Chris Matthews and Carolyn Swanson have win the NZ Mixed Pairs title.
Canterbury’s Chris Matthews and Carolyn Swanson came from behind in the last round to snatch the NZ Mixed Pairs title on a count back of ends when they recorded 11 points and 41 ends points to win the 2019 New Zealand Mixed Pairs and the Brent Grigg Trophy at the Waikato Indoor Bowls Stadium, Duncan Road, Hamilton on Sunday.
This was Matthews’ third national title having won the National Championship Singles in 2008 and the NZ Mixed Fours last year.
The front runner after five rounds, North Taranaki represented by Mark Ridley and Colleen Riddock appeared to have the title within their grasp when they had a handy three point lead over Canterbury and four points over Counties with two games to play.
However the sixth round saw North Taranaki draw with Tauranga while Canterbury defeated Horowhenua. This cost North Taranaki a vital point and closed the gap between North Taranaki and Canterbury to just two points.
In the final round North Taranaki lost to Golden Bay-Motueka while Canterbury beat Wairarapa to draw level with North Taranaki on eleven points each but Canterbury had scored on 41 ends overall to North Taranaki’s 34 ends.
This meant that the Brent Grigg Trophy went back to Christchurch for the second year in a row.
The runners-up were Mark Ridley and Colleen Riddock, North Taranaki.
Results:
Round 1: Golden Bay-Motueka (GB) bt Tauranga (TG) 8-5; North Taranaki (NT) bt Canterbury (CY) 8-6; Counties (CS) bt Central Otago (CO) 11-3; Horowhenua (HO) bt Wairarapa (WR) 10-4.
Standings: GB 2, NT 2, CS 2, HO 2, TG 0, CY 0, CO 0, WR 0.
Round 2: NT bt CO 9-8; CS bt HO 14-5; CY bt GB 7-4; TG bt WR 10-6.
Standings: CS 4, NT 4, TG 2, HO 2, CY 2, GB 2, CO 2, WR 0.
Round 3: NT bt HO 12-11; CS bt WR 11-5; CO bt GB 11-6; CY bt TG 10-6.
Standings: CS 6, NT 6, HO 2, TG 2, CO 2, GB 2, WR 0;
Round 4: CY bt CS 11-7; TG bt CO 16-2; GB bt HO 19-1; NT bt WR 11-6.
Standings: NT 8, CS 6, CY 6, TG 4, GB 4, HO 2, CO 2, WR 0.
Round 5: GB bt WR 18-2; NT bt CS 12-6; HO drew TG 10-10’ CY drew CO 7-7.
Standings: NT 10, CY 7, CS 6. GB 6. TG 5, HO 3, CO 3, WR 0.
Round 6: CS bt GB 9-6; WR bt CO 14-6; CY bt HO 16-1; NT drew TG 8-8.
Standings: NT 11, CY 9, CS 8, GB 6, TG 6, HO 3, CO 3, WR 1.
Round 7: GB bt NT 10-8; HO bt CO 9-6, CY bt WR 13-5, TG bt CS 11-3
Final Standings: First: Canterbury (Chris Mathews, Carolyn Swanson) 11 pts, 41 ends;
Second: North Taranaki (Mark Ridley, Colleen Riddock) 11 pts, 34 ends;
Third: Tauranga (Geoff Coughey, Leanne Webby) 8 pts, 40 ends; Fourth: Counties (Jason Parker, Cindy White 8 pts, 38 ends; Fifth: Golden Bay-Motueka 8 pts, 36 ends; Sixth: Horowhenua (Peter Drabble, Ann Drabble) 5 pts; Seventh: Central Otago (Kevin Hurley, Gloria Hurley 3 pts; Eighth: Wairarapa (Mathew Day, Gwen Pocock) 2 pts.