The accuracy of Wanganui's Shirley Selwyn paved the way for victory in the Wellington regional petanque triples in the Hutt Valley at the weekend.
The Wanganui East Club player pointed (closest to the jack) with precision to help win the competition against a strong field of 17 rival teams inNaenae. Selwyn teamed with Graeme Morris (Masterton) and Susan Norman (Windy Hills, Wellington) to take the spoils.
There were some nervous times in the final though, as the opposing team of Steve Frampton (Park Avenue, Naenae), Gordon Dykes (Windy Hills, Wellington), and Bob Bridge (Masterton) recovered from a seven-point deficit late in the game to trail 11-12 (playing to 13) and almost overhauled Selwyn's team.
However, the Wanganui East pointer kept her nerve when the cochonnet (jack) was knocked, forcing her to point more than 10m on the final end.
Pointing her final boule to rest just millimetres from the cochonnet, Selwyn virtually extinguished any chance of victory for the opposing team. Dykes played the last boule for his side and did well to shoot her boule out, however, Selwyn's teammate Morris pointed in for game with a boule to spare.
Also in the thick of things over the weekend was Tony Simpson, who played with Otaki seniors Bob McCarthy and Margaret Mordecai, finishing third equal, losing 8-13 to the runner-up team.
Wanganui East Club member Yvonne Futcher's team finished first of the 11 in day two of the tournament playing with Annick Leguen (Kapiti) and Richard Lawson (Haitaitai).
