Wide shot of the Waikato Centre hall, with a crowd of indoor bowlers playing.
The 69th annual Blind and Vision Impaired Indoor Bowls National Championships held in Hamilton over Labour weekend attracted 63 players and 32 Guides to turn out and compete in Fours, Pairs and Singles events over the three days.
The Hamilton Blind Indoor Bowling Club, along with the Waikato Indoor Bowling Centre, hosted and assisted BINZ with the running of our flagship event.
Zoomed in: Zach Graham (13) Taranaki competing over the weekend
The level of competition and camaraderie was definitely on show, with players reacquainting both on and off the mat – our oldest player being Gwendoline Bremner from Canterbury at 97, and youngest Zach Graham from Taranaki at 13.
All events were fiercely contested, with a good mix of new and former winners taking out the various titles. 13-year-old Zac Graham had a great run in the Men’s Partially Sighted Singles, reaching the quarter finals where he was narrowly beaten by Whanganui’s Joe Fallen.
Indoor Bowls is a game for all ages, all abilities, and caters for all sight levels. There’s a club near you so reach out to admin@blindsport.kiwi and we’ll help connect you and get you started.
Results for the competition below:
PAIRS
WINNER Skip - Robert Austin (Canterbury)
Lead – Tom Boyd
Guide – Carol Power
RUNNER UP Skip – Janice Fleming (Otago)
Lead – Tangi Rouvi
Guide – Lisa Rouvi
TOTAL BLIND LADIES
WINNER Louise Henry (Hamilton)
Guide – Meryn Curtis
RUNNER UP Christine Litchfield (Manukau South)
Guide – Rhonda McIntyre
TOTAL BLIND MEN
WINNER Nooapii Rouvi (Otago)
Guide – Chris Moffitt
RUNNER UP Russell Lowry (Whanganui)
Guide – Gavin Field
PARTIALLY SIGHTED LADIES
WINNER Sally Marston (Hamilton)
Guide – Christine Foster
RUNNER UP Susie Tukariri (Manukau South)
Guide – Neil Bryan
PARTIALLY SIGHTED MEN
WINNER Mike Smith (Hamilton)
Guide – self guided
RUNNER UP Ken Fredericksen (Whanganui)
Guide – self guided
FOURS
WINNER Skip – Robert Austin (Canterbury)
Third - Douglas Chee
Two – Tom Boyd
Lead – Peter Jessett
Guide – Carol Power
RUNNER UP Skip – Keith Stewart (Canterbury)
Third - Warwick Scadden
Two – Jillian Dellabosca
Lead - Nancy Wong
Guide – Gaye Boyd
Champion of Champions
TOTAL BLIND
WINNER Nooapii Rouvi (Otago)
Guide – Chris Moffitt
RUNNER UP Louise Henry (Hamilton)
Guide – Meryn Curtis
PARTIALLY SIGHTED
WINNER Mike Smith (Hamilton)
Guide - nil
RUNNER UP Sally Marston (Hamilton)
Guide – Meryn Curtis
Plate Section
PAIRS
WINNER Skip – Keith Stewart (Canterbury)
Lead - Warrick Scadden
Guide – Coreen Wallis
RUNNER UP Skip – Tony Kane (Otago)
Lead – Nooapii Rouvi
Guide – Alanna Moffitt
FOURS
WINNER Skip - Tony Kane (Otago)
Third – Lance Patterson
Two – Nooapii Rouvi
Lead – Aerenga Rouvi
Guide – Alanna Moffitt
RUNNER UP Skip – David Aiono (Wellington)
Third – Jane Mehaffey
Two – Theresa Walshaw
Lead – Noel Walshaw
Guide – Anne Cole
FEDERATION CUP Whanganui
(Highest average points in Fours qualifying)
CHAMPION PROVINCE – BAILES CUP Canterbury
GOLD STARS/BARS Nil
1ST TITLE WINNERS Robert Austin (Canterbury)
Tom Boyd (Canterbury)
Douglas Chee (Canterbury)
Mike Smith (Hamilton)
Sally Marston (Hamilton)