QUALIFYING RECAP & SUMMARY
Greens across our region were buzzing as clubs battled through six qualifying rounds to determine post-section seedings in the 2026 Molecheck Pathway 7s and Auckland Cup.
Intensity lifted round by round, with every match point and rink point carrying weight as teams chased the top positions.
WOMEN’S PATHWAY 7s
1st Seed: Carlton Cornwall – 12 match points, 34 rink points, +173
2nd Seed: Auckland
3rd Seed: Ōtāhuhu Railway
4th Seed: St Heliers
Key Talking Points
Carlton Cornwall dominated qualifying rounds, dropping just a single game across the six rounds, winning 17 of 18 games while claiming maximum match points.
Ōtāhuhu Railway delivered one of the standout results of the weekend with a strong victory over Auckland at Auckland. The two sides finished equal on match points and rink points, with Auckland taking second place on differential.
Royal Oak narrowly missed out by half a match point, a result that will sting given the potential strength of the side.
Last year’s champions, Howick, experienced a campaign filled with highs and lows, ultimately finishing eighth.
MEN’S PATHWAY 7s
1st Seed: Mt Albert – 12 match points, 31 rink points, +159
2nd Seed: Auckland
3rd Seed: Grey Lynn
4th Seed: Howick
Remaining Qualifiers:
Te Atatū Peninsula, Pringle Park, New Lynn, Carlton Cornwall
Key Talking Points
Mt Albert and Auckland BC set the pace through the early rounds, consistently producing strong performances to secure the top two seeds.
The Howick Hammerheads produced a dramatic final-round performance, defeating Auckland 3–0 to secure fourth place and deny Auckland an unbeaten qualifying run.
Grey Lynn impressed with convincing victories throughout the weekend. Even excluding the six rink points from their bye, they would still have comfortably qualified for the post-section.
Positions five through eight were fiercely contested, with Balmoral, Onehunga & Districts, Mt Eden, and Royal Oak all narrowly missing out.
AUCKLAND CUP
1st Seed: Howick White Sharks – 12 match points, 30 rink points, +131
2nd Seed: Railway Trax
3rd Seed: Glen Eden Phoenix
4th Seed: St Heliers Blue
Remaining Qualifiers:
Blockhouse Bay 1, Pringle Park Thunder, Carlton Cornwall Gold, New Lynn Katipō
Key Talking Points
Carlton Cornwall fielded four teams, while several clubs entered multiple sides, but the competition proved extremely competitive across the board. No club has two teams progressing to the post-section.
There was very little between the top seeds, with both sides finishing on maximum match points and 30 of 36 rink points.
The remaining qualifiers all finished between 25 and 28 rink points, meaning only a game or two separated most teams, setting the stage for a tightly contested finals series.
By the Numbers
- Total Teams: 61 (23 Men, 12 Women, 28 Auckland Cup)
- Total Players: 456+
- Host Clubs: 14
- Greens Used: 31 (includes greens used on multiple days)
THANK YOU
A huge thank you to our host clubs, markers, and volunteers who ensured the qualifying weekend ran smoothly across the region.
The atmosphere reflected the mana (prestige) of interclub competition and the strength of our pathway system.
Special thanks to Molecheck for their continued support of these cornerstone events. We look forward to them joining us on site at Howick this weekend, helping raise awareness and running several off-green activations.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The competition now moves into the Post Section Knockout Rounds, where the intensity will lift again as clubs chase the 2026 titles.
- Howick Bowling Club is the place to be. Get there early, as parking will be limited and road closures are in place due to the Village Food Festival. As the car park is council-owned, we cannot limit it strictly to bowlers.
- Food is available for purchase
- Hero Coffee van will be on site from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm, with the first 50 coffees free.
- Bring your club colours, bring your supporters, and be part of the action as we crown our 2026 champions.