Bowls: First-years perform well under pressure

The Centre First Year mixed singles were completed last weekend. Photo / File

The Centre First Year mixed singles were completed last weekend. This event is held for bowlers who have registered as a full playing member of a bowling club for the very first time.

Congratulations to the following players who were successful in this event.

Overall winners were:

1) Robbie Hayman (Whangarei) - 12 win points, +32 shot differential
2) John Hooson (Kensington) - 12 win points, +25 shot differential
3) Geoff Wood (Mangawhai) - 9 win points, +35 shot differential

The first women in the event were Mangawhai's Elaine Hamber in sixth (nine win points, +21 differential) and Christine Lineham, also of Mangawhai, in seventh (nine win points, +9 differential).

There were excellent bowls played by these first year players, some are showing great potential for the game.

Thanks to Whangarei for use of their facilities, umpire, and markers who made themselves readily available on the day.

NZ Trust results: Congratulations to Kevin Robinson and Wayne Wrack who reached the last four in the men's pairs for this event.

NZ Inter Club finals: The only Northland representative in this fixture in Wellington this weekend is the Mangawhai Women's Inter Club 7's team who won the regional event in December and will represent region one in Division 1. We wish them every success.

Unfortunately the Centre 1-8 any combination triples event scheduled for this weekend at Whangarei greens has had to be abandoned due to lack of entries. For some reason some clubs are holding their Club Championships this weekend. They certainly didn't check their Centre hand book before doing this, as just like the Centre has to exclude Centre Championships being played when certain NZ fixtures are on, clubs are expected to do likewise when Centre events are being played. Food for thought for next year.

Three important competition dates are scheduled for March – namely the Regional NZ Club Championship competition at the Onerahi greens from Sunday to Thursday, March 11-15, starting with the mixed singles and followed by singles, pairs, triples and fours for men and women.

The next event is the Northland rep squads that will attend a competition day in Auckland on March 11 and will be followed by the Northland 1-8 Representative squads competing in the New Zealand event in Auckland from March 16-18. More about representative fixtures next week.

Reminder: The Northland Centre President's Day Any Combination fours is at Bowls Whangarei on March 28. All clubs are asked to make an effort and enter at least one team.

Club team entries are asked to give preference to club committee members and volunteers at their club. Please forward entries to the Centre office with your entry fee of $32 per team. You may enter more than one team.

Club tournaments scheduled for next week are: Sat 3rd March Mamaranui AC Triples; Waipu AC Fours; Mon 5th Mt Manaia MX Triples; Tue 6th Maungakaramea AC Triples; Tue/Wed 6th & 7th Dargaville women's pairs, Thur 8th Maungaturoto AC Triples; Fri 9th Whangarei AC Triples 5.30pm; Sat 10th/Sun 11th Dargaville men's pairs.