Different colours same result

Dean Gilshnan and his team-mates chalked up back to back Manawatu¯ open men’s fours title, just in different club colours this time.

Gilshnan’s four of Pat Horgan, Matt Pearson and Graeme Cooley won the men’s fours title at Palmerston North on Sunday, beating Erryl Bocock’s Terrace End four of Alistair Anderson, Lance Mahoney and Ken Ferguson 18-9 in the final.

Gilshnan’s team won the fours last year playing for Palmerston North but have shifted to Takaro. There was one change from last year’s team though, with Doug Winter out and Cooley coming in.

It was the second centre title for Pearson, who has some catching up to do with his more experienced team-mates Horgan (23 titles), Gilshnan (12) and Cooley (14).

Gilshnan’s team got out to a 10-0 lead after four ends but Bocock’s four came back to trail 12-9.

Bocock’s team were holding two shots on the second-to-last end, but Horgan moved the jack to give them three shots from that end.

There were repeat offenders in the women’s fours final too, as the Northern four led by Chris Quinn beat Frances Ardern’s Johnston Park team 18-12.

Also in Quinn’s team was Viv Lozell, Noeleen Elston and Carol Davidson. Lozell and Elston were in the Northern team that won the fours title last year.

The rest of Ardern’s team was Tania Harris, Jo Hewitt and Lucy Meredith.

Quinn’s team led 12-1 halfway through the final, but Ardern’s team fought back in the second half.

The women’s pairs final was also on Sunday and the team of Robyn Schischka and Lyn Corbett of Johnston Park beat Terrace End’s Mere Fryer and Lynlea Rogers 20-18.

Fryer’s pair were trailing 20-15 on the last end and needed five shots to draw level, but could only muster three.

Schischka said it was even throughout the final and every time they would get ahead, Fryer and Rogers would catch up.

It was Corbett’s first Manawatu¯ centre title, but she has multiple Ka¯piti Coast titles.