State Mixed Pairs thriller
This year’s State Mixed Pairs competition saw Ian Schuback and Chloe Stewart trump one of the toughest fields to date. (Pictured left: Winners are grinners, the 2018 State Mixed Pairs title winners Chloe Stewart & Ian Schuback.)
Club Kawana’s resident legend Ian Schuback and Tweed Heads’ Chloe Stewart claimed this year’s State Mixed Pairs title in emphatic style, the old school & new school team defeated Elizabeth Walton (Burrum Heads) and Helensvale’s Aron Sherriff 23-15 in the thrilling final at Club Maroochy.
Throughout the sectional rounds both Schuback and Stewart were on fine form winning all three games in their section with a minimum lead of at least 10 shots, they continued their blistering performance in the post sectional round with a 25-7 win against Deborah Petersen & Shane Greentree.
The quarter-finals saw Schuback & Stewart defeat Adele Pershouse & Nick Cahill 32-19, while Christine Scott & Justin Bell defeated Roger Stevens & Bronwyn Stevens 23-12, Walton & Sherriff bested young gun Jake Rynne & Dee-Anne Robertson 20-13 and Heather Hodgson & Eric Johannes defeated Jessica Srisamruaybai & Joel Andersen 22-21.
The semi-finals proved to be another tough hurdle for the last four rinks, Christine Scott & Justin Bell were quickly eliminated by Schuback and Stewart who won 30-13 and looked to be unstoppable as they locked in their grand-final berth.
In the second leg of the semi, Walton & Sherriff managed to squeeze over the line with a narrow one-shot margin over Heather Hodgson & former South African international Eric Johannes with a 25-24 win to progress through to the grand final.
Schuback and Stewart assumed the lead from the start of the final with Stewart’s rink opening up a 4-0 lead over Sherriff & Walton, however, by nine ends in the score had equalised to 7-7 with both teams pulling off the shots when they needed them.
By the later stages of the final Stewart & Co. had made headway and positioned themselves in the driving seat with a three-shot lead over their competition to sit at 18-15 with just three ends left to play.
Sherriff’s rink put up a fight for each end but Schuback and Stewart continued to push forwards in the last moments of the final to win 23-15 and secure the 2018 State Mixed Pairs title.
To view the full results of the Mixed Pairs competition click here.
