Marshall and Bickley crowned State Sue Geeves Mixed Pairs Champions

by Rob McGuire on January 8, 2024

Playing outstanding bowls all week, Port Sorell’s young guns Cody Marshall and Amity Bickley were crowned Bowls Tasmania’s 2024 Sue Geeves Open Mixed Pairs Champions today in a high-quality grand final at Club Beltana.  

Consistent overnight rain slowed the Club Beltana green significantly which did not suit their opponents, Club Beltana’s Tony Vince and Invermay’s Kim Saunders.   Playing long ends on the slow green soon paid dividends for Marshall and Bickley who raced out to an eight-shot lead after four ends and a match-winning sixteen-shot lead after just nine ends.   Vince and Saunders called an end to the contest after playing just twelve of the scheduled fifteen ends with Marshall and Bickley leading by fifteen shots.

In high quality semi-finals in the morning, Marshall and Bickley had a convincing eighteen shot win over Dover RSL’s Tim Norris and Kingborough’s Janene Stubbs and Vince and Saunders scored two shots on the final end to force their semi-final against Ulverstone’s Bailey Bellchambers and Chloe Flanagan into an extra end which they won by two shots.

Marshall and Bickley, who are both members of Bowls Australia’s Pathways Jackaroo’s Squad,  will now represent Tasmania in the 2024 Australian Open Mixed Pairs Championships which will be held in October 2024.

Sectional play for the Bowling Arm Singles Championships was also held at Club Beltana today with section winners being Heather Jones, Geoff Buchanan, Gaylene Elsworthy, Vaughan Eaves, John Burley, Chris Sturzaker, Bill Mottershead and Michael Shingles.

Gala Week continues on Tuesday  with sectional play in the prestigious Men’s Triples Championship being played at Club Beltana and Rosny Park and the Women’s Triples Championship at New Norfolk.   The B Grade Men’s Triples Championship will be played at Rosny Park.   Post-sectional play and semi-finals will be played at Club Beltana in the Bowling Arm Singles Championship.

The championships conclude at Club Beltana on Wednesday.