Day three at the BLK National Championships in Dunedin has revealed the men’s pairs and women’s singles qualifiers heading into the cut-throat knock-out stages in the days ahead, with players left battling the conditions as the skies opened in most parts of the city.
Concluding the six rounds of section play in the men’s pairs, the prominent combinations made no mistake in stamping their mark, building on the solid platform put down on day one with an unbeaten streak and progressing comfortably to the next chapter.
reigning National Pathways Singles champion Sean O'Neill, in action leading for Peter Hodson of Stoke
In a post-section field littered with current and former New Zealand representatives, it’s evident the cream is beginning to rise to the top in pockets of the tournament with the likes of Mike Kernaghan (Tony Grantham), Shannon McIlroy (Justin Goodwin), Ali Forsyth (Gary Lawson), Andrew Kelly (Richard Hocking), Richard Girvan (Michael Beesley), Peter Hodson (Sean O’Neill), Peter Belliss (Lance Tasker) and top national PBA performers among the mix including Craig Merrilees (Brent Thompson), Andy McLean (Roger Stevens), Duane White (Ray Webster) and Jamie Hill (Barry O’Brien), to name only a few.
Other strong contenders to secure the minimum four qualifying wins include Graeme Hislop (Richard Kerr), Robbie Reed (Trevor Pascoe), Lance Pascoe (Shane Pascoe), Shayne Sincock (Marty Hammond) and top local pairing Craig McCaw and Geoff Wilson, playing out of the Kaikorai Club.
Following a troubled start on day one posting a solitary win from three starts, defending singles champion Dean Elgar and lead Scott Roberts turned the table in today’s results, chalking up a perfect record to keep their title hopes alive.
Not so fortunate pairings include former Blackjack Shaun Scott (Stephen O’Driscoll), South Otago’s Robert Wilson (Glenn Smith), promising youngsters Keanu Darby and Conor Muir and the upset of the day going the way of Australian based Scotsman Ryan Burnett, who paired with Les Inch required their final game to advance - though came unstuck against a rampant duo of Sheldon Bagrie-Howley and Seamus Curtin, who are yet to drop a game.
Blackjack Angela Boyd failed to progress through section play.
Meanwhile, the women’s singles turned out to be a blockbuster day of action with surprise exits in the form of Blackjack Angela Boyd and New Zealand U21 & U18 singles champion Natasha Russell dropping two fixtures to see their tournament hopes dashed, with Boyd going down to the hands of Broadbeach-based Katelyn Inch and Wellington rising star Nicole Toomey, and Russell falling to the experience of Gillian Abel, last year’s runner-up Reen Stratford and Southland development rep Gill Swale.
Other high profile names to miss the cut include Melbourne based Canadian international Kelly McKerihen, 2015 women’s singles champion Leigh Griffin, former World Champion of Champion victor Sandra Keith and former New Zealand development rep Sarah Scott of North East Valley.
In other results, reigning champion Selina Goddard of the Carlton Cornwall Club proved in fine fettle as she stormed out of the blocks in round one posting a 21-0 scoreline, before closing out two strong wins in rounds two and three to advance. Joining Goddard will be fellow Blackjacks Jo Edwards, Val Smith, Katelyn Inch, Tayla Bruce and former New Zealand reps Ashleigh Jeffcoat, Nicole Toomey and the up and comer Glenfield protege Paris Baker, all tallying three important wins.
With qualifiers now found for the men’s and women’s singles and pairs, New Years Day and January 2 will see all eyes turn to the fours format where some top heavy teams will be lining up in a bid to add to their bulging national trophy cabinets.
Looking ahead to post-section in the coming days, a glance through the draw spotlights some mouth-watering clashes in the men’s singles, with former NZ development rep Keanu Darby taking on Auckland’s Rob Ashton, the in form Rory Soden battling former National singles winner Peter Hodson, Lance Pascoe up against Commonwealth Games hopeful Tony Grantham and the all Wellington clash between Laurie Guy and Justin Goodwin.
Other notable games in the women’s pairs include Amy McIlroy and Selina Goddard going head to head with the formidable composite duo of Kristen Stampa and Rhonda Adams, while 2014 national pairs champions Ann Muir and Carolyn Crawford tackle the high performing mother and daughter combination of Kirsten Edwards and Leigh Griffin in what should be exhibition quality matchups for spectators and supporters alike.
Men’s Pairs Qualifiers
Ross Stevens (St Clair), John Latimer (Composite), Peter Hodson (Composite), Duane White (Forbury Park), Neil Atkinson (Composite), Tony Wood (Composite), Alister Watson (Composite), Paul McKinnel (Composite), Bob Sanders (Composite), Caleb Hope (Composite), Ali Forsyth (Composite), Robbie Reed (Composite), Bradley Down (Composite), Rob Ashton (Composite), Scott Harrison (Composite), Sean Thompson (Composite), Raymond Martin (Victoria), David Archer (Taieri), Graham Coppins (Composite), Martin Kreft (Taieri), Nick Sinclair (Composite), Craig Merrilees (Waikiwi), Brian Cooper (Levin), Alvin Gardiner (Composite), Brian Cowie (Milton), Andy McLean (Composite), Peter Belliss (Composite), Michael Wood (Taieri), Shannon McIlroy (Composite), Sheldon Bagrie-Howley (Composite), Graeme Hislop (Composite), Terry Scott (North East Valley), Kerry Becks (Kaiapoi), Jamie Hill (Composite), Mike Solomon (Naenae), Mike Evans (Composite), Matt Tautari (Composite), Richard Girvan (Composite), Robert Gibson (Taieri), Neville Thomson (Balclutha), Laurie Guy (Victoria), Mike Small (Burnside), Phil Stevenson (Outram), Steve Mitchell (Hikurangi), Shayne Sincock (Composite), Craig McCaw (Kaikorai), Dean Elgar (Composite), Mike Kernaghan (Composite), Rod Fleming (Forbury Park), Joko Susilo (Andersons Bay), Andrew Kelly (Composite), Allan Holmes (Maheno), Ewan Kirk (Composite), Lance Pascoe (Composite), Steve Sanders (Te Rangi), Teo Turua (Bridge Park), Paddy Stewart (Composite), Reece Aiken (Fairfield), Barry Aspin (Te Atatu Peninsula).
Women’s Singles Qualifiers
Sherrie Cottle (Elmwood Park), Viv Freeth (Beckenham), Natarsha Grimshaw (Papakura), Jacqui Peterson (Fairfield), Ashleigh Jeffcoat (Frankton Junction), Amy McIlroy (Stoke), Bronwyn Stevens (Te Rangi), Carolyn Crawford (St Clair), Gillian Abel (Beckenham), Tania Woodham (Beckenham), Leanne Chinery (Blaketown), Paris Baker (Glenfield BC), Tayla Bruce (Burnside), Rima Strickland (Grey Lynn), Jo Edwards (Pine Rivers), Cait Bassett (Burnside), Selina Goddard (Carlton Cornwall), Bronwyn Cowie (Balclutha), Sue Helm (Alexandra), Katelyn Inch (Broadbeach), Kay Hammond (North East Valley), Nicole Toomey (Victoria), Dale Rayner (Johnsonville), Ann Muir (Kensington), Val Smith (Merrylands), Kirsten Edwards (Stoke), Lauren Mills (Kensington), Linley O’Callaghan (Alexandra), Serena Matthews (Southbridge), Christine Buchanan (Queenstown), Tessa Hocking (Burnside), Gill Swale (Te Rangi), Reen Stratford (Aramoho), Donelda Scott (Canterbury 2017)
