Open State Wide Challenge RD 1 & 2
The first round of the Bowls Tasmania State Wide Challenge is set to kick off this Sunday 29th October at the North Launceston Bowls Club from 10am.
Bowls North are the hosts of rounds 1 and 2 this year and will therefore host the second side for this round with the opportunity to gain some bonus points early in their bid to defend both the men’s and women’s open shields.
Round 1 in the men’s division sees North 1 take on the North West. Having held the shield for most of the past decade before relinquishing it last year, Bowls North West will be looking to get on the board early with their chance for bonus points coming in the final round next February. In the first match ups of the day we see last seasons Crocker Medalist, Tim Douce skipping rink 1 with Australian Junior representative Lachlan Sims stepping up as third and supported in the front by Brodie Baker and Scott Summers taking on Aaron Jago who has just been elevated to the men’s state squad for the first time this year supported by Tasmanian representative Chris Dudman, Luke Marshall and Jake Wyllie.
Tasmanian state skipper Michael Sims will take the reins of rink 2 supported by the experience of over 150 state caps in David Minns, along with Andrew Whitmore and Matthew Jackson. They will take on Burnie’s David Gamble Port Sorells Josh Marshall, Latrobe’s Phil Mundy and state fours champion Cameron Griffiths leading up front. In our final match up of game 1 we see Tasmanian teammates Robert McMullen and Aaron Page team up with Trevallyn young guns Josh Appleyard and Josh Walker-Davis against the state skip and three combination of Mark Nitz and Patrick Smith along with Latrobe’s Clinton Steers and state fours champion Cameron Griffiths.
In our other men’s first round match we have the North’s second side taking on Bowls South. State Singles Champion Taelyn Male is skipping the south’s first rink of Keghan Booth, Bryce Guy and David Douce against Daniel Baker, Corey Bowerman, Wayne Odgen and Damien Lewis.
The second match up has Australian Champion of Champions gold medalist Lee Schraner with the all Rosny Park side of Michael Sweeney, with Paul Williams and Brad Griffiths in their first representative games for Bowls South having just moved here from Victoria. They take on East Launceston’s Adam Gurr and the Springer brothers, Will and Sam, joined by Longfords Joe Thomas in the seconds spot.
In the final match up of the men’s first round the under 30 rink of Josh Mabb, Josh Baker, Peter Bannister and Mitchell Banks who have all represented Tasmania in junior or under 25 ranks previously take on Invermay’s Gene Ayton who has recently relocated to the North with former Tasmania representative Chris Roach, Kane Stewart and Brett Avent.
The women’s draw follows the same path as the men’s with the Northern first team taking on the North West in round one. State Skipper Candice Hodgetts will be representing the North for the first time after relocating this season and will be joined by state teammate Rae Simpson, Chris Direen and Jean Claridge against the all Penguin team of Karen Redman, Alison Venn, Gaylene Elsworthy and Bronny King.
Rebecca Van Asch rejoins the North’s first side to team up with her state third Courtney Hobbs, along with Australian Junior triples silver medalist Logyn Curtis and Satya Springer taking on Tasmanian and Longford teammates Erin Sesara and Dee Harman teamed with Val Carey and Noelene Pruton.
Rounding out the North 1 versus North West is the all Invermay rink of Kim Saunders, Deb Lee, Vicki Winley and Jess McMullen against Devonports Jennifer Dargavel, South Burnie’s Rose’Anne Howard, Viewmont’s Barbara Loane and Australian Junior silver medalist Ebony White.
In the other matches on Sunday morning the North’s second side will compete against Bowls South. Sandy Bay’s Carmel Rainbird, State Senior representative June Guy, Dover’s Sheryl Phillips and Tasmanian Junior Singles Champion Jorja Maughan are pitted against Tasmanian Senior teammates Judy Gurr and Bev Huett, Longford’s Jillian Dixon and Michelle Johnson from West Launceston.
Having been elevated to the Tasmanian Open Squad this season Jenny Tirant is skipping Bowls South’s second rink and is joined by former Tasmanian representative Rosie Geeves, Australian Open Fours Champion Amelia Bruggy who has also recently been included in the Tasmanian women’s squad and Tasmanian junior representative Lauren Banks are lined up against Maxine Monson and Barbara Smith who have recently returned from state representative duties at the Australian Senior Championships along with Heather Thompson and Coralie Parsons.
In our final match up of the mornings matches Tasmanian skipper Lyn Triffitt, Sally-Ann Ridgeway, Vicki Bannister and Tasmanian Junior representative Casey Cornish play Karen Stewart, Madge Strochnetter, Robyn Zoon and Colleen Davis who has also recently returned from the Australian Senior Sides.
All results will be updated online and results can be found here for MEN and WOMEN.
CONDITIONS OF PLAY
DRAWS
MEN
Round 1
North 1 vs NW
North 2 vs South
Round 2
North 1 vs South
North 2 vs NW
WOMEN
Round 1
North 1 vs NW
North 2 vs South
Round 2
North 1 vs South
North 2 vs NW
