Bowls: Teenager claims national champs record

Wellington teenager Mandy Boyd. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

Wellington teenager Mandy Boyd became the youngest woman to win a title at a national bowls championships when she helped a composite team skipped by Hamilton's Sue Burnand to the women's fours title at Dunedin today.

The men's fours title was won by Ali Forsyth who beat Terry Scott 18-9 on the Taieri greens.

The Burnand team, nicknamed Slam, also contains Burnand's Frankton Railway clubmate and second Leanne Curry and Mandy Boyd's sister, Angela, who plays out of Taradale.

They beat Bev Morel (Elmwood) and her composite four 16-10 in the final and are looking to come together to defend their title at the next championships in Auckland.

Mandy Boyd, the 2009 and 2009 national secondary schools singles champion, said she wasn't too worried about becoming the youngest female to win a national title but is more happy about her team winning the fours title after reaching the final eight at last year's championships as a first time combination.

They were knocked out then by Barbara McGregor's United women 19-13 but got their revenge this year when they beat McGregor 19-13 in the semifinals.

Burnand, showed good driving and drawing skills to take the early lead in today's final but Morel drew level 6-6 at the halfway mark.

But the Burnand four tightened up play and Morel never got another look in.

"We'll be in Auckland to defend our title," a happy Curry said.

For Forsyth, a national singles title winner in 2003 and 2004, today's win was another step towards securing the skip's spot in the national fours team.

"There is a spot for anyone ready to step up and I think I've done that over the past 10 days," added Forsyth who finished runner-up in the pairs competition.

Forsyth and his team of Matthew Gallop, Graham Hood and Lloyd Gallop were facing a determined Scott family today.

Skip Terry Scott, who last won the national fours title in 1977, is a national selector, brother Jim won the fours title in 1980, cousin Shaun Scott won the national singles title last week, and cousin Stephen O'Driscoll, a Dunedin judge, was aiming to be the first member of the bench to win a New Zealand open bowls title.

The Scotts jumped into a 4-1 lead but Forsyth picked up four in the sixth end to take a lead from which they did not look back.

Sydney-based Forsyth said the skill and consistency of his teammates got them up in the end.

"The boys really played well, they kept things moving and gave us the edge.

"I was gutted about losing out in the singles, but winning the fours and making the finals in pairs - I'll take that."

For Lloyd Gallop (who won the four title in 1998), there was also the extra added bonus of winning alongside 22-year-old son, Matthew (Cabramatta).

"It was fantastic playing with my son, Matt -- it was quite emotional. He's a natural that has been playing since he was 12 years old," the veteran Blenheim bowler said.

- NZPA

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