Few events capture the highs and lows of bowls like the 2025 Shade Systems Champion of Champions Fours.
In the men’s event, the morning’s feature match kicked off with a thriller – Carlton Cornwall edging out a strong Papatoetoe side 18-15 before taking a win over Mt Eden in the round of 16. Then came the giant killers Rocky Nook. Led by 1-5 rep Richard Fuller and skip Steve Clifton, they upset Adam Blucher’s Te Atatū side 19-18, and then eliminated Carlton Cornwall 13-12 to book a semi-final spot.
Joining them was Onehunga & Districts, with John Evil at the helm. A dominant 21-5 opener over Pringle Park was followed by tight victories over Glen Eden and Mt Wellington. In a well-contested semi-final, O&D consistently built pressure. Despite Clifton’s accuracy, Rocky Nook couldn’t swing momentum. O&D advanced.
The top half of the draw was headlined by Auckland Bowling Club’s powerhouse four. Every game proved a tight contest as they battled through Grey Lynn, Ōtāhuhu, East Tāmaki and a resilient Mt Albert 1-5 side in the semi-final. The final against O&D was an exciting thriller. ABC led 8-1 early, but O&D surged ahead 11-10 with three ends left. Calm under pressure, ABC responded to go 14-12 up. Holding one on the final end, Evil’s last bowl narrowly missed its target, crowning ABC the champions.
The women’s event began with several one-sided matches, though Glen Eden was tested early by Te Atatū. Locked at 11-all with two ends to play, skip Karen Kuzimski trailed the jack for five, sealing the win. In the following round, a 14-all finish against Balmoral required an extra end, which Glen Eden also claimed.
The round of 16 brought surprises, Kohimarama took Royal Oak to an extra end, while Mt Wellington stunned St Heliers in the day’s biggest upset. Glen Eden went on to defeat Royal Oak and Ōtāhuhu to secure their finals berth.
Auckland BC began their campaign in the round of 16, overcoming a slow start to beat Rocky Nook 20-11, then progressing past Mt Wellington and a determined Howick side keen to repeat their interclub win. ABC held firm to reach the final.
While the scoreboard showed a one-sided final, Glen Eden played with heart. During the trophy presentations, ABC’s Aggie Motu praised the spirit of competition and camaraderie shown across all matches.
The weekend was capped off with impressive milestones:
- Kimberley Hemingway earned her fifth title to earn a Gold Star.
- Aggie Motu collected her 10th title and her second Gold Star.
- Lisa Prideaux made history by becoming the first player in Bowls Auckland’s history to win five centre titles in a single season. She also earned her second Gold Star and reached 13 titles overall.
- Auckland BC has now won five COC titles this season, across all disciplines.
What a great weekend, added by Des’s famous scones, a sausage sizzle hosted by Shade Systems, and the yet to be struck Bowl-A-500 competition!
We take a break to celebrate Matariki, then head back to Royal Oak to do it all again for the final event in the COC Series, the Mixed Pairs on 28 & 29 June.
👉View full results here
