A team of bowlers from St Johns Park won the annual Springwood in Springtime Bowling Tournament held from September 10-11.
Teams from Narooma, Mingara, Austral, Penrith, St Johns Park, Lawson, Hazelbrook, joined local teams to contest six games of two bowl triples over 15 ends during the two days.
The first day was played in cool blustery conditions which tested the skills of all bowlers. However the cream of the bowlers started to rise to the top towards the end of the opening day with Rod Crean’s composite Lawson/Hazelbrook team leading on 121 points from the St John’s Park team 112.
These teams consolidated their positions early on Sunday, a day on which the weather proved to be much kinder. With the two leading teams vying for top position on the leadership board a new challenger, the Austral team, was quietly making their presence felt with wins in their two Sunday games. The outcome of this highly acclaimed $5000 tournament all rested on how these three teams came through their final games.
The eventual winners from St Johns Park, capably skipped by Mick Bedford, were the only team to register six wins from their six games to finish with 237 points. Chris Tindall’s team from Austral filled second while a draw in their final game dropped Rod Crean’s team to third.
Final men’s results: First - Mick Bedford, John Boniface, Mark Skelton (St Johns Park); second - Chris Tindall, John Whitely, Sean Sommerville (Austral); third - Rod Crean, Mick Galli, Nick Hancott (Lawson/Hazelbrook); fourth - Graham Neich, Chris Robbins, Neil Eldridge (Springwood/Penrith); fifth - Steve Blake, Tim Mitchell, Jim Peoples (Springwood).
Monday saw the women’s $2500 tournament conducted in perfect conditions. Daphne Stone’s Springwood team of Barbara Woolley and Margaret Thrift proved too strong for their opponents. The composite Glenbrook/Springwood team led by D. Gray was runner-up while third place was filled by M. Peasnell’s Glenbrook team.
The tournament was organised in excellent fashion by the men’s and women’s committees. Special mention goes to the leadership role played by Dick Evers.
The club also thanked sponsors Carlton Draught, Robert Oatley Wines, Coca Cola, and Steaks on St George Butchery at Faulconbridge.
This year’s tournament was named after the late John Thrift, who was a supporter and benefactor of the Springwood club.
