KEY POINTS:
Winning a title at the national championships is a special occasion for any bowler, but for 21- year-old Nick Buttar winning the men's four is a moment he'll never forget.
A decade ago his father, the late Stewart Buttar, who went on to represent New Zealand and later become an immensely popular and successful national coach, won the same title with a close friend Bruce McNish.
When Stewart was dying with cancer two years ago, McNish promised his friend he'd take young Nick into teams with him and since then the veteran and the youngster have played together in the pairs and fours.
"It was in Stewart's last two or three days and when he was getting down, I asked him if he'd like me to take Nick to play in the nationals," McNish said after today's victory in Christchurch.
Nick Buttar said he woke up this morning thinking of his father.
"This morning my nerves were going and it went through my mind a few times," he said.
"I tried not to think about it as much as possible but it was in the back of my mind all the time."
A smiling Buttar junior agreed his father would have been mighty proud of him today.
Buttar played a key role in getting his team away to a commanding start in the 21-8 win against Terry Scott and his North East Valley team.
He led with precision as Ryan Bester's (Canada) side romped out to a 16-3 lead, winning eight of the first 10 ends. From that point the game was a foregone conclusion.
"There was one end when we were down five or six shots and I took them out and another, when we were down three, I took two out," Bester said of his driving play.
Bester didn't know whether the same four would defend their title but he indicated his keenness to return to New Zealand to play in next year's nationals.
"I'll be in Sydney next year. I like everybody in New Zealand, I love the tournament so we'll see what happens," he said.
Scott rued the fact that he, his brother Jim, cousin Shaun and brother-in-law Steve O'Driscoll could not get enough bowls around the head. And if they did, Bester simply drove them off repeatedly.
"They are a quality team, they laid a good foundation," Scott said.
"Bester would just attack if we got something happening. We were six up on one head and I thought we had a chance but two drives later from Bester - we only had two."
For the winning women' skip Jo Babich, the past two weeks have been the greatest of her 15-year playing career. The Auckland representative won both the pairs and fours titles, reached the last 16 of the singles and won the over-all consistency award.
"I'm just delighted . There'll be a big party at Carlton-Cornwall (Babich's club) when we get back home," she said after beating Mina Paul (Ngongotaha) 21-15 in the final.
Babich and her team of Bev Crowe (lead) and the Frankton Railway pair Rita Berridge and Jan Malcolm started brilliantly with five on the first end and, drawing consistently throughout, never relinquished their lead.
There was a slight stutter when Paul took four on the 12th end but they were unable to close the gap enough to threaten the Aucklanders.
Babich said she was sure the same four would be together next year to defend their title when the nationals will be staged in Auckland.
Results of the fours finals.-
Women: Jo Babich (Carlton-Cornwall) bt Mina Paul (Ngongotaha) 21-15.
Men: Ryan Bester (Hanover, Canada) bt Terry Scott (North East Valley) 21-8.
- NZPA
