2023 STATE CHAMPionshipS

By Kelsey Cottrell

The $50,000 2023 State Championships (May 8-21) have been run and won on the Sunshine Coast, thanks to the support of the Sunshine Coast Council and plenty of bowlers from around the state who entered to test themselves against the best of the best in Queensland.

It all started with the popular Mixed Pairs discipline which seems like a life-time ago; the event saw many familiar faces come finals time.

A multiple State Championship winner struck gold again, Scott DeJongh-Fitzpatrick teamed up with Hamilton’s newest recruit Jane Bush and defeated the strong combination of Janet Healey and Cohen Litfin in a quality contest that went down to the wire.

The blustery conditions added to the complexity of this finals match. When Healey and Litfin were up 13-3, DeJongh-Fitzpatrick and Bush slowly pushed back one shot at a time to pip their competitors by just one shot, claiming the gold with a final score of 17-16.

“We came in to play a long game and we just kept chipping away and won by one!” DeJongh-Fitzpatrick said.

The bronze match saw bowling youngsters Kira Bourke and Jarryd Davies go head-to-head against the mother and son duo of Pauline and Kobe Barton with Bourke and Davies securing the bronze 26-15.

“This was our first time playing Mixed Pairs,” Bourke said. “We did well although obviously were hoping to do better, but we will be back next year.”

Thanks to sponsors Sunshine Coast Council, Club Coolum and Nic Fisher-Harcourts for their support of the State Mixed Pairs event.

Results Mixed Pairs

• G old: Jane Bush & Scott DeJongh-Fitzpatrick def Janet Healey & Cohen Litfin 17-16

• Bronze: Kira Bourke & Jarryd Davies def Pauline Barton & Kobe Barton 26-15

Triples

Triples was to follow, and unlike the mixed pairs, the triples was an event that helped unearth new talent and see some new faces featuring at the pointy end of the two-day event.

The Helensvale Hawks trio of Isaac Maughan, Gary Gilligan and

Musgrave Hill Pelicans, comprising a couple of kiwi imports.

Roger Stevens (NZ), Dean Drummond (also kiwi heritage) and Peter Brown were surprised to be in the final, but took the opportunity with both hands and romped home with a 24-11 victory.

“This was the first year that we had played in the triples,” Stevens said. “We just scraped through yesterday and we had really tough games and this final game was our biggest win.”

The women’s triples final came down to an extra end, with 50 shots scored over the first 25 ends and never more than a handful of shots separating them throughout the match, a 26th end was required to split these two great sides. It was Hamilton’s Lauren Schultz, Gail Crompton and Wendy Wilson who snuck over the line against Pauline Laverty, Adele Pershouse and Maree Gibbs 28-25.

“It was a cracker of a game which could have gone any way,” Wilson said. “We were literally shot-for-shot all the way through and we had to play an extra end! The greens are beautiful, but that wind was making it very tricky.”

Congratulations to the bronze medal winners Alan Law, Tomas Nathan and Abdul Latif Karim who defeated Joel Downey, Robert Hammond, Jake Rynne with a tidy 34-25. The women’s game was in the bag right from the beginning, with Kira Bourke, Claire Turley and Lynsey Clarke defeating Jessica Parolin, Leigh Fortington and Maria Rigby by a whopping 21-3. Thanks to sponsors Sunshine Coast Council, Club Coolum and Nic Fisher -Harcourt for their support of the State Triples event.

Results Triples Men

• G old: Roger Stevens, Dean Drummond & Peter Brown def Isaac Maughan, Gary Gilligan & Jason Constable 24-11

• Bronze: Alan Law, Tomas Nathan & Abdul Latif Karim def Joel Downey, Robert Hammond & Jake Rynne 34-25

Results Triples Women

• G old: Wendy Wilson, Gail Crompton & Lauren Schultz def Pauline Laverty, Adele Pershouse & Maree Gibbs 28-25 (25-25 after 25 ends - extra end played)

• Bronze: Kira Bourke, Claire Turley & Lynsey Clarke def Jessica Parolin, Leigh Fortington & Maria Rigby 21-3

Fours

Fours time, the ultimate test of TEAM. Rarely do we see a State Championships with Broadbeach Bulls not taking home gold, and rarely does Bolivia Millerick go home empty handed. This year is a not a rare phenomenon, the fours delivered for the Gold Coast powerhouse club.

Cheryl Heaps, Karen Goldsworthy, Julie Keegan and Bolivia Millerick were victorious over a composite side comprising sisters Fiona and Nicole Williams, Adele Pershouse and Joan Tennant 24-16. Despite the inclement weather the greens at Coolum Beach were holding up just nicely and allowing the fours finalists to produce top notch bowls for the spectators.

