Indoor bowls: Owen awesome in winning foursome

Rotorua indoor bowler Gina Owen has helped claim the fours title on the final day of the National Indoor Bowls Championships.

Owen, a New Zealand representative and member of the Westbrook Club, joined team mates John Zittersteijn, Mark Ridley and Sean Ridley to claim the title at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre at the weekend.

Owen's team beat Orongomai Marae Club members Trevor Gould, Ross Garner, Chris McAdam and Lisa Gould from Upper Hutt 11-6.

It was Owen's first title although her teammate Zittersteijn is a five time national title holder.

The team made their way to the final via a semifinal win over Auckland's Olympic Club 7-6.

In the triples division, North Taranaki's Paul Midgley, Grant Harvey and Sheree Holmes took out the triples crown.

This was a third title for Midgley and Harvey but the first for an emotional Holmes. Midgley won two titles in 2011 in the singles and pairs while Harvey has a pairs title from 1998 and a fours title from 2005.

In the final they defeated Waikato's Tim Veale and brothers Shaun and Ciaran Blackbourn from St Andrews Club, Hamilton 12-11.

In a high scoring final, Midgley scored one on the first end. While on the second end, Veale played two Midgley bowls out of contention, to score six shots to lead 6-1. However, on the third end the North Taranaki combination came back with four shots. Veale then scored three shots on the fourth end to lead 9-5. Midgley came back with a single and two shots to close the gap to 8-9 after six ends. Midgley was too strong taking the win 12-11.