Victoria’s Bradley Down, Tim Toomey and Richard Corry have sounded an early warning to the rest of their competition at the National Club Championship Men’s Triples - rounding out an unbeaten streak on day one after three rounds.
Hosted at the Browns Bay Bowling Club in the North Harbour, the pleasant weather continued to provide favourable playing conditions, with some fiercely contested games playing out in both the men’s and women’s sections.
Victoria lead Richard Corry, who is a part of the Down-skipped trio currently leading the pack.
Getting off to a strong start in the opening round, the Victoria trio skipped by Down found themselves in very different territory in the second fixture, trailing 11-0 after six ends opposite Palmerston North’s Graeme Cooley, Dean Gilshnan and Ray Boffa - though a spirited fightback saw them draw level at 15-15 heading into the final end.
Holding their nerve right to the last bowl, a single on the final end was enough to secure an impressive comeback, with their efforts clearly spurring them on to a round three victory against the Hinuera side of Gerard Slattery, Paul Casey Jnr and Paul Casey Snr, 21-8.
In other results, the remote Far North club of Kaeo, home to only twelve members, staged a great upset opposite pre-tournament favourites Mike Small, Richard Hocking and Barry Williams of Burnside, with skipper Barrie Johnstone, Allan Martin and Nick Bleychnden doing their country club proud with a 16-13 victory, while Southland’s Northend triple of Lyall Spencer, Iain MacCallum and Alan Bailey were on the receiving end of three losses - bringing an abrupt end to their previously unbeaten run at centre and regional level.
Meanwhile, a mixed bag of results in the women’s field keeps the title chase wide open, with four sides securing two wins from three starts to remain level in contention heading into day two.
Nelson’s Wakefield trio of Margaret Eames, Linda Sisterston and Dianne Holland, Carlton Cornwall’s Alison Rennie, Jill Fraser and Clara Bowman, Queenstown’s Margaret O’Connor, Christine Buchanan and Debra Lloyd and Wanganui’s Dianne Patterson, Lesley Bourke and Karen Hunt all dropped a game, though remain one game ahead of Manawatu’s Lyn Jensen, whose side chalked up one win from three. Tauranga South triple of Sue Hodges, Mary Smale and Mary Campbell were unable to register a win, though will undoubtedly be out to cause an upset or two in rounds four and five.
Crucial fixtures on day two will see Cooley and Small go head-to-head in round four, while Down’s trio will take on Spencer and Co in a match-up that will see the southerners play for pride.
A deciding encounter may prove to be the final round with Down scheduled to line-up opposite Burnside’s Small and team, while Cooley is set to take on Hinuera skipper Slattery - a late replacement for former New Zealand representative Dwayne Cameron who was unable to make the final stage of the event.
Across rinks, key match-ups in the women’s field include a round four encounter between O’Connor and Patterson, while a final showdown between O’Connor and Carlton Cornwall’s Rennie may eventuate as the championship decider - dependent on opening results on Tuesday morning.
