Gwen Lawson bowls column: New bowlers showing promise in centre singles

Skye Renes won her second centre title, taking out the title with four wins on the day and a net shot differential of 46 points. Photo / File

Last weekend saw the completion of the centre first singles tournaments for men and women played at the Whangārei and Kamo greens.

This was a very competitive tournament with all bowlers being at the introductory level of the sport, some wishing that they had joined the sport years ago.

In the women's section, it was a second centre title for Skye Renes representing the Onerahi club when she took out the title with four wins on the day and a net shot differential of 46 points.

In second place was Joan Robinson representing the Maungatapere club with four wins and a net shot differential of 21 shots, followed by Judy Morgan of Kamo with
three wins and a net shot score of 17.

Unfortunately for Robinson and Morgan, they met one another in the last round of the day in a closely-fought match with Robinson the ultimate winner.

In the men's division, Jeff Heasly of Whangārei won the day, the only one to obtain four wins with a net shot differential of 28 shots.

In second place was Peter Joyce of Mangawhai with three wins and a net shot differential of 24, followed by Colin Harrington of Kensington with three wins and net shots of 14.

Twenty men and women took part in the event, which will be an exciting and competitive start to their bowling careers.

This past week we have had plenty of outstanding bowls shown on
television. The competition between the five states of Australia and the New Zealand Blackjacks held at the Naenae indoor centre in Wellington has been outstanding.

Today, the NZ National Fours competition for men and women starts, also in Wellington. For those of you keen to watch some exciting and competitive bowls, this event is being screened live on the Bowls NZ Facebook page.

The Northland Secondary School pairs competition run by Bowls Northland in conjunction with Sport Northland is to be played on Friday, April 4 at the Kamo greens.

Entry is by your school to Sport Northland and the entry fee is $10 per player. This event is open to any Northland secondary school students so contact your school sports coordinator and place an entry.

Bowls NZ also runs a national tournament for secondary
school players so the incentive is there to have a go and try to win
the event.

The next centre fixture is the President's Day any combination fours, to be held on Wednesday March 27. Clubs are reminded to place their entry.

This is a social day when clubs have the chance to meet up with one another. Clubs are asked to give preference to the volunteers in their clubs when making up a team or teams. Entries to the centre office or to the events manager through the
centre website.

The centre representative teams will travel to Auckland on Sunday, March 10 to compete. For the open teams, it will be a pre-run for the national interclub tournament that is due to be played at Howick later in the month. Northland will also be represented by development teams and one-to-five year teams for men and women.

Clubs are also reminded that the entries for the centre champion of
champion events close on March 20. If you have not completed your club championships by then you should still enter the events in which you wish to be represented by March 20.

Club events this next week: Sunday: Waipū AC Fours; Tuesday
Maungakaramea AC Triples; Tue/Wed Dargaville Women's Pairs; Wednesday,
Whangārei AC Triples; Thursday Maungaturoto AC Triples; Friday Whangārei
AC Triples 5.30pm. Saturday 9 - Leigh Men's Triples, Mamaranui AC
Triples and Onerahi AC Triples.