This latest victory marks a remarkable run for the club, having hoisted the trophy five times in the last eight seasons.
This year saw a strategic shift in the tournament format, designed to allow players more opportunities to compete alongside their clubmates.
The 10-team field opened with a full round-robin before splitting into two tiers: the top five playing for Division 1 honours and the bottom five contesting Division 2.
Each fixture consisted of two pairs matches and one triples match.
The split proved to be a masterstroke, resulting in one of the most competitive finishes in the tournament’s history.
Division 1: Heading into the final round, Geraldine sat in the driver’s seat as the front-runners.
However, in a stunning turn of events, they were shut out by a clinical West End 2 side, losing all three games. That upset opened the door for Kia Toa 1. By securing a vital win against West End 1, Kia Toa 1 leapfrogged the field to claim a satisfying overall victory.
The triples featured Kia Toa legend Jim Vevers, former NZ Indoor Champion Kevin Anngow, and Michael Leonard.
Club selector Des Shea was ecstatic with the result, offering high praise for the pair of Craig Ridden and Rana Matenga, who finished the season with a flawless 13-0 unbeaten record.
Division 2: The battle for Division 2 came down to a virtual final in the last round.
Kia Toa 2 held the lead going into the weekend but faced a high-stakes showdown against second-placed Temuka.
Temuka proved too strong on the day, sweeping the series 3–0 to claim the Division 2 title.
The winning Temuka squad included Merv and Ants Holland, Dave Keeley, Mick Ross, Kevin Stuart, Lenny Luke, Ian Gallon, Grant Rooney, and John Kelman.
Final Results: Division 1 (Top 5). 1st Kia Toa 1 (15pts), 2nd= Geraldine & West End 2 (13pts), 4th West End 1 (11pts), 5th Kia Toa 3 (8pts). Division 2 (Bottom 5): 1st Temuka (18pts), 2nd Waimate (15pts), 3rd Kia Toa 2 (13pts), 4th= Timaru & Fairlie (7pts). — Richie Kerr
