CSB - Kevin Hickland - World Bowls Champion of Champions

Recapping the champions of champions bowls world champs. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Whether it's gun boots or rugby boots. The Country Sport
Breakfast has you covered on gold Sport, your home of
live commentary. Well time to talk bowls now on the show.
Fifty champion bowlers thirty nations competed in the twenty second
World Bowls Champion of Champions Singles in this past week

(00:21):
in Auckland at Brown's Bay on the north shore in Auckland.
Pretty good weather up until the playoffs when it all
sort of turned to rubbish really. Kevin Hecklin was there
watching the action.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Morning Kevin here, Good morning Brian, and yes, certainly Saturday
the weather gods didn't shine kindly on the north shore
of Auckland and the players were sort of met with
off the green on the green environment, with rain, sod
and green squeege in the greens throughout the day and
playing with puddles on the green and that. But they

(00:51):
got through the day, got through the World Champion of
Champion Singles and what an occasion for million eighth in
the seventy year bowler who the tong and representative who
plays out of the Birkenhead Club in Auckland, who in
his semi final match defeated Steph Brentford of England in
a tiebreaker, real close one. And then of course other

(01:13):
semi finals saw the defending champion and Noons of the
USA up against Lannie mcgorman of the Australia, and it
was the defending champion that ran out the winner and
the Noons, but the defending champion had no answer for
the tongue and the Tongan girl, Millie Nathan, and it

(01:34):
was the New Zealand title. The world title won by
Millie Nathan by two sets to love, five four five three,
so a convincing winner in challenging conditions in Birkenhead. Sorry
on the North Shore plays at Birkenhead, but of course
they were playing at Browns Bay. Not to be though,

(01:54):
for our twenty five year old New Zealand singles player
Aiden Takara formerly appoints Chevalier Auckland are now playing out
of Southland. He defeated Pat Bird of Canada, and in
the other semifinal, Lee Strainer of Australia, a previous winner
of the World Champions Champion Singles, he defeated Ross Owen
of Wales and in that semi final, and then it

(02:17):
was Takara and Trainer going head to head and it
was the Australian that ran out the winner. Trainer, of course,
without doubt, one of the best bowlers in the world.
But what a magnificent performance by Aidan. Take around and
if you look at Regod Bryan for this year starting
in January, he won the he won the Burnside Under

(02:38):
twenty six singles, he won the New Zealand Singles, runner
up in the Oceania Singles, just held just part of
the World Champion of Champion Singles and now they're runner
up in the World Champion Champion Singles. So a big
future in front of the young twenty five year old,
fantastic draw player, and I'm sure we're going to see

(03:00):
Aiden takera not too distant future lining up for our
back jacks.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
He had a great tournament, really Aiden. I mean he
didn't drop too many games right across the course of
the tournament, really did he?

Speaker 2 (03:12):
Oh, I know, he was pretty You know, you've got
to remember that, you know the final that we saw
Sprainer in the first set, but they tied the second set.
Of course, that was Strainer winning the first set. That
was enough to give him the title. So you know
Aidan Takera was not far away from from bringing home
gold in this Champion champions Singles. But you know that

(03:33):
we're certainly made the exceptionally challenging on Saturday. As I say,
the volunteers were squeezing water off the green from morning
right through the late in the afternoon when the finals
were completed. So four marks to the Browns Boy Club
and to all the volunteers into those that sort of
managed that event because it had been smooth and sailing

(03:54):
up until Saturday, but then it all changed. But they
got it finished. And now we on of course to
the annual the annual Pilgrimageter Shear at Auckland that's starting
in at the beginning of January. That been the New
Zealand Championships. We will have the men's singles and peers
and the women's singles and peers. They play section play

(04:15):
and then the knockout play around the headquarters is on
the North Harbor, and we're expecting a very good entry
this year for the New Zealand Championships and no doubt
we'll be keeping people right around the country up to
date throughout the the Championships and of course the other
major events that go on the calendar at that at

(04:36):
that stage of the year as well.

Speaker 1 (04:37):
Got to say well done. As you said to Millie
Nathan playing for representing Tonger, she's actually an Aukland school teacher,
isn't she correct?

Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yes, it's correct that she years but loves evolves the
whole family. In fact, they're very very strong support is
North Harbor brother father, They're all in. They're all in
over there at birkenheam of very very good play. Of course,
the previous week had played in the Oceania Championships at
well as well hosted at Royal Oak and Newland, so

(05:07):
she's had a solid two weeks of top bluble balls
and walked away at the end of that two weeks
as the world Champion and Champion singles title.

Speaker 1 (05:15):
Nice year school teacher at Northcote Intermediate. Well, we've appreciated
your contribution on the show and Kevin will talk again
in the new year when you have the national champs on.

Speaker 2 (05:25):
Look forward to it all the best, Brian, thank you
very much your support.

Speaker 1 (05:28):
Kevin Hickland joining us wrapping up that Champion of Champions
singles and again well done to Millie Nathan Northcote Intermediate.
They'll be celebrating her as a world champion today and
of course to Aiden took a role runner up to
the top Australian baller. But at the age of twenty five,
he's got a very very bright future