Play Underway in State Arm Championships
In the augural staging of the Men’s & Women’s State Arm Bowling Singles titles play commenced today on greens at MCC Bowls Sections at Swinburne Ave. Hawthorn and Glen St. Hawthorn.
With players vying for the singles titles named in honour of Victorian Arm Bowling stalwart Phil Gude, the weather gods certainly smiled over players, umpires and markers for the start of the events with perfect conditions greeting all combatants.
Players were drawn into three player sections and the aim in each match is to reach 21 before your opponent and then win your section to advance to the post-sectional knockout rounds, the first of those contested this afternoon between the sixteen section winners with the winning players from the round of sixteen advancing to the quarter finals to be contested the following day.
The numbers in the Women’s Singles saw four sections being contested with the winners of the sections advancing into their semi-finals to be contested also on Wednesday.
The four section winners from the Women’s Singles comprised of – Pam Wakeford (Glen Waverley), Kerry Ralph (Barooga), Joan Moss (City of Echuca) & *Adele Ryan (Ocean Grove)
A number of the successful reigning ‘four in a row’ National Championship Armed Vics side identified by *entered the event and made it through the sectional rounds, so there was certainly a lot of talent assembled in this first staging of the State Arm Bowling Championship Singles for Men & Women.
Players advancing to the last sixteen after successfully winning their sections in the Men’s Singles Event were:
John Snell (Lilydale), Colin Pavey (Leopold Sportsmans), Ron Hayes (Donvale), Graeme Greene (Boronia), *Doug Corrigan (Ringwood), Steve Mitchell (Koroit), Clive Morris (MCC), Michael Rose (Lilydale), Kevin Hutchinson (Rosebud CC), *Stephen Coles (North Balwyn), *Peter Gribbin (Pakenham), *Lee Wesley (Burwood), Denis Yarwood (Eltham Rec.), *Tony Long (St.Leonards), Wayne Frazer (Burden Park) & Robert Anset (Kyabram)
Winning their way through to the quarter-finals in the Men’s Singles were Wayne Frazer over Robert Anset 21/11, Ron Hayes against Graeme Greene 21/7, John Snell over Colin Pavey 21/10, *Tony Long against Denis Yarwood 21/15, Steve Mitchell victorious over Doug Corrigan 21/14, Michael Rose against Clive Morris 21/18, Kevin Hutchinson by one shot over Stephen Coles 21/20 & *Lee Wesley snaring a win against Peter Gribbin 21/13.
With these results finalised, the Men’s Quarter Finals will contain two of the current State Team representatives and six others who’ll certainly be pushing their cause for consideration for the 2017 team.
The Men’s quarter finlals are scheduled to commence at 8.30am and these will be followed by the Men’s & Women’s Semi-Finals and the finals of both events in the mid-afternoon with all matches being conducted at MCC Bowls Section, Swinburne Avenue, Hawthorn.
Bowls Victoria takes this opportunity to thank MCC Bowls Section for the provision of their two venues at Glen St. & Swinburne Ave., the superb greens presented for play and the volunteers who have assisted in the running of the first events in the first staging of the Victorian State Arm Championships.
Find out who won the augural Men’s & Women’s State Arm Bowling Singles titles by clicking here.