Caught on Kiss Cam
Plenty of heart matches in the field at on Day 1 of State Champs, the inaugural Mixed Pairs has 14 section winners going through. Kiss Cam was one of the highlights of the first day of Bowls Queensland 2016 State Championships, as plenty of sweethearts took the opportunity to play the first event, the Mixed Pairs, together.
In a spirit of good fun, they offered each other a little sweetener on request when the camera came their way…
It’s the first time a Mixed Pairs event has been offered at a Queensland State Champs and it has proved extremely popular in its inaugural year.
Usually BQ holds a stand-alone State Mixed Pairs event in October, and a mixed pair must first win at their club, district and group level before eight group winners come together from all over Queensland to play for a state title.
The traditional format will still be held in October this year, at the request of the country districts, but BQ Match wanted to try a mixed pairs event also at the State Champs, which would allow any couple to enter, husband and wife, mums and sons, dads and daughters, family and friends from different clubs, without having to ‘qualify’ to play at state level.
The question is, who will win?
A heart-match?
Or a strategic mixed pairing, with eyes on the title and prize money rather than on each other?
The day kicked off with 56 mixed pairs to be whittled down to 14 section winners to go through to tomorrow’s post sectional knockout matches.
In Section 1, Windsor Wombats Sue O’Toole and Alan Brown eliminated Jessie Cottell and Brad Lawson, Tracey Evans and Max Morrow and Jackie McWhinney-Shillington and son Dale.
In Section 2, Richard Earle from Victoria Point skipped Val Treschmann from Cleveland to success over BQ coaching guru Alan Thorpe and wife Lyn, Gary Costigan and Wendy Jones all the way from Thuringowa City near Townsville, and Paradise Point Dolphins Peter Thompson and Ingrid Thurecht.
In Section 3, Broadbeach duo Melissa Larcombe and Kevin Anderson surprised no one when they went through, Melissa a state skip and currently No 2 in BA’s player rankings for QLD, and Kevin a Scottish international. However they had to work for it, 16-12 in their first game against Jacinta Weier from Urangan and Hamilton Power skip Steve Tong (subbing for Jason Curry). They had an easier time than they expected against Kristy Thatcher and John Balzarolo playing on their home ground, and Mark and Eryn Finnigan, Eryn recently moved her bowls to Algester while Mark will stay on at Darra Cementco.
In Section 4, Queensland skip Wendy Wilson playing with her son’s friend Simon Bailey (“my adoped son”) was the star of the day for taking out one of the unofficial ‘top seeds’, Australia’s No 1 ranked bowler Ryan Bester and his lead Chloe Stewart by three shots, 15-12. Also gone were Norelle King and Steve Henry from Maryborough Services Memorial and Fay and Ray Whittaker from Coolum Beach. Wendy’s had to answer a lot of questions over the past couple of days about her lack of official BA ranking, even though she’s a skip for Queensland. “Rankings is only one measure and I don’t go in many ranking events because I work, but I still train,” the Australian Open ambassador for Bowls Australia said. “Also it’s pretty tough to win a champion of club champions event in Gold Coast Tweed district it’s so competitive and only one can go through. But I was District Bowler of the Year last year so I’m doing something right.” (Even without an official ranking!)
In Section 5, QLD’s current No 1 ranked bowler Scott De Jongh-Fitzpatrick and Cassandra Millerick are going through. Scotty and Cass defeated mum and son combo Mary and Chris Geddes, and two husband and wife teams, Hiro and Ken Emura and Terry and Tony McAlary.
In Section 6, Sean Ingham and Chrissie Pavlov just pipped young guns Rebecca Rixon and Jacob Nelson. Brenda and David Balchin were casualties and Kathy and Wayne Masters challenged the Rixon/Nelson combo in the second round with a tough draw 19-19. Kathy and Wayne had a horror start to the day, a car breakdown on the way to Tweed Heads gave them the choice of pulling out or shelling out for a taxi ride. $300 later they made their choice but it was hard to keep their mind on bowls instead of the broken down car at Logan…
In Section 7, devoted Bargara couple Adele and Rob Pershouse managed a win over Mt Gravatt’s Debbie Logan and bowls partner Ted Read 15-14. Also gone were Wendy and Jim Hamilton and Therese Smith and Thomas D Hamilton. Adele said the Pershouses were planning to be there on finals day and it’s looking good at this stage!
