Heartland Bank National Open Championships: Day 2

As the temperature rose so did the pressure on day two of the 2016/17 Heartland Bank National Open Championships.

Best mates and bowling veterans Jo Edwards and Val Smith hung in by a loose thread to qualify for post section play in the womens pairs. The pair lost their second game of the Championships this morning 9-19 against Diane Strawbridge and Margaret Gurney (Kensington), coming back strongly in round 5 (20-12 v Denise Taylor) and took a win in round 6 to make the play offs.

Angela Boyd is on her way to third consecutive pairs title, as she and skip Taylor Bruce won through to post section today after two comfortable wins (21-9 v Margaret Simpson, 23-7 v Suzann Burnand, while the third game was not played).

2014 Womens pairs Champions Ann Muir and Carolyn Crawford (Kensington) are heading in the right direction for a second national title together. The pair have yet to lose a game as they move to post section play later next week.

Taranaki locals Ella Smailes and Bev Anderson (Hawera Park) had a fabulous game against newly appointed National Lead Coach Sharon Sims, taking the win 19-18 on the last end.

Blackjack Katelyn Inch and team mate Debbie White have also qualified, while Mother and daughter twosome Leigh Griffin and Kirsten Edwards narrowly missed out.

Past and present New Zealand Blackjacks Richard Girvan and Blake Signal have quickly become a team to watch in the Mens Pairs championships, contentedly winning today 28-6 (Dennis Osborne), 21-6 (Colin Christie) and 18-16 (Dean Elgar).

While defending mens pairs winners, father and son duo Ali and Neville Forsyth are a force to be reckoned with. Neville Forsyth lead the team to three straight wins today.

Womens Pairs Qualifiers:

C Budge (Kensington), J Ropitini (West End), A Loveridge (Composite), R Davies (Composite), J Stockford (Composite), E Hickey (Composite), C Bien (St Heliers), L Ropitini (Inglewood), K Guilford (Composite), T Bruce (Burnside), D Rayner (Composite), L White (Composite), S Burnand (Composite), R Fitzgerald (Naenae), L Pouwhare (Composite), A Temple (Composite), A Bateman (Composite), N Grimshaw (Composite), C Andrews (Paritutu), J Edwards (Composite), D Strawbridge (Kensington), D Taylor (Wanganui), V McEldowney (New Plymouth), A Muir (Composite), R Stratford (Composite), D White (Composite), L Stewart (Hikurangi), D Patterson (Composite)

Mens Pairs

3 Wins:

R Girvan (Composite), R Park (Wanganui), K Burney (Composite), J Brosnan (Composite), S Settle (Hinuera), K Fitness (Composite), S Hoeft (Pt Chevalier), B Robertson (Composite), G Murfitt (West End), S Roberts (Nolantown), R Gregory (Composite), A Johnston (Johnston Park), D Bennett (Composite), D Brophy (Composite), J Russell (Glen Eden), R Martin (Composite), G Mounsey (Paritutu), J Cottam (Paritutu), L Guy (Victoria), C MacDonnell (Riverside), K Adley (Naenae), C Lander (Sorrento), J Horwell (Composite), S Mitchell (Hikurangi), A Forsyth (Composite), B Candy (Composite),

2 Wins:

C Simpson (Composite), J Hill (Composite), T Osment (Composite), P Sorensen (Napier), R Ashton (Carlton Cornwall), I Mahoney (Composite), L Newman (Victoria), B Looker (Composite), T Rayner (Composite), T Taiaroa (Composite), G Lilley (West End), T Moyle (Composite), W Marsic (Carlton Cornwall), C Le Lievre (Composite), G McEldowney (New Plymouth), W Bellringer (New Plymouth), G O'Sullivan (Inglewood), R Hocking (Composite), R Greaney (Elmwood), D Goodin (Paritutu), M Noble (Takaro), G Hassall (Composite),

N Sole (West End), S Harrison (Composite), G Lawson (Composite), P Belliss (Composite), B Seath (Vogeltown, K Deegan (Opunake), C Gawith (Coromandel), J Zittersteijn (Vogeltown), S Cottam (Paritutu), C Johns (West End), D Watt (Lepperton), G Slattery (Hinuera), J Linn (West End), G Ruane (Composite), N Hill (Composite), C Cherri (Palmerston North), C Gush (Northern), B Walton (Composite), D Drummond (Composite), P Corney (Aramoho), T Wood (Composite), D Christensen (Paritutu), G Pease (Composite),

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