Tawanui’s vintage year
Tawanui – Tawa Big – was New Zealand’s most successful indoor bowls club in 2014.
Formed in 1953, its 26 members were a commanding presence in the centre challenges in the lower North Island and also at the national championships in Taradale.
Tawanui members also won nine of the 14 open title events staged in the Wellington region.
Open events can be entered by any member of a club affiliated to any New Zealand centre.
Closed events are restricted to members of clubs affiliated to the hosting centre.
Tawanui is affiliated to North Wellington.
Kyle Waldron and Jeff Stuart each won their first North Wellington gold star and Paul Voorend won his first Upper Hutt Valley gold star, all having won five titles at those centres.
Experienced Jessie Moffatt again represented the North Island team on a tour of South Island centres, and retaining her women’s pairs title.
Voorend and Avon Compton reached the pairs semi-finals at the national championships and Grant Rayner skipped a combined team to victory in the national triples championship.
Rayner, North Wellington’s selector, recently captained the North Wellington team that clinched the coveted Welch Trophy in Pukekohe.
Of the nine Welch Trophy champions, including the reserve, seven were from Tawanui: Rayner, Voorend, Waldron, Moffatt, Compton, Jeff Stuart and Trevor Rayner.
Tawanui also won all three interclub grades, with Richard Lomakin having the most singles games successes.
Avon Compton won all but one of the 30 singles, pairs and fours he played.
He also won the club pairs and fours, and his teams claimed the subsequent North Wellington champion of championship play-offs.
His pairs lead was Terry Moffatt and his fours team was Peter Layne and David Parsons – each winning their first North Wellington title – and Margaret McLennan.
In the final act of the indoor bowls season, brother and sister Grant and Dale Rayner will this month trial for the New Zealand team for the trans- Tasman test against Australia next year.