In Section 8, Pauline and Ken Laverty from Bribie Island took some big scalps, Suburban Townsville star Christine Robinson and David Whiting, lead Bernie O’Shea from Cairns and his wife Frances O’Shea who skips for Edmonton, and Lyn and Max Jaffray on their home turf.
In Section 9, crowd favourites Bev Peters and Damien McGee from the far north-west of QLD beat the ferocious Steve Halmai (skip) and Ann-Maree Peart, Jannah Howard and Kevin Higson from Darra Cementco, and Robert Norquay from Toombul playing with Broadbeach’s Liz McCleary. Bev and Damien are well used to state level Mixed Pairs, usually representing their group in the traditional State Mixed Pairs in October.
In Section 10, QLD’s current No 1 ranked bowler Ester Regan and Alan Howard won over seasoned campaigners Ann Russell and Gary Mounsey, Debbie Farley (Yeronga) and husband Gary Farley (Algester) and Linda Morish playing with Keith Godbold.
In Section 11, Broadbeach’s (other) Scottish star Ryan Burnett is through with QLD rep Bolivia Millerick, Bee able to join twin Cass in the post-sectionals tomorrow. Ryan and Bee took out Luke Day and Dee Robertson from Broadbeach, Christine Scott and Dave Goode, and Wayne Brown and Annica McGill from Coolum Beach.
In Section 12, Natalia Nordlof and Clint Sheldon from Mackenzie Park have gone through, taking out Judy Rick (Edmonton BC) and husband Eddie Rick who bowls with Cairns. Also Barry and Dot Cooke from Rathdowney. What they thought would be their toughest match, against Gail Waitai from Broadbeach and Paul Jopson from Pine Rivers went their way with comfort 20-10.
In Section 13, Milmerran’s Maree and Albert Gibbs took the win, starting out with a draw against Maryborough Services Memorial’s Clive and Susan Williams 19-19, a close win over Many McIntyre and Peter Hughes from Bribie Island 15-13 and they ran away 22-8 in the last game against QLD skip Julie Keegan, playing in a heart match with husband Michael.
In Section 14, as expected, Emma and Kurt Brown were too good, Kurt known as the King of the (traditional) State Mixed Pairs, having won the State Title a handful of times with various partners, including new wife Emma back in 2012 when they were on their honeymoon. The Browns were untroubled against April Wilson playing with her dad Cam from Helensvale, Rose and David Rixon from Club Maroochy, and Roger Goodridge and Bev Hadley from Broadbeach.
Today’s results and post sectional draw is on the BQ website Click Here https://www.bowlsqld.org/Portals/4/Events/State%20Champs/2016%20Mixed%20Pairs%20Sectional%20R3.pdf
In post sectionals, starting tomorrow (Tues May 10) at 8.45am at Tweed Heads Bowls Club:
S1 Sue O’Toole & Alan Brown V S2 Val Treschmann & Richard Earle
S3 Mel Larcombe & Kevin Anderson V S4 Simon Bailey & Wendy Wilson
S5 Cass Millerick & Scott De Jongh V S6 Sean Ingham & Chrissie Pavlov
S7 Adele & Rob Pershouse V S8 Pauline & Ken Laverty
S9 Bev Peters & Damien McGee V S10 Alan Howard & Ester Regan
S11 Bolivia Millerick & Ryan Burnett V S12 Natalia Nordlof and Clint Sheldon
S13 Maree & Albert Gibbs V S14 Emma & Kurt Brown
Quarter-finals will follow the post sectionals.
Semi finals and Finals are set down for Wed May 11.
The Bowls Queensland State Championships runs from Mon May 9 – Sun May 22, 11 titles up for grabs in two weeks of big bowls.
