The North Otago women's pair of Gladys McKenzie (83) and Joan Williams (84) proved that there is still a place for older bowlers at the competitive edge of the sport.
They were playing in the New Zealand Community Trust pairs regional finals to find the zone six representative to contest the national final at Rotorua and won two of their four games on the Kaikorai green.
It is not unusual for 80-year-olds, and even a few over the age of 90, to play bowls.
But it is not usual for them to reach the higher echelons of the sport.
"I don't think about my age. I like the competition and just play bowls," skip Williams said. "I don't do anything special.
"I just keep going and forget about how old I am. I will keep playing as long as I can."
McKenzie is playing in the regional event for the second year in a row.
"I enjoy the companionship of bowls and like meeting people," she said.
Bowls is the only sport the pair have taken seriously and they have excelled at the game.
McKenzie has been playing bowls for 47 years and has won 11 North Otago titles.
"My husband was the greenkeeper at the Weston club when I started," McKenzie said.
She grew up on a sheep farm at Clydevale and shifted to North Otago after getting married.
She has four daughters, six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Williams grew up in England, emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 29, and started playing bowls 36 years ago, after her six children had grown up.
She now has 15 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
Williams has won nine North Otago titles and has played in the pairs with McKenzie for 13 years.
The South Canterbury combination of Sam Morton and Danny Rooney won the men's pairs and will represent region six at the New Zealand Community Trust finals at Rotorua next month.
It has been a notable year for Morton (18), a third-year bowler, who won his first South Canterbury title when the pair qualified for the regional finals and will now make it to the national scene for the first time.
South Canterbury beat Dunedin 17-15, North Otago 21-13, South Otago 31-19 and Southland 20-11.
But it was the fourth-round loss to Cental Otago 17-19 that clinched the win.
Central Otago led 18-6 after 14 of the 18 ends but South Canterbury finished in a flourish to lower the differential by scoring a three, three and five on the last four ends.
The five on the last end was crucial to the end result because South Canterbury had four wins and a differential of plus 36.
Central Otago also had four wins and differential of plus 26.
The five turned the tournament in South Canterbury's favour.
Southland was third with two wins and a differential of minus 2.
The Central Otago team of Linley O'Callaghan and Imela Holdom won its five games (differential plus 31) to win the women's competition from the South Otago pair of Irene McNoe and Eileen Grant which had four wins (differential plus 31).
Southland was third with two wins and differential of plus 15.
Central Otago beat South Otago 22-14, North Otago 22-7, South Canterbury 17-14, Dunedin 19-16 and Southland 22-20.
Finegand won the South Otago men's champion of champions fours title on Wednesday night by beating Owaka 19-12.
Scores were tied 11-11 after nine ends but Finegand, through good lead bowls by Peter Miller and excellent skipping by Dave Roxburgh, was just too much for the Owaka team.
In the final of the men's sevens competition, Kaka Point beat Owaka 4-2, but Milton No 1 claimed the title as it had defeated Kaka Point in the earlier rounds.
Final points were: Milton No 1 44, Kaka Point 44, Clutha Valley 36, Clinton 33, Kaitangata 32, Balclutha 29, Owaka 28, Finegand 16, Milton No 2 16, Lawrence 12.
