White claws back from nine shots down to claim crown

DEBBIE White has pulled off a remarkable comeback to claim her first national title.

The Hinuera bowler came back from 2011 down to beat Carlton Cornwall’s Selina Goddard 2120 in the women’s singles final of the national singles and pairs championships in Auckland.

White trailed the 2017 champion by nine shots, before start ing her comeback by picking up one shot on the 20th end.

She followed that with a four, three and a one on the next three ends to level the match.

Goddard put the pressure back on and held two after her first two bowls of the 24th end.

But White responded by playing the matchwinning shot to claim the title.

Meanwhile, in the men’s final, Hillcrest’s Tony Fabling came up short after coming from 151 down to beat Shannon McIlroy in his semifinal.

He was beaten 2115 by Mangere 21yearold Taylor Horn in yesterday’s final.

Fabling was able to tie the score at 77 and 1010, but that was as close as he came to Horn.

Leading 1412, Horn scored a two and added one on the next end to lead 1712.

Fabling replied with a two, but Horn managed a pair of twos to take the win.

In the pair’s championships, Mangere’s Jordan King and Chris Lowe won the men’s final and New South Wales’ Lisa Prideaux and Val Smith won the women’s.

King and Lowe claimed a tight 2019 win, although had to come from behind to get it.

They shot out to a 70 lead, before Thames’ Karl Garrett and Coromandel’s Colin Gawith took the lead at 1110 and extended that to 1611.

The women’s final went a similar way.

Smith was dominant early and helped her and Prideaux race out to an 80 lead. But Carlton Cornwall’s Linda Ralph and Aramoho’s Reen Stratford fought back in front at 1714.

However, the SmithPrideuax duo finished stronger to claim a 2018 victory.