't there. The speed of the greens changes all the time with the wind so it's the same for all the players.

"I enjoy the friendship involved with these nationals. I still want to try and win, too," Bell said.

Tauranga's David Monk won all three of his games in the B1 division for totally blind players yesterday. Monk, who has wife Kathleen as his director, won the world championship last year and it will be a surprise if he doesn't collect the silverware for his division today.

Mixed pairs tomorrow and Thursday complete the tournament. Partners are drawn for this segment of the annual event which began in Palmerston North in 1986.