Tasmanian Lawn Bowls Championships Underway
The best bowlers in Tasmania are on show in Bowls Tasmania’s State Championships which commenced in Burnie today and will continue until Friday. The Burnie Bowls Club is hosting the event, supported by the South Burnie, Penguin and Ulverstone Bowls Clubs.
State championship honours are up for grabs in Open and B Grade men’s and women’s singles, pairs and fours. The championships also include disability singles and pairs and bowling arm triples and Fours events.
“Bowls Tasmania has worked really hard to showcase the sport. The number of entries continues to grow, and we are confident with the terrific support of lawn bowlers from all parts of Tasmania that we will see continued success in the gala week of bowls which is the biggest lawn bowls event in Tasmania” said Bowls Tasmania CEO Rob McGuire.
The championships kicked off today with sectional play in the men’s and women’s open fours championships. Sectional winning skips in the men’s open championships were Scott Summers, Tim Douce, Patrick Smith, Michael Taylor, Nick Courto and Josh Walker-Davis. In the open women, teams led by Carol Bannister, Erin Moore, Makayla Gibson and Barb Smith are through to the finals tomorrow.
The first two championships were decided today In the men’s and women’s B Grade fours championships. In a very tight competition, the men’s B Grade fours championship was won by South Burnie’s Mark Smith, Tony Haneveer, Chris Pearson and Danny Clark on a countback from Penguin’s Tim Sargent, Brian Yaxley, Harry Marshall and Dorian Williams. A composite team from Penguin and Cosgrove Park remained undefeated to win the women’s B Grade championship . Kelly Gilchrist, Pam Lade, Shaz Hyland and Sharon Williams defeated another composite team from Penguin and Ulverstone consisting of Pat Howard, Janet Ling, Rosalie Winduss and Elaine Saville.
All the action on Sunday is at Burnie where post-sectional and finals for the men’s and women’s open four’s championships will be played with play to start at 9.30am and grand finals at 3.30pm. Bowls Tasmania will be live streaming the women’s open championship grand final on its Facebook page from 3.30pm.