Sixty-one teams battled it out across 19 greens at 14 clubs during a memorable and record-setting Molecheck Interclub series.

The series included the coveted Pathway 7’s (men’s and women’s) and the ever-growing any combination grade, the Auckland Cup. Qualifying was played over two days before the series culminated at Howick on Saturday, 7 March.

A huge thank you must go to all the host clubs, greenkeepers, recorders, umpires, staff, volunteers, and everyone involved behind the scenes. Delivering tournaments with more than 500 players participating is a testament to the strength and dedication of the clubs across the region.

Special thanks also to our fantastic event partner Molecheck, represented by General Manager Sue Wood, who presented the trophies.

Auckland Cup

Twenty-six teams of eight players competed for the title. Howick White Sharks were in red-hot form during qualifying, closely followed by Railway Trax.

Howick continued their strong performance through the post-section rounds with victories over New Lynn in the quarterfinal and Blockhouse Bay in the semifinal, setting up a showdown with the impressive Pringle Park Thunder.

Pringle Park entered the match in great club form following their inaugural Rapid Roll victory, but on the day, Howick proved too strong, lifting the cup as the sun set on a fantastic day of bowls.  

Pathway 7’s

The Pathway 7’s delivered record participation and showcased the strength of club sides across the region.

The women’s competition was dominated by Auckland and Carlton Cornwall, who were always a chance to meet in a blockbuster final. The crowd at Howick was treated to exactly that. Auckland held off a strong Railway side in their semifinal, while Carlton Cornwall overcame perennial contenders St Heliers.

In the final, Linda Ralph led the way in the singles for Carlton Cornwall, remaining unbeaten on the day. However, the Auckland pairs team of Olivia Bloomfield and Lisa Prideaux, along with the fours skipped by Aggie Motu, proved too strong, securing victory and giving the Auckland women their first-ever Pathway 7’s title.

The men’s competition produced several surprises. Highly favoured Mt Albert were eliminated in their quarterfinal by Carlton Cornwall, highlighting just how competitive the field was.

Carlton Cornwall then faced Howick in the semifinal but were unable to repeat their earlier success, with Howick running away with the tie. In the other semifinal, a powerful Auckland side emerged as a clear contender, defeating a Grey Lynn team that had impressed throughout the tournament.

Like the women’s final, the men’s decider was packed with talent. Stephen Campbell (Howick) faced the experienced Jamie Hill in the singles, with Campbell continuing his unbeaten streak to give Howick a win.

Auckland matched them in the pairs, overpowering Howick, leaving the fours to decide the championship. Ultimately, the Auckland fours team skipped by Bowls Auckland representative Adam Haywood proved too strong, securing the win and delivering an unprecedented fourth consecutive title for Auckland.

Congratulations to both Auckland teams, who will now go on to represent the centre at the National Interclub in Wellington this April.