The Wanganui representative bowls teams came third and fifth respectively at the annual Hexagonal tournament in Palmerston North at the weekend.
Both the 10-man and 10-woman teams faced their counterparts from Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Kapiti Coast, Wellington and Taranaki.
The men's team finished tied with Manawatu on 26 points, having to settle
for third on differential, with Wellington winning the title this year with 29 points.
Both singles competitors - Bernard Anderson and Alan Dickson - won three from five games, as did the Ray Park skipped fours team and the Ian Porteous skipped pairs, while the other pair skipped by Lindsay Bourne was not as successful with one win.
"The men's team proved to themselves that they are very competitive and able to foot it with the best," said manager Mike Morgan.
"We have to be very happy with the results and know that our team gave of their best, which gave us this very good result."
The Wanganui women could have had similar success if a handful of games had gone their way.
All up, Wanganui finished fifth with eight wins, but coach/selector Chris Waterson said they could have been at the top end.
"We lost five games by one point. They just couldn't get across the line."
The fours team skipped by Marilyn Constatine had three wins from five games, while both the pairs teams skipped by Anne Loveridge and Elizabeth Anderson had two of the narrow defeats.
Home team Manawatu comfortably won the title, ahead of Wellington and Taranaki.
A Wanganui women's team will be travelling to Auckland to compete in a few weeks.
Final placings
Men: 1. Wellington 29 (+15); 2. Manawatu 26 (+79); 3. Wanganui 26 (+3); 4. Taranaki 25 (-9); 5. Hawkes Bay 23 (-7); 6. Kapiti Coast 21 (-91).
Women: 1. Manawatu 36 (+90); 2. Wellington 26 (+86); 3. Taranaki 26 (+43); 4. Kapiti Coast 24 (-67); 5. Wanganui 16 (-69); 6. Hawkes Bay 14 (-
