Bowls: Final roll-up for a bowls champion

Matamata bowls star Rhoda Ryan, 77, has died of a heart attack.

The eight-time national champion and New Zealand women's selector had spent Monday competing in the past presidents tournament at Cambridge. She died soon after her return home.

Bowls Waikato chief executive Warren Towers said yesterday that Ryan's loss would leave a "huge hole in the bowling world."

Bowlers at the Hamilton greens for a roll-up had a minute's silence in her memory.

Ryan won the first of her national titles, the pairs in 1973.

She went on to win one more pairs, the singles in 1980 and five fours titles, including an unprecedented three in a row from 1989.

She also captured a world championship bronze in the singles.

Ryan was the third most successful bowler in Waikato's history, with 26 titles, behind Matamata clubmates Millie Khan and Betty Fitzell.

Matamata was seen as a breeding ground for top bowlers.

Jenny Simpson, Adrienne Lambert, the late Elsie Wilkie, Khan and Fitzell have all won national titles.

When her international playing days ended, Ryan turned to administration. She helped to select the New Zealand women's bowling team who won gold medals in the triples and fours at the world championships in Australia two years ago.

She was awarded a QSM in 1990 for services to sport.

Bowls New Zealand said Ryan intended standing down as a selector after this year's Commonwealth Games where New Zealanders are favoured to win several medals.

Ryan is survived by her husband Garry and their seven children.

- NZPA