The final day of national lawn bowls action was an Alexandra summer scorcher (Thursday March 2) with a temperature of 28’C - but spectators and bowlers kept their cool and their clothes on.

During the national fours last weekend a streaker attracted the attention of onlookers and media, making it onto national television news. 

Bowls News Zealand chief executive Mark Cameron said the hospitality in Central had been exceptional.

“There [is] a great sense of camaraderie. [Bowlers] have travelled to Waipiata and Queenstown and we’ve had no complaints about having to do that.”

Entries were up 15 per cent on the last time the tournament was held, Mark said. 

PJ and Mark Cameron 

The Central App asked some of the people behind the scenes about what it took to host the eight day long tournament.

More than 1,000 sausages were consumed; 30-50 pies per day from local cafe Eat Humble Pie; 50 coffees per day from Rob’s Daily Grind; and seven extra trips to a retailer to restock the bar on the busiest day.

There were 30 volunteers from ABC for tasks such as live scoring, umpiring and bartending, and 20 volunteers from Alexandra’s petanque club who organised raffles.

Approximately 150 spectators flocked to the Alexandra Bowling Club (ABC) for the pairs finals, kai and drinks. 

Bannockburn and Alexandra Bowling Club member Shaun Scott delivers a bowl in the quarter finals

Some braved the heat and others watched the televised live stream inside the clubhouse. 

In the mixed pairs, the quarter finals started at 8.30am, semi finals at 11.30am and the final at 2.30pm yesterday. 

ABC members kept the sausages turning over

Three quarter finals were tight contests. Takapuna’s Selina Goddard and Gore’s Sheldon Bagrie-Howley scored 17 against Central’s Shaun Scott and Hinuera’s Deb White’s 16.

Manawātu’s Dean Gilshnan and Wellington’s Lisa White beat Auckland’s Nick Thompson and Jenny Stockford (11-10).

Aucklanders Shaun Goldsbury and Skye Renes won against Christchurch’s Serena Matthews and Kelvin Scott (14-13).

Dunedin’s Sue Hodges and Kaiapoi’s Kerry Becks came out on top over Alexandra’s Patrick Houlahan and Charlene Puaaka Beckett (18-13).

The semi finals were won by composite teams Selina Goddard and Sheldon Bagrie-Howley (17 -11 over Sue Hodges and Kerry Becks) and Dean Gilshnan and Lisa White (13 - 9 over Shaun Goldsbury and Skye Renes)

The mixed pair champions were Dean Gilshnan and Lisa White. They triumphed over the pair of Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and 2023 women’s singles champion Selina and 2023 national men’s singles winner Sheldon (15 - 8).

The round robin for the mixed pairs started on Monday (February 27) and involved 238 pairs. 

Spectators on the final day of the mixed pairs