“It was neck-and-neck all the way and our toughest game, which you would expect in a final,” Keegan said. “The other team just played amazingly well. We never felt comfortable, and we never took the game for granted as they were just converting so well.”

Brisbane’s Belmont Services team of Tom Blaszyzck, Steve Hayden, Jacob Nelson and Kane Nelson made life very difficult for their opponents, Scott DeJongh-Fitzpatrick, Rohan Wilson, Brett Wilkie and Adam White, by jumping out of the blocks with a 17-5 lead after 12 ends. The match got closer and was never out of reach for White’s side, however the boys from Belmont continued to apply the pressure, keep their deficits to a minimum and go on to secure the victory 19-13.

The team “played fantastically well,” Kane Nelson said. “We have made a few finals and won a few silvers, so to finally get over the line is a pretty good feeling. Despite the big lead, it was still nerve-racking.”

Well done to bronze medallists Olivia Rothwell, Lauren Schultz, Gail Crompton, Wendy Wilson in the women and Mark Armstrong, Ben Walsh, Cohen Litfin, Nic Gosley in the men.

Thanks to sponsors Sunshine Coast Council, Club Coolum and Henselite for their support of the State Fours event.

Results Fours Men

• G old: Tom Blaszczyk, Steve Hayden, Jacob Nelson & Kane Nelson def Scott DeJongh-Fitzpatrick, Rohan Wilson, Brett Wilkie & Adam White 19-13

• Bronze: Mark Armstrong Ben Walsh, Cohen Litfin & Nic Gosley def Joel Downey, John Hammond, Robert Hammond & Jake Rynne 21-10

Results Fours Women

• G old: Cheryl Heaps, Karen Goldsworthy, Julie Keegan & Bolivia Millerick def Fiona Williams, Adele Pershouse, Nicole Williams & Joan Tennant 24-16

• Bronze: Ollivia Rothwell, Lauren Schuz, Gail Crompton & Wendy Wilson def Janet Healey, Jess Parolin, Ester Regan & Faye Clarke 25-18

Over 60 Pairs

The Over 60 Pairs is a hotly contested event and the women’s final was an all-local Kawana affair. Denice McLean and Lynda Brownen got the better of the strong pairing of Leigh Fortington and Maria Rigby who would have been favourites going into that final, with a score of 25-11.

“We were very excited to get through to the finals and thought that we would just enjoy the game against very worthy opponents,” Brownen said.

It was a one-sided affair in the Men’s Over 60 Pairs which saw Alan Pritchard and Graeme Hooper defeating Chris O’Brien and Tony McAnelly 33-10.

The men’s bronze medal playoffs in the Over 60 Pairs saw Kevin Bell and Greg Rolls defeat Greg Caletti and John Steel 21-19. The women’s bronze was a contest between Terry McAlary and Sue Brady, who defeated Ruth Smith and Gail Waitai 22-18.

Results Over 60 Men’s Pairs

• G old: Alan Pritchard & Graeme Hooper def Chris O’Brien & Anthony McAnelly 33-10

• Bronze: Kevin Bell & Greg Rolls def Greg Caletti & John Steel 21-19

Results Over 60 Women’s Pairs

• G old: Denice McLean & Lynda Brownen def Leigh Fortington & Maria Rigby 25-11

• Bronze: Terry McAlary & Sue Brady def Ruth Smith & Gail Waitai 22-18

Pairs

In the women’s pairs, Tweed Heads Ospreys Claire Turley and Lynsey Clarke were tested in the final against Hamilton’s Emma Spicer and Wendy Wilson, but a few classy conversions from Clarke at the right time secured the gold for the good mates from the Gold Coast.

Up until 14 ends, the back and forth game looked like it could go either way. From there, Turley and Clarke edged in front and held their opponents off with a 21-16 win.

Turley and Clarke didn’t go into the game confident of a win.

“We never ever think that we will definitely win before we go out and play a game,” Clarke said. “We had a tough draw all the way through actually. Our section was pretty tough.”

We never felt comfortable, but we always felt confident in that we played our best and we enjoyed ourselves and we could get it done,” she said.

“Claire and I won the 2022 Champion of Club Championship pairs final in October so to get the State Pairs final as well is pretty sweet.

“She is one of my best mates so just getting to play together is a bit cool but to win together is just sweet.”

It wasn’t just Wendy Wilson in the women having an astonishing championship, a Burleigh Heads star was about to feature in his third final. The men’s pairs final was classy to say the least, a cracking game between four young stars of our sport. Scott De Jongh-Fitzpatrick (Burleigh) and Nick Cahill (Broadbeach) took on Tyler Pettigrew and Jake Rynne in an entertaining game that went into the 21st end 19 apiece.

