Our great Scotts claim national honours
The Australian Champion of Champions has concluded at Coolum Beach with Scott Thulborn winning back-to-back titles and Natasha Scott extending her dominance in women’s bowls and at the top of the national rankings. Scott Thulborn has created history today at Coolum Beach Bowls Club by claiming back-to-back Australian Champion of Champions titles and he had achieved the milestone with one round left to play in the national event.
Going into the final round of the day Thulborn had all but sewed up the national title with a huge 42 shot advantage and with that the Messenger News Adelaide Endurance star writes his names into the history books as the first player in history of the event to win back-to-back titles.
Thulborn’s feat comes after almost 40 straight victories in club singles and champion of champion events across three states over the past two years and this second title comes just months before he is set to don the green and gold at the World Champion of Champions at Club Helensvale.
Thulborn’s victory here this week will secure him another appearance representing Australia in the 2017 World Champion of Champions to be staged once again at Club Helensvale.
Having had plenty of time to let the achievement sink in Thulborn say’s he was feeling a bit overwhelmed with what he was able to achieve this week.
“I’m feeling really excited right now and of course really happy to have done my club Adelaide proud,” said the thrilled back-to-back champion.
“I’m excited for the challenge of the World Champion of Champions at Club Helensvale in a few months’ time and hope that I could do my country proud on the international stage.”
Thulborn will represent Australia twice before the end of the year, once at Club Helensvale where he will hope to continue his amazing run in singles and in Malaysia where he will team up with Ben Twist, Bolivia Millerick and Dawn Hayman in the Merdeka International Indoor Championships at the end of the month.
Australian Jackaroo Natasha Scott has secured another Australian title to her name at this week’s Australian Champion of Champions and continues her impressive run on the national stage that saw her claim the 2014-15 Aero Bowls Female Bowler of the Year.
Scott went into the final round of the championships with a nine shot buffer over Australian team mate Rebecca Van Asch and mid-way through the deciding match margins were beginning to favour Van Asch who was posting a big score against Victoria’s Jody Nevill.
Northern Territories Carolyn Smolski had posted her first win of the tournament and obviously confidence was high when she stepped out against tournament favourite Scott; Scott was struggling to peel away from Smolski much to the delight of Van Asch on the neighbouring rink who would have been doing all the calculations in her head.
Once Scott claimed her match 21-16, Van Asch had just dropped a two on her rink and was no longer able to match Natasha’s margin.
An over the moon champion said she came here with the goal to win the event but knew how challenging it would be.
“I came into this event knowing I was playing well enough to win but in the end I also knew how hard it is to go through a tournament like this undefeated; the game yesterday morning (against Debbie Logan) was a wakeup call for me and in the end helped me fight harder to win,” said the deserving champion.
“I’ve taken a new approach to bowls this year and I’m just taking it easy, a wins a win and a loss is a loss; I believe the key to my success has been my more relaxed approach.
“I’d like to thank my good friend Genevieve Delves for coming to Coolum to support me all week and to all my family and friends back home who have sent me messages of support during the event.
“I’m excited to now be representing Australia at the World Champion of Champions at Club Helensvale next year but I hope to have the opportunity to represent Australia before that at the Asia Pacific Games in November this year.”
Kenta Treacher and Rebecca Van Asch secured second position having both gone through the event only dropping one match; both runner-up’s lost their only match against our eventual winners Thulborn and Scott.
For all the results and final ladder click here.
Caption- Scott Thulborn and Natasha Scott are the 2015 Australian Champion of Champion singles winners
