Whangārei turned on a stunning autumn day, cool and breezy, yet beautifully sunny, to host the 2025 edition of the Mercedes Cup on Sunday, 3 May. This year’s event was held at Kensington Bowling Club, a nationally renowned club with a proud history of strong performances on the national stage. Now, they are adding another feather to their cap by providing a platform for the game’s future stars.
Clubs represented included hosts Kensington Bowls (Northland), Okaihau Bowls (Far North), Orewa Bowls (North Harbour), Clark’s Beach Bowls/Karaka Bowls (Counties Manukau), and Auckland’s representatives, Mt Albert Bowling Club.
The five-round scatter draw made picking early frontrunners in the three rounds leading up to lunch difficult. However, Mt Albert started with intent, led by Ryan Hill in the singles, who produced a commanding performance with 3½ wins from four games and a +32 differential. The pairs also showed form, claiming three wins, the triples achieving two from their four.
The final round was not for the faint-hearted. Mt Albert’s support crew watched nervously as drama unfolded across both rinks. The triples team, Marisa Posa, Eva Bell, and Robbie Bell, raced to an 11–0 lead, while on the adjacent rink, the pairs combo of Hitesh Ranchhod and Mark Posa found themselves trailing 0–11. With standings tight going into the last round, two wins would secure the title. One win might come down to differential, two losses would have relied on Orewa having an equally bad performance in their final round.
Tensions peaked when both matches drew level with only minutes remaining. The triple’s match ended on a sour note, with unsporting behaviour marring what could have been a thrilling finish. But redemption came from the pairs, who delivered a spectacular final end. A crafty piece of jack movement from Hitesh flipped the scoreline, turning a two-shot deficit into a three-shot win and an unforgettable moment.
The team shared a nervous post-match drink while results were tallied. Then, elation: Orewa were named runners-up with 25 points and +53 differential, edged out by Mt Albert, who matched the points tally but triumphed on +55 differential.
An outstanding result for the Mt Albert side, capping off a stellar season and serving as a fitting farewell for Mark Posa, Marisa Posa, and Hitesh Ranchhod as they complete their junior years.