Bowls: Elgar claims 20th Taranaki title

Grant Hassall

Paritutu’s Dean Elgar reached a significant career milestone on Saturday when he claimed his 20th Taranaki bowls title.

Elgar has excelled nationally, with many distinctions, including two Dominion titles and New Zealand A representation, and his latest Taranaki success carried extra meaning. But for him and lead Kevan Sellers their 16-14 victory in the final of the Auto City-sponsored event at West End was at best doubtful partway through the decider.

They trailed Dave Wilson and Jordan Linn (West End) 8-0 after fours ends, and three heads later, 9-2. Through 12 of the 18 ends, the seven-point margin was still preserved.

Despite a gusty cross wind, the quality of the heads remained strong. Sellers, who collected his third Taranaki title, got tighter, and with the Paritutu pair winning the next five ends, which included a four and a three, they leapfrogged into a four-shot lead playing the last end.

Wilson drew well to give the West Enders a chance, but the final count of two was not enough.

In the semifinals, Paritutu beat Hawera Park’s Sean Cullinan and Nigel Berry 19-2 and West End ousted New Plymouth brothers Peter and Bart Robertson 17-11.

Elgar’s previous Taranaki titles have been accumulated in singles (open 2003, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, champion-of-champions 210, 2015, 2019, 2022), Christmas pairs (2013 and 2019), triples (open 2015 and 2021, champion-of-champions 2017), fours (Open 2024, centre last month, champion-of-champions 2011).

Paritutu did the double on Saturday, when the Andersons Pies-sponsored women’s open pairs was won by Marlene Barrowman and Heather Johns at Manaia. It was Barrowman’s sixth centre title and Johns’ 12th.

In the final, Barrowman and Johns beat West End’s Monique Bastin and Lois Ritson 17-8, having dominated the scoring from the outset. They led 4-0 after three ends and then 14-3 after 12 heads.

In the semifinals, Paritutu beat Fitzroy’s Lesley Te Awa and Maree Gadsby 18-8, while West End accounted for clubmates Lorraine Heal and Trish Howard, last year’s winners, 19-10.

Meanwhile, in an all-West End Cross Country Rentals mixed pairs final on Sunday, Susan Cottam and Craig De Faria took the honours 17-12 over Howard and John Garrud. Cottam now has seven Taranaki titles and De Faria 31.

Opening with two braces, Cottam and De Faria were always in front in the final and held a four-shot lead playing the last end.

The next major bowls event will be the Dominion singles and pairs, which is being held in Christchurch on January 2-9, before The Devon Hotel Taranaki Open fours commences on January 19.