Cooper’s Beach and RSA teams dominate pairs event
The Bowls Far North Centre pairs titles for men and women were completed at RSA and Cooper’s Beach bowling clubs on Saturday and Sunday, December 15 and 16.
The consistency from the Cooper’s Beach combination of Ross Hulme and Jim Naylor set them on their way, claiming the men’s title 15-12 and also giving Naylor his first centre title. The other qualifiers were eventual runners-up David Hood and Dave Williams (Kerikeri) along with Peter Dorreen and Paul Huxtable, Mike Reddy and Greg Taylor (RSA), Brett Dick and Ian Holley (Opo), and Barrie Johnstone and Nick Blechynden (Kaeo).
The women’s section was convincingly won by the RSA combination of Jill Phillips and Adele Gardner (RSA) against Margaret Wildbore and Glenis Love (Cooper’s). It was also noted despite not having been playing very many bowls at centre level this season, Gardner claimed a Gold Star for winning her fifth centre title.
The other qualifiers in the women’s section were Christine Hodren and Ellaine Albury (Kerikeri) and Hoki Cassidy and Linda Fowlie (Opononi).
A report noted that as the two junior bowlers in the finals, the Opononi duo were guilty of making some poor decisions including not visiting the head, which came down to inexperience and the pair should learn from this as they progress.
Congratulations went to the winners and runners-up, and thanks to the host clubs for looking after the players, kit- chen ladies, greenkeepers, bar staff, match controllers and umpires.