Sea of green
After a massive state pairs competition over six venues, the men’s and women’s titleholders for 2017 take a bow. (Pictured left: Helensvale runs a clean broom through the open pairs state championships in 2017, Men’s Pairs winners Anthony Kiepe and Des Cann (s) and Women’s Pairs winners Lynsey Clarke (s) and Natasha Jones.)
Tom Sharman reports for BQ from Pairs Finals Day.
In the women’s pairs final last year’s runners-up Jenny Lonie and Robyn McAnelly (s) were once again forced to watch the title go to the opposition after Club Helensvale’s Lynsey Clarke and Natasha Jones beat them 25-13 in this year’s State Championships (May 8-21).
Despite the loss at Tweed Heads Bowls Club both Lonie and McAnelly remain hopeful for next year and say they are determined to come back stronger.
“We ran into one of the Australian skips and they were both a bit too good, we didn’t play as well as we did in the semi,” McAnelly said.
“We went down in the final last year by one shot and missed out on this one, but next year we will be coming back!”
Claiming a fourth State Pairs Championship title (with wins already in 2008, 2009 and 2015), Clarke said it was good to chalk up a second title together with Jones after both missed out in last year’s competition.
“It’s nice to be back in the winner’s circle after things didn’t quite fall our way last year,” Clarke said.
“We just tried to play consistently the whole way through and I think we work quite well as a pair too which gave us an edge.”
There must be something in the water at Club Helensvale because yet another Hawks duo were lifting a shield at Tweed Heads today, this time however it was Anthony Kiepe and Des Cann who were able to pull off a last-minute victory with a dramatic 21-20 win.
It looked like Caloundra boys Wade Mutzelburg and Joel Andersen had the game almost wrapped up with a solid four-shot lead with just one end to go but to the crowd’s astonishment Kiepe and skip Cann were able to place five shots around the jack.
“They had us worried as when we were down about eight shots and it was getting close to the end, every time we had numbers at the head they would just kill it or drive it into the ditch,” Cann said.
“Luckily Kiepe nailed his first bowl at the jack and then with his third bowl he pushed up his second to put all three on the jack, I managed to sneak one in for four and placed my last one to make five.
“I wasn’t feeling the pressure till Joel played his last bowl and that was the most nerve-racking moment of the whole tournament for me and he just put it slightly narrow and it caught some traffic in the head to leave us five shots up!
“It still hasn’t sunk in yet and I’m pretty speechless, I guess miracles do happen, I do feel a bit for Joel because they played incredibly well all game.”
In the men’s over 60s final it was a bit more clear cut as skip Max Jaffray and lead Geoff Jensen finished on a comfortable 12 shot margin over opposition skip Nigel Melbourne and Peter Hughes with the game ending on 26-14 in Jaffray’s favour.
“It all went pretty well to script for us and Max had a really good day, the opposition skip just missed a few vital shots,” Jensen said.
“I think the turning point for us was getting a six on the 13th end which took the pressure off and helped us relax a bit.
“I’m really happy with the result, we played last year and we were knocked out in the quarterfinal so it was good to have a comeback this year and take out the title.”
In the women’s over 60s Adele Pershouse and Mary Geary (s) were able to change their fortune after missing out by three shots in last year’s final, the girls were determined not to be left wanting again this year.
“We gave away six ends, before we could even get on the board they were six shots up, but we managed to grab a five and make it 6-5 and from there we persevered,” Geary said.
“They played very well and we were out bowled by them at the beginning.”
Despite now being titleholders, Pershouse still felt a bit disappointed she didn’t play better.
“I just didn’t play my best, it was the worst game of my competition,” she said.
Skip Geary was quick to chime in with an interrupt.
“You played well at the end! And you were there when I needed you!” Geary said.
Regardless of how they felt about their performance both could agree on the fact their 19-10 win over skip Kay Cook and Susan Jardine was a great result.
“We’re keen to come back next year and have a crack at defending our title,” Pershouse said.
The State Championships singles competition kicks off tomorrow from 8 AM weather permitting, please check Facebook for updates
To see the full draw and results of today’s competition or any competition in the 2017 State Championships (May 8-21) please go to the Bowls Queensland Results Portal available here.
