Finals Day at the 2025 JBWere Auckland Open brought the tournament to a close on 30 December, marking a milestone year as Auckland hosted a World Bowls Series event for the first time. With a strong crowd on hand and live broadcast coverage, players faced quality opposition, changing weather conditions, and the pressure that comes with Finals Day.
Championship Quarter Finals
The quarter-finals set the tone, with close margins and contrasting styles across all matches.
Aiden Takarua (Pt Chevalier), fresh from a demanding international schedule that included Hong Kong Classic Singles gold and World Champion of Champions silver, teamed up with Canterbury representative Rebecca Jelfs (Belfast, Christchurch). The pair opened with a composed 20–12 win over two-time champions Esther Eu (Blockhouse Bay) and Scott Harrison (Balmoral).
One of the tightest contests of the day saw Barrie Lester and Ashleigh Jeffcoat edged out 12–11 by Trish Croot (Howick) and Craig De Faria (West End, New Plymouth).
“Trish was the key difference in the game,” Lester said post-match.
Croot reflected on the turnaround: “Barrie and Ashleigh had it all over us for the first six or seven ends. In the last four or five ends, we found our feet.”
The Kerepehi duo of Kaye Bunn and Shaun Harrison advanced with a 17–13 win over Shaun Goldsbury and Skye Renes (Pt Chevalier), while Adam Haywood and Jessie Macaw (Auckland BC) secured a narrow 10–9 victory over the Royal Oak pairing of Steve Fisher and Janine Young.
Every quarter final delivered its own challenge, with margins often coming down to the final end.
Championship Semi-Final: A Test of Nerve
The semi-final produced one of the standout matches of the tournament. Locked at 11–all heading into the final end, Trish Croot delivered two precise draw shots under pressure before Craig De Faria added a crucial third bowl in difficult conditions.
In an intriguing finish, Aiden Takarua first attempted a drive with his second-to-last bowl before opting for a weighted draw with his final delivery in an effort to convert the head. The attempt narrowly missed, and De Faria was not required to play his final bowl as Croot and De Faria progressed to the championship match, with a winning score of 14-11.
Reflecting on their approach, De Faria said, “The key for us was staying close going into the last end. My role was to throw my bowls away, let Trish draw the shot, and see if it could be recovered.”
Championship Final: Discipline in Difficult Conditions
After winning five-straight in section play, Croot and De Faria’s winning form would continu through each post section stanza: they edged out Peter and Reen Belliss 13-12 on an extra end, Lester and Ashleigh Jeffcoat 12-11 and Aiden Takarua and Rebecca Jelfs 14-11 to land them in the final.
In the final they would face the Auckland BC pairing of Adam Haywood (Auckland representative and 2025 Ivan Kostinich Men’s Singles runner-up) and Jessie Macaw (2024 Women’s Premier Singles champion).
And it tested their patience and adaptability.
Conditions again played a part, with a brief pause in play as a sudden mini twister swept across the venue and ground staff ensured play could safely continue.
Croot and De Faria stuck to a disciplined game plan, favouring the wider drawing hand. Croot was named MVP by the broadcast commentary team for her consistency on the draw, effective conversion shots, and ability to take advantage of key moments. Supported by De Faria’s calm control and tactical decision-making, the pair closed out the final 15–6, with an end to spare.
The new champions both agreed afterwards: “Consistency and resilience in the changing conditions, and sticking to the game plan, were the key.”
Other Division Results
Strong performances were seen across all divisions:
Division Two was claimed by Jeanine Browne and Billy Fulton (Riverhead), who defeated Agnes and David Motu 18–8. The victory came during an emotional weekend following the passing of Agnes’ life partner Mike Bradshaw, with the bowls community gathering the day prior to celebrate his life.
Division Three was won by husband-and-wife pairing Garry and Rozanna Muriwai (Martinborough), who overcame Martin Dixon and Claire Tawharu (Royal Oak) in the final, 16-12.
Division Four saw defending New Zealand Singles champion Matt Berry combine with Leah Morgan to defeat Wendy Sarjeant and Keith Stewart (Mairangi Bay) 14–10.
Congratulations to all winners and competitors for a memorable Finals Day. Thank you to our host clubs and volunteers for their hospitality, our umpires for keeping play running smoothly, and the wider bowls community for its ongoing support.
A special thanks to everyone who joined our two Family Day Roll Up sessions. It was great to see so many families and new players enjoying bowls.
Thank you to World Bowls, event partner JBWere, and Taylor Bowls for the event polos and for donating a set of bowls, with proceeds supporting the Bowls Auckland Foundation.
Thanks for being part of it – we look forward to doing it all again next year.
