Hawke's Bay's Richard Hocking set tongues wagging on day one of men's singles post-section play at the national bowls championship in Christchurch yesterday.
The 20-year-old Bowls Taradale player upset the vastly experienced Onehunga player, Richard Girvan, 21-17 after being behind for the first 11 ends. In another superb display, Hockingbeat Timaru's Sean O'Neill 21-14 to reach the last 16, where he will take on Naenae's Robbie Bird at Burnside today.
Hocking's mother, Robyn, is a former Olympic Games hockey player. A Taradale High School product, Hocking has represented New Zealand in under-18 transtasman bowls tests.
In another surprise, Waikiwi's Roger Stevens beat Birkenhead Blackjack and former champion Tony Grantham 21-9. Interesting battles today will include 11-time national champion Gary Lawson of Christchurch taking on promising Timaru player Keanu Darby and Nelson-based Gisborne-raised Blackjack Shannon McIlroy against Wellingtonian Lance Pascoe.
Hocking's former clubmates, Angela and Mandy Boyd, who are based in Christchurch, put aside the disappointment of their early singles exits the previous day to qualify for pairs post-section play.
They look to have tough competition coming from the Blackjack pairing of Val Smith and Jo Edwards and the Canterbury pair of Sandra King and Serena Mathews. Proving that bowls really is a game for life, the mother-daughter combinations of Leigh and Kirsten Griffin and Australian Jackaroo Kelsey Cottrell and her mother Marilyn Clayton have also qualified.
