The Bowls Auckland 1-5 Year Men’s and Women’s Singles Championship highlighted some of the most promising new talents in the sport. Held across Auckland, the competition saw rising stars compete in intense Singles action, highlighting the growth and development of players. The event featured a mixture of familiar faces and new names making their mark in the post-section rounds. Special mention goes to Royal Oak Bowls who fielded 24 competitors out of 114 total (about 21%), and to Richard Jolly and Brett Hailstone, who made the trip from Waiheke Bowling Club to compete.

One of the standout moments was the mother-daughter showdown between Lee and Nicole Singer at Royal Oak. Nicole defeated her mother 21-16 in a highly competitive match. Meanwhile, at Epsom, representatives Rebecca Brosnan and Henrietta Scott went head-to-head, with Rebecca securing a dramatic 21-20 victory by grabbing a three on the final end. Kohimarama’s Lynley Pritchard also had a day to celebrate, taking three straight wins to qualify, including victories over representatives Jeanine Browne and Hannah Dawson (21-19 in both matches).

In the Men’s competition, securing three out of four wins proved tough, cutting the field of 76 down to just 27. The post-section rounds featured a blend of representatives, expected qualifiers, and new faces. The men were split between New Lynn and Royal Oak, while the women competed at Epsom. Pritchard, having defeated Dawson on Saturday, was unable to repeat her success, with Dawson advancing to the quarterfinals with a 21-9 victory.

As the quarterfinals approached, it became clear that the young guns were closing in on success, with over half the remaining field under the age of 40. In the Women’s semi-finals, Nicole Singer (Royal Oak) and Jhanna Savov (Mt Albert) put on an outstanding display. Nicole kept her nose in front, winning 21-16. In the other semi-final, Royal Oak’s Rebecca Brosnan defeated Donna Davison 21-10, setting the tone with early multiples.

In the Final, Nicole Singer played with skill and consistency, restricting Brosnan to only two scoring opportunities and securing a decisive 21-3 victory.

In the Men’s event, Peter McConnell (Royal Oak) led the charge at New Lynn with competitive matches against Ross Powell (21-16), Paul Davison (21-17), and Phillip Garratt (21-17) in the semi-final. At Royal Oak, well-known representatives Steve Fisher, Stephen Campbell, Carl Martin, and Zoran Bartulovich battled through the rounds of 16 and quarterfinals, with Campbell and Bartulovich facing off in the semi-final match. Campbell emerged victorious with a 21-18 win.

Peter McConnell will play Stephen Campbell in the 1-5 Year Singles Final on Saturday, 22 June at Royal Oak Bowling Club, in conjunction with the Auckland Men’s Fours finals from midday. These Finals promise to be a thrilling conclusion to championships filled with fresh faces and fierce competition.