Jake Rynne came up with an all-star conversion to dislodge Cahill and DeJongh-Fitzpatrick’s two shot bowls, propel the jack back into the ditch, with a ricochet off a wing bowl and then the perfect follow through to claim the victory. Both teams deserving of the win, but the bounce going the way of the boys from Carina on this occasion.

Rynne says he is used to being ahead or behind by 5,6,7 or 8, but “it always tightens up towards the end of the game, especially when you are playing opponents of that quality. They are always going to have some chances to get back into the game, and Nick [Cahill] had those chances and he played the bowls to get himself back into the game – kudos to him for that”.

“You have to treat each end as a new end, especially for us when we were in the lead for most of the game,” he said. “You just try and play every end the same. We let them back in, and they were good enough to get back in. So it was 50/50 as to who got there in the end.”

Thanks to sponsors Sunshine Coast Council, Club Coolum and Identified Services for their support of the State Pairs events.

Results Open Men’s Pairs

• G old: Tyler Pettigrew & Jake Rynne def Scott DeJongh-Fitzpatrick & Nick Cahill 20-19

• Bronze: Jade Groenewege & Sean Baker def Gary Pearson & Graeme Shillington 27-13

Results Open Women’s Pairs

• G old: Claire Turley & Lynsey Clarke def Emma Spicer & Wendy Wilson 21-16

• Bronze: Val Jackson & Tilly Orero def Emma Boyd & Kira Bourke 22-21

Singles

The prestigious singles events saw plenty of entertainment for the crowds on the final day of competition at Coolum Beach; certainly, having locals at the pointy end of the event contributed to the greens being filled with on-lookers hovering for a good spot to catch all the action.

The party would have been rocking well into the night at Club Kawana after Kurt Brown and Katelyn Inch, both members of the powerhouse Sunshine Coast Club, took home singles gold.

Inch has dominated the State Singles since relocating from New Zealand, the nation she represents in international bowls events. Her credentials saw her go into the final as a strong favourite; however, Broadbeach bowler Heather Hodgson took it up to the international star.

Hodgson, a State Representative in the Bowling Arm category, was fresh off a victory against Australian Jackaroo Chloe Stewart in the semi-final and was really settling into her game after an early loss in sectional play.

Inch had to fight back after trailing for majority of the match; a poor end from Hodgson saw Inch picking up three shots to jump to a 22-20 lead, and she remained in front until scoring the magic 25th shot!

“I didn’t have any expectations coming into this as I’ve had a busy year so far with international bowls and I really am stoked to have made my way here,” Inch said. “It was a tough battle – Heather is a great player, but I just hung in there. It was such a tough game and Heather was always in front and it took me a really long time to get there.”

Thanks to sponsors Sunshine Coast Council, Club Coolum and Henselite for their support of the State Singles events.

Results Men’s Singles

• G old: Kurt Brown def Brendan Wilson 25-24

• Bronze: Isaac Maughan def John Newell 25-22

• Results Women’s Singles

• G old: Katelyn Inch def Heather Hodgson 25-22

• Bronze: Wendy Wilson def Chloe Stewart 25-22

Later in the day Kurt Brown also came from behind against Hamilton’s Brendan Wilson who had the Kawana local down 13-22. In his own words, Brown “dug deep” and played long ends which started to pay dividends in the back end of the game. As Brown started to nail the jack and set the heads up nicely, the comeback was looking ominous.

Wilson played some bombs of his own and in the blink of an eye the two players were shaking hands wishing each other the best of luck for the final end, 24 all, winner takes all.

Wilson holding three, no bowls left to play, had to watch Brown walk back to the mat and deliver the ultimate shot under immense pressure, snatching the victory. Brown said he was starting to get a bit worried when it was 22 to 13 down but decided to soldier on. “The biggest problem I was having was that I just needed to wake up to myself,” he said.

Brendan and mum Wendy Wilson were both able to walk away from the 2023 State Championships with medals. Wendy said that for her, the highlight was watching Brendan play so well in the men’s singles gold medal finals match. “To stand next to Brendan for the medal presentations and both be awarded medals was a proud mum moment for me,” Wendy said.

All the state champions (except the Over 60 Pairs medallists) will have the opportunity to participate in the National Championships in Perth in October.

Bowls Queensland extends its thanks to sponsors the Sunshine Coast Council, Henselite, Nic Fisher from Harcourts, Identified Services and Coolum Beach Bowls Club. Well done to all host clubs for putting on a fantastic event, in particular Coolum Beach Bowls Club for hosting the finals. Thank you to the Gold Coast Tweed District Media Team for their coverage throughout the State Championships.