Wellington Bowls Report: March 22 2025

Jason Puddick joined Adam Cooper to look at the local bowls scene, including celebrating more Wellington success at the National Intercentre competition.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
First up, as we always do through the summer months.
Around this time, we tapped bowls. Jason Puddock is here
morning to you.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Jason morning coaps.

Speaker 1 (00:08):
Well we chatted last week of course the enders Center
Nationals were in town across the Wellington region last weekend Jason,
and obviously it was all going on then, so let
us know how things panned up and from where we
picked off last picked up last week.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Yeah, So obviously on Sad Day morning we kicked off
with a couple of games of section play to begin with.
On the women's side of it, they were in third place,
tied with Canterbury. We'll second equal tip with Canterbury going
into the day. They drew with Gisbone East Coast in
the morning one and a half games each. Unfortunately, Canterbury

(00:42):
tipped over the unbeaten y Kaddow team two to one.
Now in that competition the Canbary fours got up by
one shot and then that was quite important for them
because that gave Canterbury then a one match point lead
over Wellington going into the last round. Now, Wellington swept
West Coast three new in their last game, buttionally it
wasn't enough as Canterbury won their game as well, so

(01:04):
that section finished with Canterbury in first place on ten
points or ten match points. Why Katta was second on
ten match points in Wellington missing out in the playoff spots,
finishing on nine match points. So that we actually won
that game in the morning against Gisbon three nil, they
would have gone through in first place, but unfortunately, but
a great effort by the Wellington woman tipping over Canterbury

(01:24):
as well along the way, so it was a great
effort for the men. Well that's a different story going
in the first place. On Saturday morning they then swept
Gisbon East Coast three nil, so going into their last
section play game they only had to win one game
against Marlborough to guaranteed top spot. They did that comfortably,
although they drew the match one and a half each,
left them on top of their table on eight match points.

(01:47):
Southland were tied with Terror on seven match points, with
Southland game through in that section on a countback, so
off they went on Saturday afternoon to play quarter final
down at Johnsonville where they came up against North Lynn.
Now this was a battle of attrition. The conditions were
a bit tricky and there was a couple of nervous
selectors standing on the sideline watching this one, but they

(02:09):
did get up to one with the singles Ray Marden
winning twenty five twenty one, the peers of Finmbarmagwigan and
Robbie Byrd winning fourteen twelve. The fours didn't finish their game.
They were fourteen seventeen down they going into the last end,
but two match wins earlier was enough to secure that too.
On win so off they went nine nice Sunday morning

(02:30):
playing Bay Penny, who had been unbeaten through the tournament
until that point, and Wellington swept them three n quite comfortably.
There's no real nerves going into that one. That set
up the blockbuster final in the afternoon against a strong
Auckland team and although this was I guess we thought
this might be a bit close, but in the end

(02:51):
Wellington were a bit too strong, winning the pairs twenty
points to three, winning the fours twenty two ten singles
didn't finish. That's a race to twenty five. That was
twenty one twenty four behind when those other games finished
they didn't have to play, so that's a win over
Auckland in the final two to one, So great stuff
by Wellington there. It's the third year in a row

(03:11):
they've won this tournament that has matched other centers in
the past and Eden, Cannabury and Tarnicke have all won
three in a row, but no one's won four in
a row. So next year it's going to be a
big one for these boys as they're head off and
trying to fend that title again. So well done to
Ray Martin, Finn, Bar McGuigan, Robbie Bird, Blake Signal, Ben King,
you and Wrong, Steve Ditford, Sam Ellison and Rod Leach

(03:33):
who was a selector for the third year in a row.
So fantastic effort to defend that title. And also a
special mention to Robbie Bird who picked up a silver
star for five national titles.

Speaker 1 (03:44):
Wow, great stuff, great resulting. Congratulations to all those names
you've mentioned and everyone involved with their campaigns as well,
like friends and family. Absolutely brilliant result yet again for
the Wellington team. And yeah he's hoping Jason they can
reach that milestone of four next year. Eh.

Speaker 2 (03:59):
Yeah. Look, and it's a fairly young team so you
know there's maybe not a lot of changes if they
all keep their form and they're all playing. There's no
reason why these boys can't go out and do it
again next year. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (04:11):
Great, So okay, and we've got some open pairs to
look at.

Speaker 2 (04:15):
Yeah, so the first Credit Union Open Pairs starts today.
We've got a defending champs on the men's side from
bar mcgwigg and Mike Carroll from Stakes Valley, and on
the women's side, Pam Mulford and val Hadfield from Plymourton.
Both teams back to defend their title, so they'll be
up for it. On the women's side of the drawer,
fifty teams entered. That's up from forty last year, so

(04:37):
a great result there, I think. Again. The names to
watch out for the ones we always mentioned Dale Rayner
and Karen Gildford who finished in the quarterfinals at the
National Fours earlier this year. Wendy Mackey and Kenny Critchlow
from Niner was going to be a bit tough, and
Vicky Lee Rumuera and Kushler Hormona from Waynu. We won
to watch. Vicky Lee's having a great year, so she

(04:59):
will look to continue. But I'd say this field is
pretty even, so we could see anybody win this one.
On the men's side of it, we've got ninety six
teams up from eighty eight last year, so another great
result there. Teams to watch out for Blake signal coming
off that national and decent to win with John Bryan
from States Valley, Phil Todd and Wayne Coleman from Johnsonville,

(05:19):
always tough to beat. Ben King and Robbie Bird from Victoria.
This is an interesting one because Robbie Bird played for
Statesville in the Open fours nine A in the Open singles.
He's now playing for Victoria in the Open pears, so
he's got that many clubs that boys should take up golf,
I think rather than bowls. Logan and Brady Amer from Johnsonville.

(05:42):
The brother's here, always a tough one to watch and
another bit of an outsider here Stephen and John Zeno
from Ireland Bay. Father and son John Zeno has been
in some pretty good format of the last couple of years.
Stephen back in the game in the last two years,
but as a very capable roller, so they're not a
dark horse to watch out for.

Speaker 1 (06:02):
Wonderful there are plenty of our hopes and chances there.
From a Wellington perspective, wonderful. Jay's good to catch up
as always chatting bowls and we'll Chett again Nick Saturday.

Speaker 2 (06:11):
No problem. Thanks Coops. For more from News Talks' b
Listen live on air or online, and keep our shows
with you wherever you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio