Bowls: Champions suffer setbacks in fours

New national pairs champions Jenny Fleming and Sandra Robertson were brought down to earth with a bump when the fours competition began at the women's national championships in Dunedin yesterday.

The pair were part of Judy Heeman's top-of-the-south composite combination, who lost their opening match 18-14 to Levin's Carrell Knight.

A similar fate befell the defending fours champions under Millie Khan.

Khan had lost a close and emotionally draining singles final to Sharon Sims on Monday afternoon, and her family four fell 17-13 to unsung Val Weir of Ranfurly.

But both Heeman and Khan registered wins in their second games of the day to lift the mood.

With six qualifying matches over three days, and needing four wins to make the draw for the knockout stages, there is no need for panic.

The 1999 fours champion Judy Howat from The Park, Kilbirnie, and the 2000 winners under skip Marlene Castle of Onehunga were among the 40 teams to record two straight wins to be well on track.

Also safe overnight with two victories are Howat's clubmates Vi Gooch and Tui Opai, Annette Bell from Khan's home club Matamata, and last year's singles champion, Dot Curry from Hamilton City.

Losing their second game to join those one-and-one on the day were national team manager Ann Muir of Whangarei and former Commonwealth Games international Judith Payne with her strong Auckland side.

Rounds three and four are today, followed by two more tomorrow before those reaching post-section play start the knockout stage on Friday morning.