The National Champ of Champ Women’s fours were held last Friday, Saturday and Sunday.   They were played at New Lynn on Friday and at Royal Oak on Saturday.

The team representing North Harbour and Mairangi Bay were: Gaye Horne, Judi Farkash, Glenda Rountree and Rosemary Nicol.

They were presented with a difficult draw, not many easy teams here.  First up they played Hinuera representing Waikato; their line-up included multiple centre and national title winners, headed up by Karen de Jongh and Debbie White.  Their experience and consistency proved too much and Hinuera came out on top 17-10.

Next up it got no easier.
A Nelson team with two of New Zealand’s best female bowlers, Jo Edwards and Val Smith.  Again the same story, our team were not playing badly, but the Nelson team were consistent and kept up the pressure, winning 19-10.

Nelson and Hinuera were the top two qualifiers for the finals.

What an experience for our year 6 and 7 years bowlers and the two year 5 bowlers.

Sunday they were up against a Foxton team representing Manawatu.   This game our team started well; they were allowed to play their own game this time coming out winners 14-10.

A good start and some confidence was back.

The last game they were up against Kensington representing Northland, last year’s winners.  A very experienced team who needed to win to qualify for finals.  This was the Televised game, which brought a new pressure to the Mairangi team and which can be a bit daunting.   Again they did not bowl badly but the experienced Kensington were just too good, winning 18-10.

Kensington went on to win their quarter and semi-finals and also the Final against a North East Valley team representing Dunedin 13.9.

The Hinuera, Nelson and Kensington teams were wonderfully supportive and encouraging to the Mairangi team which was amazing.

Our team represented North Harbour very well and what an experience playing these top teams.