She is only the fifth woman bowler to gain a second bar to her gold star in the history of Dunedin women's bowls.
The Green Island team of Margaret Hoad, Raylene Walshaw, Rance and Faye Cosgrove beat Vicki Robinson, Donna Scott, Betty Ferguson and Sarah Scott (North East Valley) 14-8 to win the title.
"It was a very emotional time," Rance said. "I've been runner-up so many times."
Rance comes from a bowls family and the sport was an important part of her life when growing up. Her mother, Phyl Reynolds, won five bowls Dunedin titles and also gained her gold star.
"It was very emotional for Mum when I got my gold star in 2001," Rance said. "Mum was thrilled to see me follow in her footsteps and was so filled with emotion that she couldn't get up out of her seat."
Rance was talented at sport from a young age and represented Otago at tennis.
She was also keen on indoor bowls and won nine Otago centre titles in that sport and also represented the South Island.
Rance and Cosgrove have had a close rapport since winning their first Bowls Dunedin title in the open pairs in 1995.
They also gained their gold star together in the pairs in 2001. Cosgrove, a nurse at Dunedin Hospital for 38 years, is the only member of the Green Island four still working.
But on the green it is Rance who calls the shots.
"Lyn is always confident that I can play the difficult shots," Cosgrove said. "Wenever get upset on the green and gelled together from the start."
They have won nine centre titles together and are keen to add the 10th as soon as possible.
Cosgrove grew up on a sheep farm at Taumata, near Clinton, and sport has always been an important part of her life.
She won a New Zealand title in Patsy Jorgensen's Composite four at Tauranga in 2003.
She was the 11th player in the history of Dunedin women's bowls to win 10 or more centre titles. It was her 11th title last weekend.
It was the second title for Walshaw, a former Otago golf representative, who has been playing bowls for nine years. It was the third title for Hoad (nee Griffen), who first became keen on sport when she was a pupil at Macandrew Intermediate.
Ken Walker won his 31st Bowls Dunedin title when he and Ross Thompson (Fairfield) won the open pairs when they beat Greg Cash and Shaun Scott (North East Valley) 20-13.
Kerry Becks (Kaikorai) won his first Bowls Dunedin title when he beat Wayne Hewitt (Fairfield) in the open singles.
Bowls Dunedin
Leading champions
• Gaynor Reid 24, Doreen Bell 21, Dawn Richards 16, Carolyn Crawford 16, Lyn Rance 15.
