The 1-5 Year Fours Finals, initially delayed by daylight savings, finally found its thrilling conclusion at the Royal Oak, coinciding with the COC Triples Finals.

The atmosphere was full of excitement as Freddie Te Whare and his Blockhouse Bay team—Hemoata Brown, Neil Prendiville, Bronwyn Hunter and Freddie Te Whare—faced off against Royal Oak’s strong finalists: “Flash” Gordon, Ross Powell, Ran Randeniya, and Peter McConnell.

Despite Royal Oak’s home crowd advantage, Blockhouse Bay arrived with their entourage, ready to level the playing field with supporters! The crowd’s anticipation was evident as they gathered around the green, with the Women’s Triples and the 1-5 Year Fours Finals running concurrently, each bowl shifting the tension and suspense between the two contests.

Blockhouse Bay was first to strike, gradually building an early lead. Although Royal Oak kept pace, but trailed by a slim margin, unable to completely close the gap. Blockhouse Bay’s tactical play and consistent scoring kept them in control until the final end, where Royal Oak found themselves just one shot adrift.

Bronwyn Hunter, leading for Blockhouse Bay, took advantage of Royal Oak’s two faltering opening bowls, setting up her team for success. As the Royal Oak skip took his place on the mat, it was clear: an all-or-nothing attack was needed. With precision, he drove the jack into the ditch, his toucher following suit, but a strategically placed back bowl from Blockhouse Bay held the shot, just over a foot from the ditch.

Freddie Te Whare then delivered a masterstroke, a perfect draw to the lip of the green, securing a grip on the trophy. The final bowl fell to Flash Gordon, who faced a critical decision: play it safe for one point or attempt a risky move to win. Opting for the latter, Flash missed his line, crowning Blockhouse Bay the 2024 1-5 Year Fours champions.

During the presentation, Hemoata Brown expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Blockhouse Bay supporters, crediting their presence as an encouragement to bowl to success. She dedicated the title to their unwavering support and to all 1-5 bowlers at Blockhouse Bay, celebrating the victory as a testament to the club’s spirit.