The Men and Women Champ of Champ fours were held last weekend.

The Men at Warkworth and the Women at Mahurangi East.

The weather at both venues was wet with squally showers and strong gusty winds which provided very challenging conditions.

The Women had a bye in the first round and they played the local team Mahurangi East in the second round.  Our team struggled with the conditions while the Mahurangi team with local knowledge handled them better.  Mahurangi East ran out the winners 17-9.

Mahurangi then beat Milford in the semi-final and played the Birkenhead team of Lauranne Croot, Connie Mathieson, Milka Nathan and Bev Rolfe in the final.  Birkenhead ran out the winners 21-13.

Our Men`s team Peter Orgias, Alan Daniels, Kevin Robertson and Allan Langley (a useful Mairangi Bay line up) also faced Mahurangi East.

Struggling with the conditions and the fast speed of the green our team found themselves trailing 9 – 0.  They slowly edged back into the game to lead 12-11 with 5 ends to go.  Next end 12 all, then down 12-15 but manged to win the last three ends to come out on top 18-15.

Second round they played Birkenhead, Daymon Pierson, Steve Yates, Jack Hurawai and Jimmy Heath.  Another slow start down 9-0, no problem for our team they had just beaten Mahurangi from the same position.  But it did not happen this time with all our four players, struggling with the conditions and Birkenhead coping much better winning 19-1.

After beating Orewa in the semi final Birkenhead went on to play Takapuna in the final who had  beaten the strong Browns Bay team skipped by Neil Fisher in the quarter final 13-12 and Northcote in the semi final.

Birkenhead went on to win the final 16-15.  They led 14-4, then gave away a six. After 15 ends it was 15 all.  Birkenhead won the extra end to win the title.

Report by Alan Daniels