The 2026 Shade Systems Champ of Champs Series came to a close last weekend, with David Motu and Agnes Motu claiming the Mixed Pairs title for a second time.
It was a weekend of the highest highs and, tragically, the lowest of lows.
The feature match of the opening morning lived up to expectations, with defending champions Adam Blucher and Marion Hakaraia edging East Tāmaki’s Ian Fisher and Trish Croot 15-14 in a one-shot thriller. The home side, New Lynn, delivered an impressive 23-2 win over Kohimarama in front of a strong spectator turnout. Maraetai again showed signs of their continued growth, pushing eventual finalists Glen Eden all the way before going down in a double extra end, after the first extra end was killed within the time limit.
Glen Eden were writing their own story. After receiving a first-round bye, they overcame Maraetai before defeating the competitive Onehunga and Districts pairing of Dan Delany and Hemoata Brown 13-4 to secure a place in the semi-finals.
Sunday morning brought a deeply sad moment for the bowls community, with Carlton Cornwall’s pairing missing one of its players. After departing the club by ambulance on Saturday evening, with the assistance and care of fellow bowlers, Barry Green sadly passed away later that night.
Determined to continue in Barry’s honour, Carlton Cornwall called upon his long-time friend Ted Walker to play in his place. A moment’s silence was observed before play resumed. While Carlton Cornwall’s campaign ended in the semi-finals, the courage and dignity shown by Ted, his teammates and the club were a credit to Barry and the wider bowls community.
That result set up an Auckland versus Glen Eden final, which was not without its fair share of moments. Auckland fought hard to close out the event, taking the win 15-11 and becoming the first two-time winners of the Champ of Champs Mixed Pairs title.
Off the green, Family Day was once again a huge success. Thanks to Hannah Neville and Lilly Wesche for their assistance in helping welcome more than 50 community members through the club’s doors, many visiting for the first time.
The Bowl-a-500 challenge also proved popular. While the $500 prize remained unclaimed, New Lynn’s Jason Buchan was the lucky recipient of the drawn prize.
We wish all our Champ of Champs winners the very best as they head to their respective national finals. The first event on the calendar is the Men’s Singles at Royal Oak, where Howick’s Steve Campbell will represent Auckland.