Auckland’s rising 1-5 talent made a bold statement last weekend, conquering the first-ever Octagonal Challenge against Zone 1 and 2 centres, with a strong Hawke’s Bay side filling the bye. Both the Men’s and Women’s teams delivered standout performances, securing Auckland’s place at the top of the table.

Day One – Making an impact
The Women’s team came out firing, sweeping all four rounds with dominant wins over Bay of Plenty, North Harbour, Hawke’s Bay, and Northland. The Men also impressed, winning four matches, only stumbling in round three with a Pairs loss to Counties Manukau. A strategic Fours draw in the opening round against North Harbour provided a valuable half-point advantage.

Day Two – Closing in style
After a narrow 2-1 loss to Waikato, the Women bounced back, sweeping Thames Valley 3-0 and edging Counties Manukau 2-1 in the final round. The Men continued their strong form, outlasting Hawke’s Bay (second at the time) in a tense 2-1 battle, before defeating Northland 2-1 and sealing victory with a commanding 3-0 win over Bay of Plenty.

Sealing the win
Auckland’s squad finished well ahead of second-placed Bay of Plenty (27 match points), while North Harbour edged Hawke’s Bay for third on rink points (25.5 vs. 24). Captain Steve Fisher praised the team’s hard work and dedication, acknowledging the efforts of coaches and management in fostering their success.

Special mention goes to Stephen Campbell, Liam Cleal, Brett Christie, Julie Keven and Henrietta Scott, who played their final 1-5 representative fixtures—best wishes for their future bowls careers!

This performance cements Auckland’s dominance in the 1-5s space and sets a high bar for the next season.
Auckland’s Winning Weekend.

Women

• Singles (7/7): Donna Davison (3/3), Hannah Dawson (4/4)
• Pairs (5/7): Eva Bell (5/7), Jhanna Savov (5/7)
• Fours (6/7): Julie Keven (6/7), Nicole Singer (6/7), Henrietta Scott (6/7), Dana Taylor (2/3), Donna Davison (3/3)

Men

• Singles (5/7): Stephen Campbell (4/4), Ryan Hill (1/3)
• Pairs (6/7): Steve Fisher (6/7), Brett Christie (1/1), Ryan Hill (2/3), Stephen Campbell (3/3)
• Fours (6.5/7): Sam Brack (6.5/7), Liam Cleal (6.5/7), Paul Davison (4.5/5), Michael Faircloth (4.5/5), Brett Christie (4/4)

Overall Standings

• Match Points: Men – 21/21 | Women – 18/21 | Total – 39/42
• Game Points: Men – 17.5/21 | Women – 18/21 | Total – 35.5/42