The final event on the Gippsland Bowls Region (GBR) calendar concluded on the weekend with the playing of the Champion Pairs at the Lakes Entrance Bowling Club.
The event brought together the mens and women’s pairs winner from the GBR member clubs, to decide who the best was in a
knockout format.
Local combination, Kevin Dowie and Boyd McPhee made it through to the grand final, after prevailing in a thrilling semi-final match, 16-15 over Lindenow’s Stephen Brill and Steven Tanner.
Bairnsdale’s Stewart Pyers and James Clay progressed to the final with a 12-8 victory over Paynesville’s George Lambos and Peter Fiske. Pyers and Clay got the jump in the grand final, winning comfortably 19-6, with the home green advantage never a factor.
Both women’s semi final teams had to play an extra end to secure their spots in the final, with Sale’s Pam Carter and Marg Sceney progressing after defeating Bairnsdale’s Margaret Hicks and Glennis Creber, 15-14.
The other semi-final went the way of the Lindenow combination of Lindenow’s Kathy Richards and Rhonda Banks, who played an amazing final end in their match with Metung’s Mandy Beale and Christine Elliott, winning 17-14.
Carter and Sceney had all the answers in the finale, easily winning 19-9.
Lakes Entrance’s representatives Margaret Brandhoj and Lilibeth Hochkins were knocked out in the quarter finals by Beale and Elliott, 15-7.
