Scott and Bester Australian number ones
Natasha Scott and Ryan Bester have prevailed on top of the Aero Bowls National Rankings and will be awarded with their trophies and $3000 bonus cheque courtesy of Aero Bowls at the Awards Night Ceremony in Surfers Paradise in October. The world’s best prevail on top of the Aero Bowls National Rankings with Broadbeach’s Ryan Bester and Raymond Terrace’s Natasha Scott reigning supreme in the inaugural year.
After a year of accumulating ranking points in various registered ranking events Australia-wide, Scott and Bester’s performances over the past 12 months have earned them the honour of finishing the year as Australia’s number one ranked male and female bowlers.
Scott’s hard work on and off the green has paid off with a hugely successful 12 months that has not only earned her top spot in the national rankings but also retaining her spot in the Australian Jackaroos Squad.
Scott says she is thrilled with her efforts this year and is honoured to be Australia’s leading female bowler.
“It means everything to be named the inaugural champion as all the hard work that I have put in over the last 12 months will be recognised,” Scott said.
2014-15 is certainly a year to remember for Scott who kicked off the rankings year with a maiden victory in the prestigious Golden Nugget Singles, after making the final the year before, only to go on and add a further 193 points to her tally with an ever expanding list of achievements.
Scott’s most memorable performances this year include her most recent victory in the Australian Open Fours which earned her 60 points, victory in the South Tweed Classic Singles and the NSW State Triples Championships.
Leading into the final rankings event for the year, the $225,000 Australian Open, Natasha Scott was trailing Australian Jackaroos Captain Lynsey Clarke by 2.6 points and knew that a strong performance at the world’s biggest festival of bowls would all but secure the number one spot for the dual Commonwealth Games representative.
“Going into the Australian Open I knew I was just behind Lynsey so I just had to do my best and perform well to get me the enough points to put me on top of the national rankings,” said a delighted Scott.
“The past month has been a rollercoaster winning the Tweed Ladies Prestige Singles and the Australian Open Fours and now this just tops it all off.”
Bester, who has called Australia home for a decade, is in the best form of his life and has pocketed a bonus $3000 courtesy of Aero Bowls for prevailing over the 1606 other men who gained an official Australian ranking this year.
Bester won three ranking events this year, the Broadbeach Blue Diamond Pairs, the Queensland State Singles and Tweed Heads Golden Nugget Singles however it was his runner-up performance in the blue ribbon singles event at the $225,000 Australian Open that earned him 80 points and secured the Canadian representative the number one spot on the Australian rankings.
Bester’s other notable performances this year was finishing second in the Ballina Summerland Singles, third in the Pine Rivers December Pairs and third in the South Lismore Classic Pairs; whilst he was also a semi-finalist in the Queensland State Triples and Fours.
“It means a lot moving from Canada 10 years ago to arguably the best bowls nation in the world and to have a fantastic year is an achievement I’m proud of,” said a very humble Bester.
“I’d like to thank Broadbeach Bowling Club for their continued support.”
Bester’s combined total was 368.5 which was 86.3 points clear of South Australian Scott Thulborn and a further 44.7 points clear of Australian Open pairs Champion Sean Baker who made a late surge up the rankings to finish in front of former number 1 Dylan Fisher and NSW ace Corey Wedlock who round out the top five.
Scott and Bester will be presented with their $3000 cheque courtesy of Aero Bowls and a trophy at the forthcoming Hall of Fame and Awards Night at the Mantra Legends in Surfers Paradise on October 29.
To view the final standings in the women’s rankings click here.
To view the final standings in the men’s rankings click here.
