The more the merrier
Club Merrylands duo Kerry Farrell and Betty Herbertson have attained the 2013 National Champion of Champions women’s pairs title Club Merrylands duo Kerry Farrell and Betty Herbertson have attained the 2013 National Champion of Champions women’s pairs title after downing Western Australian golden girls Rechelle Cole and Kristina Krstic at Ascot Park, South Australia this morning.
Farrell and Herberston were quick to draw first blood in the wet and windy conditions offered up in the Festival State this morning, a stark contrast to the glistening sunshine on display during yesterday’s three gold medal matches, pinching 4 shots over the opening two ends before the Manning Memorial pair burst to life and put a holt on their progress.
With the harsh elements proving troublesome and making big counts hard to come by midway through proceedings, it was Farrell and Herbertson who adjusted to the conditions quicker, with four ends of 3 shots over six ends providing them with some breathing room and a large enough margin to secure victory without scoring on the penultimate and final end, 19-17.
“It was a real struggle right from the word go,” Herbertson said after sealing her fate.
“Three bowl pairs is a pretty hard game, I don’t think I have ever played it before in my life really but we managed to get through and it’s a real thrill to have Kerry on board, it was her first state title, when we won the NSW state title, and now its her first national title so it’s a huge accomplishment.
“I’ve been around for a long time so I’ve won a few myself and while I’m still competitive I’m not going to give the game away.
“You have to play with a decent player in your club pairs now where you didn’t have to do that before, we played Julie Keegan and Claire Turley in the final of our state and that was a magnificent game so we were thrilled to get through that one, let alone these ones, and we’re really wrapped to be winners of the National Champion of Champions.”
Asked whether she would commence the process of defending her new title next year, Herbertson said she would instead begin afresh with a new partner in order to help another Club Merrylands’ team-mate catch the eye of state selectors.
“I’ve organised to play with another lady next year, I went in the club pairs with Kerry in the hope that I could get her state game, and I reckon she is played well assured of a state game now, so I’m playing with someone else in the club event next year to give another person a chance and hopefully I can do well with her.”
NSW concluded the 2013 National Champion of Champions with three gold medals; in the men’s singles, men’s and women’s pairs, Western Australia took home gold in the women’s singles and two silvers in the men’s singles and women’s pairs, Victoria earned silver in the men’s pairs and Queensland did likewise in the women’s singles.
Click here for full results from the 2013 National Champion of Champions, held at Ascot Park in South Australia from October 11 to 13.
