Women’s triples, fours Waikato champion of champions
Te Awamutu Bowling Club enhanced their proud record in Waikato champion of champions events scooping two of the eight titles at stake on finals day at Puta¯ ruru.
Janet Officer (skip), Margaret Littlewood and Gael Connolly took out the women’s triples, winning a nail-biting final against Frankton Junction 16-15 on an extra end after Officer, with her last bowl, played the perfect shot to remove her opposition’s bowl that was holding shot.
The triumphant Te Awamutu women’s four of Dawn Small (skip), Lynda Bennett (3), Noeline Donaghy (2) and Nevenka Drnasin (lead) beat Rewa 21-17 in the final.
The closely contested match turned on its head when a Bennett drive put the jack in the ditch, resulting in three shots for her team after being two down on the head.
“Staging all the champion of champions finals (singles, pairs, triples, fours for men and women) on the same day at Puta¯ruru proved a resounding success, creating a great atmosphere,” said a jubilant Littlewood.
“Our two teams were fortunate to have 18 fellow club members, partners and supporters make the trek to Putaruru to support us.
“They gave us that little extra bit of lift to rise to the occasion.”
The victorious triples team won all nine matches to take the title, starting with six wins on the bounce at Victoria Park to become Te Awamutu club champions to advance to Hillcrest where they won two further matches to progress to the final.
First up at Hinuera, the Te Awamutu trio caused a boil-over beating Hinuera 18-17. The much-vaunted Hinuera team comprised Waikato Gold Star holders (five Centre titles) Margaret Reed and Jenny Welch, and Marilyn McLeod, winner of two New Zealand open singles and pairs.
Game two resulted in a 15-12 win over Puta¯ ruru.
Te Awamutu’s triumphant four followed up their five wins to become club champions with hard fought wins over Te Ku¯ iti and Hinuera at Hillcrest enroute to the final.
Victory was achieved over Te Ku¯ iti by one shot on the last end when skip Rosemary McGill produced the match winner with her last bowl.
The Hinuera four included titles in the three star players that represented their club in the triples. Te Awamutu emerged the victors by a difference of four points despite dropping a rare seven shots on one of the 15 ends.
McGill, the team’s regular skip, was unavailable for the final. Her replacement Noeline Donaghy played at No. 2 with Small being promoted to skip.
Lynda Bennett, winner of the Australian disabled singles in 2017 securing $1000 prize money, had further success taking out the Waikato champion of champions mixed pairs partnered by her Hinuera club-mate Kevin Smith, beating Bill and Allison Winter (Cambridge Central) by five points in the final. In doing so, Bennett (a dual member at Te Awamutu and Hinuera) claimed her fifth Centre title and Gold Star.
Te Awamutu Bowling Club has won Waikato champion of champions titles nearly every year since 2000.
Over the past 17 years the only era the club has missed out was in 2013 and 2014.