Gwen Lawson's Northland bowls round up: Open Pairs champs decided

The Northland Open Pairs Bowls champions have been found.

Sorry about the slip-up last week when the bowls report got left on the shelf instead of making the paper. It "won't happen again."

The Centre Championship Open Pairs were completed last weekend in fine but cool conditions. Thirty-two Men's teams and 21 Women's teams took part in qualifying. The competition was tough and only five women's teams and 13 men's got through to post-section play.

In the men, it was the "younger brigade" that reached the final and the experience of Garry Fraser and Paul Price representing the Kamo Club came through when they defeated Carl Van Haaften and Jeffrey Cole (second-year bowler) representing Hikurangi Club 23-10 in the final. Fraser and Price got out to a great start and the Hikurangi combo were on the back foot when they were 4-17 down after 13 ends and never really recovered.

Price was lucky to survive the quarter-final when they beat the experienced Lyddiard by one shot, whereas Van Haaften had a comfortable win over the father and son David and Daniel Hood. This was the sixth title for Fraser and the fifth and gold star for Price.

Results were:

Round 1: P.Wightman (Mangawhai); J.Dunn (Onerahi); Price (Kamo); Byes; G.Lyddiard (Kensington) bt B.Barnetta (Mangawhai) 19-12; D.Hood (Whangārei) bt A.Westlake (Onerahi) 21-10; K.Robinson (Maungaturoto) bt A.Trimmer (Kamo) 14-12; D.McMurchy (Onerahi) bt D.Cameron (Hikurangi) 16-15; C.VanHaaften (Hikurangi) bt T.Moyle (Kamo) 17-9.

Round 2: Dunn bt Wightman 18-8; Price bt Lyddiard 15-14; Hood bt Robinson 23-18; VanHaaften bt McMurchy 15-9.

Round 3: Price bt Dunn 15-4; VanHaaften bt Hood 11-10.

Round 4: Final - Price bt VanHaaften 23-10.

Women's results:

Two Kensington teams reached the final and it was the combination of Dawn Owens and Margaret Gurney who were successful in a very close match.

After nine ends, Attwood and 2nd-year bowler Eileen Conaghan were up 10-4. Then they had a bad patch (or the opposition had a good patch) and they did not score on the next five ends. The last five ends were bowl for bowl and the final score was two shots the difference. This win gave Dawn Owens her third title and Margaret Gurney her seventh centre title.

The full results were:

Round 1: Owens/Gurney (Kensington) bt Strawbridge/Rokstad (Kensington)19-9.

Round 2: Attwood/Conaghan (Kensington) bt Muir/Smith (Kensington) 16-15; Owens/Gurney bt Halls/McKinnon (Onerahi) 13-8.

Round 3: (Final) D.Owens/M.Gurney bt M.Attwood/E.Conaghan 16-14.

Entries are strong for the Centre Open Singles which are scheduled to be played on October 29-30. Entries closed yesterday and players are reminded that entries for all fixtures close on a Thursday at 10pm the week prior to the event.

As the next event is singles, players are also reminded that they need to provide a "competent marker" who should be available all day, please.

You are also reminded that a new programme is being trialled to enter events and we ask that you be patient and keep trying until your entry is accepted. Please refer to page five of your handbook for details.

Entry forms have also been sent to all clubs for the Northland section of the NZ Bowls3Five competition. Play starts November 23, venues will be shared between entrant Clubs and play starts at 6.15pm each night.

The next representative competition is set down for November 27 when Northland and the Far North take to the greens for their Inter Centre competition. The 1-5 year men and women will play in Whangārei and the Premier 1 & 2 sections will travel to the Far North.

Entries are now being accepted for the Junior (1-5 year) pairs for men and women, Centre Triples and Centre Fours. Check the centre website to enter.

Club matches next week:

Sat-Sun Club Champs

Tues - Kamo AC Triples

Wed - Mangawhai 2x4x2 pairs; Whangārei AC Triples

Thur - Mt Manaia AC Triples, Ruawai AC Triples

Fri - Maungatapere Triples

Sat - Mamaranui MX Triples.