Greenless Tolaga win men’s interclub champs

Bowls - Tolaga Bay Winners - Steve Goldsbury Centre President, Keith Tamanui, Mark Walker, Ricky Miller, George Tamahana. Absent Mike Namana, Zaedys Hughes, Peter Hughes, Ben Elkington

No green, no problem.

Tolaga Bay won the men's section of the senior interclub competition at the Kahutia  Bowling Club on Saturday, even though their home green is still out of commission.

Cyclone Gabrielle caused the Tolaga Bay green damage that required remedial work by a visiting team of South Island specialists, including former Gisborne greenkeeper Jamey Ferris.

But the refurbished green is not ready for play yet.

The Tolaga Bay men overcame this disadvantage though. Mark Walker won all three of his singles matches, and the pairs combination of Riki Miller (skip) and George Tamihana won two matches.

The fours team of Keith Tamanui, Ben Elkington, Zaedys Hughes and Mike Namana won one match. Peter Hughes started the day but had to retire injured.

Four teams contested the men's competition. Kahutia were comfortably in the lead after the second round of play, having won five matches. At that stage, Gisborne and Tolaga Bay each had three wins.

However, in the last round Kahutia lost all three of their matches, Tolaga Bay won three and Gisborne won only one.

Others to win two out of three matches were the Kahutia pairs and fours, the Poverty Bay fours and the Gisborne singles.

Kahutia won the women's interclub competition.

Three teams competed in the women's section and the four wins and a draw achieved by Kahutia were enough to claim the overall win.

Mere Nepia won both of her singles matches, while the pairs combination of Glenda Kapene (skip) and Dianne Phillips had a win and a draw. The four of Dayvinia Mills (s), Glenys Whiteman, Del Tamanui and Karen Pinn had one win.

The only four to win both of their matches was the Poverty Bay team of Jessie Davis-Law (s), Cheryl Jenkins, Kathy Carroll and Ngawae Turipa.

Te Karaka Bowling Club entered a women's team even though the members there still don't have a green on which to play. Cyclone Gabrielle badly damaged their green and the replacement is not yet ready for play.

The Tolaga Bay men and the Kahutia women will represent the Bowls Gisborne-East Coast Centre at the national interclub competition on Auckland's North Shore from April 4 to 7 next year.