The 2021 One-Bowl Singles title was contested on Saturday as a prelude to the visit by the Tweed Heads/Coolangatta Travelling Bowlers.
This is the second year that our members have tried their skills in the unique one-bowl format to claim the mantle as the club’s best draw bowler and to have their name engraved upon the Bob McKibbin Memorial Trophy. This year a large and talented field lined up to accept the challenge.
After several engrossing elimination rounds, the field was reduced to the two finalists, Chris Cole and John McGovern. Chris and John had displayed great skill and composure under pressure to get to the final. Chris produced a magnificent resting toucher in the final requiring John to produce something very special if he was to win the match. As the bowl approached the head the large crowd took an empathetic breath believing the impossible or unlikely was about to eventuate. However, Chris and the crowd orchestrated a collective sigh as John’s bowl slowly slid past the jack. Raels McKibbin, for the second year in succession, had the privilege of presenting the trophy to a fellow lady bowler, Chris Cole.
The 2021 Mixed Fours Championship culminated on Sunday in very different conditions with the four remaining sides going toe to toe in the morning to decide who would advance to the afternoon’s final. Barb Backshall, Sue Lindsay, Cliffe Vagg and Steve Butler commenced their game against Monica Parker, Marianne Jenner, Tracey Jenner and Ian Parker a little slowly but soon demonstrated why they had made their way through the earlier rounds as fought back to trail by a paltry two shots, 11 to 13, after 17 ends of play. However, the Jenner-Parker quartet showed their class and experience to claim the remaining four ends and a spot in the final with a 17 – 11 victory.
The second semi-final was also a very close, low scoring affair with After 16 ends of play the precocious team of Gloria Davis, Robyn McPherson, Brett Pingel and Ron Smidt were tied with the adroit combination of Julie Coulter, Jane Pearson, Greg Johnson and Peter Forrester at 12 shots each.
Following the penultimate end, Peter and his side grabbed the lead by a single shot and hoped to control the final end of play and advance to the final. However, once against the ‘Pork Chop’ inspired ensemble of bowlers showed their collective desire and claimed the necessary two shots to take the game by 17 – 16.
The final promised to be a game to remember and even under threatening skies a large crowd developed to witness one of the last championship finals of the year. Monica, Marianne, Tracey and Ian started the game intently and a small but significant lead and at the halfway point of the final led by nine shots to seven. Gloria, Robyn, Brett and Ron displayed great character and continually challenged for dominance and after 17 ends and trailing by only two shots, 13 to 11, it appeared that they may be a chance. However, just as they had responded all through the championship, Monica, Marianne, Tracey and Ian capitalised upon every and any opportunity in the remaining ends to take the championship by 17 – 11.
Don Freeman