Bright start to Tasmanian Senior Championships

by Rob McGuire on February 11, 2024

A sunny day on the North-West Coast made for a bright start to the Bowls Tasmania’s State Senior (Over 60’s) Bowls Championships which commenced in Burnie today with sectional play in the Men’s and Women’s Fours Championships.

The Men’s Senior Fours Championship is wide open with the winners and runners-up from 2023 not competing this year.   Ricki Richardson and his team of David Jeffrey, Grant Youd and Harvey Clark were undefeated in their section as was the Devonport Country Club combination of Ian Moore, Dean Martin, John Heger and Leon Webb.   Latrobe’s Greg Douce teamed up with Burnie’s Joe Simpson, John Neal and Pat Saltmarsh to win their section despite being held to a draw in their final game against the Southern combination of Geoff Doyle, Mick Coppleman, Michael Andersch and Mal O’brien.  The last section was very tight with three teams winning two games each with a total shot difference of just four shots separating top and third position. In the end, it was the North West combination of Paul Bugg, Graeme Hodgetts, Noel Purton and Don Ralston that just edged out pre-event favourites in the northern combination of David Minns, Chris Lee, David Heron and Ray Boucher.

Richardson and Bugg will play off in the first semi-final on Tuesday afternoon at 12.30pm at Burnie with Douce and Moore playing off in the other semi-final.   The winners will meet in the grand final scheduled to commence at 3pm.

Reigning State Over 60’s Women’s Fours Champions Carol Bannister, Robyn Leggett, Jacqueline Phillips and Jan Hobbs were undefeated in winning their section and are straight through to the  grand final.   Winners of the other two sections were also undefeated.    Rae Simpson and her team of Kim Saunders, Debbie Lee and Jean Claridge convincingly won their section with a shot difference of +26.   Jeanette Lane, Judy Gurr, Maxine Monson and Helen Sturzaker won their section by a similar margin with a shot difference of +19.

Simpson  and Lane will play off in the first semi-final at 9.30am on Tuesday morning with the winner playing Bannister in the grand final scheduled to commence at 12.30pm at Burnie.

The Seniors Championships continues on Monday with over 120 bowlers converging on the Burnie, South Burnie and Penguin Bowls Clubs with post-sectional play in the Men’s and Women’s Senior Pairs Championships.