2023 Nationals: Day one recap
Conditions could not have been better for high quality bowls as the much-anticipated 2023 Nationals kicked off across Perth’s Sorrento and Warwick Bowling Clubs on Friday.
With the mercury getting close to the mid 30 degrees celsius mark throughout the day, it was a battle of attrition as players from across Australia put their best foot forward.
Under 18s, Champion of Champions and Para Nationals play got the event under way, with four new Australian champions crowned. It was a strong day for Victoria’s boys, collecting two gold medals.
Under 18s
Girls’ Singles – Stella Palmer (QLD) def Chloe Collins (TAS) 21-16
Stella Palmer continued her domination of the Australian Under 18 Championships at Sorrento on Friday, adding a singles crown to her already decorated bowls CV.
2022 national under-18 pairs and fours champion, Palmer was in top form on her way to a singles gold, including a win over 2022 under-18 singles silver medallist Amity Bickley (VIC).
She went on to meet Tasmania’s Chloe Collins, who also advanced out of her section unbeaten, picking up the scalp of reigning under 18 national singles and under 18 Australian Open singles champion Rees Finn-Young on the way.
Leading by as much as 13-4 in the final, Palmer controlled the majority of the final before a spirited comeback from the Tasmanian. Collins moved within one shot at 17-16, before Palmer steadied for a memorable win.
Palmer described it as a “dream come true” on Rinkside Live after the final.
Gold: Stella Palmer (QLD)
Silver: Chloe Collins (TAS)
Bronze: Reese Finn-Young (NSW)
Boys’ Pairs – Boswood/Cromie (VIC) def Hayes/Thurley (TAS) 24-7
The Big V claimed back-to-back under-18 boys pairs honours courtesy of Charlie Boswood & Koby Cromie on Friday.
The duo recorded a strong win over Tasmania’s Jonty Hayes & Lachie Thurley, but managed their way to the final by nearly the barest of margins.
Finishing sectional play with two wins and a loss, the Vics advanced to the final having finished two shots clear of South Australia.
The win is Cromie’s second pairs title, helping bring the championship to Victoria last year.
Gold: Charlie Boswood & Koby Cromie (VIC)
Silver: Jonty Hayes & Lachie Thurley (TAS)
Bronze: Jacob Aitken & Travis Moran (NSW)
Boys’ Triples – Mays/Rowley/Cartwright (VIC) def Waite/Rich/Thorning (NSW) 18-14
It was a great day for Victoria’s boys, adding a triple gold to go with their pairs crown.
Dominant Victorian and NSW teams met in the final, advancing out of their sections comfortably with three wins.
In a tight battle, Victoria took the honours by four shots to add a second gold to their tally.
Gold: Will Mays, Nick Rowley & Josh Cartwright (VIC)
Silver: Billy Waite, Thomas Rich & Timothy Thorning (NSW)
Bronze: Cameron Hill, Cooper Hocking & Charlie Hicks (SA)
Girls’ Fours – Nicholls, Smith, Chakouch & Astley (NSW) def Gerick, Allan, Anderson & Stallan (QLD) 20-7
NSW were dominant on their way to winning the under-18 fours crown.
Conceding just 11 shots from their two sectional games, the Blues went head-to-head with Queensland in the final.
Their impressive form continued into the decider, dropping just seven shots to claim the crown.
Gold: Zoe Nicholls, Jasmine Smith, Chanel Chakouch & Katie Astley (NSW)
Silver: Lacey Gerick, Sophie Allan, Holly Anderson & Corinne Stallan (QLD)
Bronze: Daisy Coe, Indiana Vass, Ava Vass & Anda Panchawat (SA)
Australian Champion of Champions
Four of the seven round robin sessions of the 2023 Australian Champion of Champions were fiercely contested at picturesque Sorrento on Friday.
Vying for a record fourth Champion of Champions crown, Lee Schraner overcame an early stumble to put himself in the mix of making more history.
The 2017, 2018 and 2021 Champion of Champions victor dropped his first match of the event, but bounced back with three hard-fought wins, including edging out home-state favourite Jack East by three shots.
He sits one win clear of four players, who will be waiting to pounce on any slight opportunity that may present.
The women’s competition is nearly down to two, with SA’s Laini McGorman and NSW’s Samantha Ferguson moving through day one of play without a blemish.
The duo will face off in a mini final first thing on Saturday morning, with the winner going a long way to securing the title. The match will be live streamed via the Bowls Australia Facebook page and YouTube channel.
The final three rounds of Champions of Champions action will commence from 8.30am AWST at Sorrento on Saturday.
Para Nationals
A second Perth club was also in use on Friday, as the Para Nationals commenced on day one of the 2023 Nationals at Warwick.
Women’s open pairs and men’s B5/6 & B7/8 sectional play took place at Warwick.
Women’s Open Pairs
Three rounds were played across two sections of women’s open pairs, with two clear duos emerging as title contenders.
Queensland’s Louise Hoskins and Serena Bonnell and South Australia’s Vanessa Wildy and Catherine Vluggen both enjoyed blemish-free records, finishing unbeaten with three wins each.
The South Australians clung to top spot, holding off Queensland’s Annette Goldsworthy and Cheryl Lindfield in the final round of the day.
Women’s action now turn to singles play in the coming days before finals.
Men’s B5/6 Singles
Tony Bonnell, Greg Toy and Brett Sellars are through to the knockout stages of the men’s B5/6 singles after an unbeaten day for all three at Warwick.
NSW’s Michael Vasallo also advanced by the barest of margins. He and Lucas Protopapas finished sectional play with a win and a draw each, having drawn against each other, with their shots for and against exactly the same. Vasallo managed to progress having lost fewer ends than Protopapas (16 – 22).
The men’s B5/6 singles semi finals will be played on Saturday morning at Warwick.
Men’s B7/8 Singles
Josh Thornton, Eddie Gollan, Grant Gibson, Jacob Sheerin-Wall and Chris Flavel put in strong unbeaten performances to lock in B7/8 singles quarter finals spots on Saturday.
Just one man, Clive Williams, topped a section with a loss to his name.
With six sections, Cooper Whitestyles and Josh Barry also advanced to the knockout rounds as next-best qualifiers.
The 2023 Nationals in Perth, Western Australia is proudly supported by Tourism Western Australia, City of Joondalup, and the State government through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and Lotterywest in Western Australia.
