The successful Tura Tornadoes team of Teresa Hamer, left, Lilli Pucci, Cis Neilson, Lola Wallis, Joy Clarke, Jan Duncombe, Wilma Rusling, Carol Hayes. Absent: Lyn Govey.
The focus of the Sapphire Coast bowls community switched to Candelo Bowling Club on Saturday where this year’s edition of the Drakes Pride Sapphire Coast Super 6s competition was decided.
With a large crowd on hand, the Tura Tornadoes showed why they are revered in local bowls circles when they managed to pull away from the Merimbula Sapphire’s over the concluding stages to take out the inaugural ladies title.
With Merimbula entering the game as slight favourite, it was the experience of Tura’s Jan Duncombe, Sis Neilson and Joy Clarke that proved telling.
Duncombe controlled her singles game for the most part securing the early points; this appeared to be just the spark required for the Tura girls. With Kerrie Burns and Rosemary Dale darting away to an 8-1 lead over Sis Neilson and Lily Pucci, Duncombe’s performance appeared to inspire them, and with some brilliant shot play the girls secured 10 shots over the next four ends putting the Sapphire’s hopes of securing the inaugural crown to rest.
With the Sapphire Coast already having a high level of lady bowlers competing, all ladies involved agreed that the experience of contesting an event such as this will only further enhance that status.
It will surely be an exciting 12 months ahead for Sapphire Coast lady bowlers with many talented players vying for titles.
In the men’s decider, Bega proved too classy for Tathra.
With a surprise defeat in the semi-final, it was Bega’s Dylan Cuthbert that stole the show in the grand final.
With renewed focus the young Bega star set about a demolition of his more experienced Tathra opponent.
Cuthbert controlled the game from the outset and in a match that lasted less than an hour he put a 21-11 victory on the score board to set up his experienced Bega team-mates.
With early points in the bank it was again Ken Snowden and Richard Cock that steered the ship home.
The experienced duo seemed unfazed by the extravagant shot play of their talented Tathra opposition managing to win their tie by six shots leaving it up to the triples team to finish off the whitewash by securing a four shot victory on their rink.
Snowden’s brilliant exhibition of control on the day saw him named as the player of the finals series with Cuthbert’s singles performance in the final putting all Sapphire Coast bowlers on notice that he means business.
This year’s event has seen one of the most keenly fought tournaments hosted on the Sapphire Coast for many years.
Event organiser and Club Sapphire bowls development officer Michael Wilks acknowledged the support of the sponsors Drakes Pride, and announced that next year’s event will return with some new and improved formats.
The Sapphire Coast’s focus will now switch to pennants competition and district titles over the coming months, anyone interested in trying bowls should approach their local club who will gladly welcome them onto the green to have a go.