Competition heats up at Heartland Bank Nationals

Big names have fallen victim to the high level of competition at the Heartland Bank National Open Championships.

21-year-old, Katelyn Inch drew first blood knocking veteran Val Smith out in the round one of the womens singles post section play. Smith looked in control from the outset being up 9-0 after 5 ends. Inch soon found her rhythm and crept back to take the win 21-19.

Jo Edwards was the next to depart, falling short to fellow Blackjack Kirsten Edwards 21-19.

Inch sustained her pace all day, winning three more games (21-17 v Nicole Toomey, 21-17 v Ashleigh Jeffcoat, 21-12 v Kirsten Edwards) to find a place in the semi-finals. She will come up against Selina Goddard (Commonwealth Games Bronze medallist) who has quietly progressed throughout the day.

2016 Runner up Tayla Bruces dream to go a step further this year has come to an end. Bruce was beaten by Catherine Bien (St Heliers) 18-21.

Local, Reen Stratfords wins from yesterday have resumed today in the womens singles, beating Sarah Scott (North East Valley) 21-19 to secure her place in the semi-finals. She will face Catherine Bien.

In the mens pairs, defending champions Ali and Neville Forsyth continue to defeat everyone who comes their way.

The father son duo originally from Nelson, bet Desmond Brophy (Composite) and Craig Johns (West End) before finding themselves up against Barry Wynks and Mark Noble (Commonwealth Games Para-sport silver medallists) in round three.

Having just beaten early front runners Richard Girvan and Blake Signal in the previous game 23-6, Noble and Wynks went into the game full of poise. However, the 37-year-old bond between Ali and Neville was too strong for the duo going down 8-17.

A spectacle performance was displayed when long-time rivals Rob Ashton and Gary Lawson met on the green in round three. The two have battled for many years, however Lawson took a narrow win 16-15 to progress to the next stage.

WOMEN'S SINGLES POST SECTION:

Round 1: A Jeffcoat (Frankton Junction) bt A Motu (Point Chevalier) 21-14, ), K Inch (Oxford WMC) bt V Smith (Merrylands) 21-19, N Toomey (Victoria) bt C Andrews (Paritutu) 21-7,

Round 2: N Grimshaw (Papakura) bt S Winter (West End), 21-5, S Goddard (Carlton Cornwall) bt L White (Naenae) 21-11, D Rayner (Johnsonville) bt S Cottam (West End) 21-15, J Stockford (Point Chevalier) bt E Hickey (Carlton Cornwall) 21-16, K Edwards (United) bt K Stampa (Hawera Park) 21-11, J Edwards (United) bt A Brophy (New Plymouth) 21-7, A Jeffcoat bt A Boyd 21-9, K Inch bt N Toomey 21-17, R Stratford bt L Poulson 21-11, S Scott bt D Wilford 21-17, T Bruce bt F Bryant 21-5, C Bien bt L Griffin 21-5 Round 3: S Goddard bt N Grimshaw 21-19, D Rayner bt J Stockford 21-10, K Edwards bt J Edwards 21-19, K Inch bt A Jeffcoat 21-17, R Stratford bt L Poulson 21-11, S Scott bt D Wilford 21-17, T Bruce bt F Bryant 21-5, C Bien bt L Griffin 21-5 Round 4: R Stratford bt S Scott 21-19, C Bien bt T Bruce 21-18, S Goddard bt D Rayner 21-18, K Inch bt K Edwards 21-12 Semifinals will be played on Friday 6th January

MENS PAIRS POST SECTION:

Round 1: C Gawith (Coromandel) bt I Mahoney (Composite) 18-16, K Fitness (Composite) bt B Candy (Composite) 25-7, S Roberts (Nolantown) bt J Linn (West End) 17-9, G O'Sullivan (Inglewood) bt G Ruane (Composite) 16-14, G Lilley (West End) bt G McEldowney (New Plymouth) 17-7, C Le Lievre (Composite) bt P Belliss (Composite) 14-13, G Down (Composite) bt T Taiaroa (Composite) 22-10, R Ashton (Carlton Cornwall) bt TWood (Composite) 17-16, K Adley (Naenae) bt N Hill (Composite) 19-15, G Lawson (Composite) bt D Bennett (Composite) 20-7, S Harrison (Composite) bt T Rayner (Composite) 18-17, R Martin (Composite) bt N Fisher( Howick) 18-17, W Marsic (Carlton Cornwall) bt C Lander (Sorrento) 16-11, K Deegan (Opunake) bt P Sorensen (Napier) 20-8, J Hill (Composite) bt J Russell (Glen Eden) 16-14, B Robertson (Composite) bt S McCartin (Composite) 19-7, C Cherri (Palmerston North) bt J Horwell (Composite) 17-10, P Skoglund (Composite) bt S Mitchell (Hikurangi) 20-13, R Park (Wanganui) bt C MacDonnell (Riverside) 15-11, P Taylor (Bridge Park) bt H Nalder (Nelson) 22-8, S Settle (Hinuera) bt G Mounsey (Paritutu) 15-14, D Drummond (Composite) bt J Brosnan (Composite) 19-7, L Guy (Victoria) bt J Cottam (Paritutu) 17-

16, R Gregory (Composite) bt A Johnston (Johnston Park) 19-10, S Hoeft (Pt Chevalier) bt W Bellringer (New Plymouth) 17-15, A Forsyth (Composite) bt D Brophy (Composite) 24-11, C Johns (West End) bt T Osment (Composite) 24-6, R Girvan (Composite) bt L Newman (Victoria) 16-9, M Noble (Takaro) bt G Murfitt (West End) 16-9 Round 2: R Greaney (Elmwood) bt C Barrett (Composite) 21-8, C Gawith (Coromandel) bt K Fitness 21-13, S Roberts bt G O'Sullivan 14 -11, C Le Lievre bt G Lilley 20-6, R Ashton bt G Down 22-1, G Lawson bt K Adley 24-15, S Harrison bt R Martin 19-16, W Marsic bt C Gush 15-14, K Deegan bt J Hill 15-13, C Cherri bt B Robertson 17-5, R Park bt P Skoglund 14-13 S Settle bt P Taylor 23-19, L Guy bt D Drummond 23-8, S Hoeft bt R Gregory 19-11, A Forsyth bt C Johns 19-8, M Noble bt R Girvan 23-6 Round 3: C Gawith bt R Greaney 20-8, C Le Lievre bt S Roberts 18-7, G Lawson bt R Ashton 16-15, S Harrison bt W Marsic 18-8, K Deegan bt C Cherri 18-13, R Park bt S Settle 16-15, L Guy bt S Hoeft 19-18, A Forsyth bt M Noble 17-8 Quarterfinals and Semi Finals: will be played on Friday 6th January

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Bowls New Zealand