After six consecutive Saturdays of the 1–5 Year Winter Coaching Programme, the annual Campi Trophy (women) and Canoe Trophy (men) tournaments brought the programme to an exciting conclusion over the last weekend. The Campi Trophy was held at Epsom Bowling Club, while the Canoe Trophy took place at Bridge Park Bowling Club. Both events were managed by Bowls Auckland using Bowlshub, allowing results in real time for the first time.
CAMPI TROPHY
In the Campi Trophy, 24 teams competed from five zones from Auckland, one from Counties Manukau, and, for the first time, three from North Harbour. Across the greens, 72 women battled through seven rounds of two-bowl Triples. Four games on Saturday and three on Sunday. The one-hour, 20-minute games kept the pace sharp and the leaderboard constantly shifting. Day One ended with only one team undefeated, eight with three wins, and three yet to find victory. By Day Two, the top five teams held their ground, with only minor changes in the final rounds.
Linda Fenton, Ladies Captain Howick Bowling Club said “The competitors had to deal with the weather conditions that would have tested many hardened senior players, the players persevered. Games were fiercely contested over the seven rounds with teams showing newly learnt skills and great sportsmanship. And were pretty happy with the result – all that winter training paid off.”
Campi Trophy results
- Winners:Hannah Dawson, Lea Hooper & Lilly Wesche (South East)
• Runners-up:Rebecca Brosnan, Ting-Ting Ip & Heather Haydon (South East)
• Third: Mary Upton, Michele Whitecliffe & Donna Watson (Central)
CANOE CUP
The Canoe Trophy mirrored the same competitive spirit. 1-5 men from Auckland, Counties Manukau, and North Harbour faced off in fours action with day one qualifying to determine the top eight The tournament showcased some fierce battles, with momentum swinging across the day as teams jostled for the top positions. Experience from the winter coaching shone through, with a hotly contested field heading into the bracket creating some thrilling match ups.
Bob Louden, SE Convenor continued Linda’s sentiments: “All the South East teams gave it their best shot, and by the end of qualifying, three teams really stood out. On Sunday SE teams played solid games all day to set up an all SE final. We were pretty happy with the results.”
Canoe Trophy results
- Winners:D Weir, S Gao, C Hand, W Brealey ~ South East
- Runners-up: S Campbell, P Garratt, G Lewis, W McCarthy ~ South East
- Flight Winner: K Singh, N Maui, Nga Thklarhni, Spare ~ South West
- Plate Winner: M Ricardi, G Mitchell, M Stephens, F Townsend ~ Counties
- Bowl Winner: F Akaruru-Teinaki, R Rogers, J Morrow, E Tutai Jnr ~ South West
Both events enjoyed a great atmosphere, the winter weather and gusty winds added to the challenge, but the camaraderie among players, coaches, and supporters was evident across both venues. At Epsom, Bev Campi, a long-time supporter of junior bowls and donor of the Campi Trophy alongside her late husband, presented the prizes with a heartfelt speech of encouragement. At Bridge Park, past Canoe Trophy champions and selectors joined BA President Helen Blick in congratulating the next generation of representative hopefuls.
Congratulations to all who competed, and thank you to the officials, volunteers, host clubs, and coaches for making both tournaments a fitting finale to this year’s Winter Coaching Programme.