The past month, February, has marked arguably the busiest and most hectic few weeks ever for bowlers and clubs within the North Harbour centre.
As well as the usual monthly open tournaments, various club and centre championships, and inter-club competitions, notably the one- to five- year twilight and the new 3-5 contests, there have been major events run by the likes of the Milford and Birkenhead clubs.
It’s a time of year where those on each club’s match committee, plus hard-working greenkeepers, scratch their heads in wondering just how to fit the proverbial gallon into a pint.
In particular the Milford 5000, catering for “junior” bowlers and held each season around the Waitangi Day weekend, plus Birkenhead’s men’s and women’s pairs have gained almost a national profile.
This season’s Milford 5000 marked its 10th anniversary in appropriate style and the tournament, founded in 2009 by former club members Graham Dorreen and Tim Preston, produced what arguably was its highest ever standard.
Originally the event was for one to five-year bowlers, but now may include one bowler at least with up to eight years’ experience, thus explaining the rise in standard.
Bowlers entered from centres as far afield as Bay of Plenty and Waikato and Northland and the winners of the first prize of $1500 included two who have already gained national recognition in Point Chevalier’s Aiden Takarua and Alex Reed, plus Colin Williams.
Best of the locals were Mairangi Bay’s Phil Chisholm, Theresa Rogers and Neil Buckner, who finished second, while the host club’s Ian McKenzie, Lyn and Rick Calver won the plate.
Also appropriately, Dorreen, now Bowls North Harbour board chairman, and Preston were on hand to present prizes and the cup named in their honour.
On the same weekend Birkenhead hosted the Bert Sutcliffe Retirement Village men’s pairs with a stake of $5700. Top bowlers came from as far away as Wellington and among the entries were former Black Jacks Tony Grantham and Jamie Hill.
Pairs from Auckland clubs, Mark Hall and David Akaruru, and Martin Dixon and Mike Galloway, took the first two places, with Birkenhead’s Lionel Drew and Evan Thomas and Brown’s Bay’s Scott Cottrell and Adam Haywood sharing third place.
Just as prestigious and with a $6500 stake was the women’s Good Home Birkenhead pairs held a fortnight later. This, too, attracted as well as many of Harbour’s topliners headed by Wendy Jensen and Selina Goddard several nationally ranked players.
These included the likes of new national squad member Lisa Prideaux, Leanne Poulson, Linda Ralph, Ashleigh Jeffcoat and Wellington’s Lisa White.
White partnered another Harbour leading player, Trish Croot, to win the first flight of the tournament, with Harbour’s Anne Dorreen and Lisa Parlane winning the second and host club youngster Millie Nathan teaming up with Auckland’s Karen Hema to win the third.
