The women’s pairs qualifiers have been found on day two at the BLK National Championships, following the completion of six rounds over two days in near perfect weather.
Former world champion pairing Jo Edwards and Val Smith were among many favoured combinations to advance through untroubled in the Dunedin showpiece, with the latter prediction proving true, joining the Amy McIlroy, Sandra Keith and Reen Stratford skipped duos to remain unbeaten heading into section play.
Commonwealth Games medalist Val Smith sends one down at the Taieri HQ.
Other strong line-ups to comfortably progress through to the knock-out stages include the Boyd sisters (Mandy and Angela), defending champions Dale Rayner and Ashleigh Jeffcoat, Blackjack pairing Katelyn Inch and Tayla Bruce, Canadian international Kelly McKerihen, Bev Morel, mother and daughter combo Kirsten Edwards and Leigh Griffin and Southland representative pairing Ange Francis and Gill Swale, who posted five strong wins.
Notable absences going forward include Wellington based players Nicole Toomey and Natasha Russell, who with their respective leads narrowly failed to make the cut, as did the seasoned Central Otago representatives Margaret O’Connor and Linley O’Callaghan, requiring their final fixture against the Boyd sisters, but to no avail, going down 14-17.
Meanwhile, day one of the men’s pairs got underway at surrounding greens, with all favoured combinations putting their foot on the gas and clearly looking to get the job done early.
Returning from a shock exit in the men’s singles, Blackjack skipper Ali Forsyth combined expertly with double world champion Gary Lawson to post three straight wins, as did the expected pairings of Mike Kernaghan (Tony Grantham), Shannon McIlroy (Justin Goodwin), Andrew Kelly (Richard Hocking) and Richard Girvan (Michael Beesley).
Defending pairs champion Ashleigh Jeffcoat delivers for skip Dale Rayner in qualifying, completing five strong wins from six starts in Dunedin.
Top performing provincial pairings included Southland’s Craig Merrilees (Brent Thompson), Steve Sanders (Earl Doidge), composite duo of Graeme Hislop (Richard Kerr), Sheldon Bagrie-Howley (Seamus Curtin), brothers Lance and Shane Pascoe, Jamie Hill (Barry O’Brien), Mike Small (Barry Williams) and the Mainland based pairings of Robbie Reed (Trevor Pascoe) and Paul McKinnel (Graham Low) - all posting a clean sweep of victories on their pursuit to post-section and remaining in the box seat come day two of qualifying.
As day three rolls around on Sunday, expect a strong field of contenders in the men’s pairs, having already posted two wins in their own right, to be hot on the heels of their section rivals, looking to complete the minimum four wins to advance and cause some notable upsets along the way.
In other action throughout Dunedin, the hotly contested women’s singles will commence, with dethroning the reigning champion Selina Goddard fixed firmly as the target for her opposition looking to progress.
With approximately 100 of the country’s best players in attendance, including the vast majority of Commonwealth Games’ hopefuls, spectators can expect to be treated to a feast of bowling excellence as 12 sections of 8 go head to head in a bid to claim the minimum three wins to advance.
Women’s Pairs Qualifiers
Reen Stratford (Composite), Natarsha Grimshaw (Papakura), Lyn Bevin (Composite), Christine Buchanan (Composite), Jacqui Peterson (Omakau), Claire McKee (Composite), Jan Barclay (Taieri), Dale Rayner (Composite), Ange Francis (Te Rangi), Jo Edwards (Composite), Mandy Boyd (Burnside), Kristen Stampa (Compsoite), Wynette McLachlan (Composite) Katelyn Inch (Composite), Sandra Keith (Composite), Amy McIlroy (Composite), Bev Morel (Composite), Kirsten Edwards (Composite), Theresa Woodham (Elmwood Park), Catherine Bien (St Heliers), Dale Bourke (Taieri), Ann Muir (Composite), Raelene Peters (Canterbury), Rima Strickland (Composite), Kelly McKerihen (Composite), Jennifer Dyhrberg (Taieri), Sarah Scott (Composite), Barbara Walker (Composite), Viv Freeth (Beckenham).
