The composite duo of Lisa White and Trish Coot had smiles as wide as the green, taking out the revered Good Home Birkenhead $6500 Women’s Pairs and securing the Chinery Swart Cup.

Now in its 10th year, the Birkenhead tournament has grown from strength to strength, attracting top pairings from all pockets of the country, with players looking to add their names to the history archives and take out the generous $1500 winners’ cheque.

This year’s event, endorsed as part of the Bowls NZ Summer of Bowls programme, promised plenty, featuring the likes of past and present New Zealand representatives and a plethora of top-performing locals.

And for those watching on, the action certainly lived up to its billing.

Day one saw the thirty combinations play four games of section play in a bid to make the cut for the Top 16 and keep their title hopes afloat. At the completion of play, few surprises were thrown up, with the majority of favoured sides doing enough to stay among the mix.

White, a popular Bowls3Five personality from the Stokes Valley Vipers, and partner Croot, a consistent homegrown performer, were both in irrepressible form throughout, taking their chances when required and holding their nerve at crucial stages of knockout play.

Awaiting them in the final were White’s fellow Bowls3Five competitors in Point Chevalier’s Jenny Stockford and Angela Temple – Stockford a key part of the winning Pirates’ combination and Temple, well known for her dancing styles and supportive ways week in, week out.

Though it was nothing but business for Stockford and Temple on this occasion, combining expertly to advance through to the Grand Finale following a resounding semi-final win opposite Leanne Poulson and Queensland-based former Australian representative Marilyn Emerton, 17-7.

The other semi-final saw White and Croot account for last year’s runner-ups Sue Wightman and Ann Muir, taking control of the game 14-9 over 14-ends and closing out the trophy.

Meanwhile, the pairing of Milika Nathan and Karen Hema proved victorious in the Cup A Flight, with former New Zealand international Wendy Jensen and partner Paulette Mytton finishing runner-up.

Across rinks, the formidable combination of Anne Dorreen and Lisa Parlane enjoyed a memorable win opposite the recently crowned National Women’s Singles champion Debbie White and Central Otago campaigner Christine Buchanan, with Dorreen’s win securing the B Flight.

In other results, Donna Jackison and Karen Forrest took out the First Consolation tier, while Chris Pegg and Jenny Jones came away with the top prize in the Second Consolation tier, rounding out another busy weekend at the Birkenhead Club.

With another successful month clocked up, organisers are already turning their attention to next year when both the Men’s and Women’s premier pairs’ events will return and competition for entries expected to be high all-round.

-END

                                                                                                                        -Sam Morton

Results at a Glance
The Good Home Birkenhead $6500 Women’s Pairs, Birkenhead

Cup Championship
Winners – Trish Croot, Lisa White
Runners-up – Jenny Stockford, Angela Temple

Cup A Flight
Winners – Milika Nathan, Karen Hema

Cup B Flight
Winners – Anne Dorreen (s), Lisa Parlane

First Consolation
Winners –Donna Jackison, Karen Forrest

Second Consolation
Winners – Chris Pegg , Jenny Jones