Losing no time, a slew of past winners charged through their sections in the men's pairs and women's singles as the national bowls championships began yesterday.
For the women it was all or nothing, as they rolled through four matches in a row to qualify for post-section knockout rounds on Saturday.
The men's pairs will have one more day of section play today as they roll up in the final three rounds to decide post-section qualifiers.
Multiple national title-holder Gary Lawson (Belfast) and pairs defending champion Chris Le Lievre (Onehunga) joined 2009 pairs victors Rob Ashton (Johnsonville) and Ray Boffa (Paraparaumu Beach), defending fours champion Matt Gallop (Cabramatta), New Zealand squad member Shannon McIlroy (Stoke) and the youthful Andrew Kelly-Greg Ruaporo duo (Canterbury, Hillsboro) in making a clean sweep of their first day on the greens.
Fresh from their gold medal success at the Asia Pacific Championships, their Black Jack contemporaries Danny Delany and Richard Girvan (Onehunga) made the best of a poor start by winning two matches from three.
Father and son pair Jamie and Neville Hill (Avondale) took up the challenge in the first round and beat Delany and Girvan 16-10.
Black Jack magic on the greens also seemed somewhat lacking in the women's singles as Genevieve Baildon (Hillcrest) was ousted after losing the first two rounds, one to rising star Karen Guilford (Johnsonville).
Guilford won three matches in a row yesterday and took the final game by default.
Nursing an injured shoulder, 2011 Asia Pacific Champs gold medallist Leanne Curry (Frankton Railway) did not make the greens yesterday but will play in the pairs and defend her national title in the fours.
Another national title holder with an eye on the silverware, after taking the title in 2009, was Sue Wightman (Hakaru), who stormed past the opposition to win all her matches, also with a default in the final round.
Fours defending champion Angela Boyd (Taradale) finished the day early with the same record, joining sister and fellow defending fours champion Mandy Boyd in post-section play, after the younger sibling won three from four to qualify.
Today the crucial qualifying matches in the men's pairs will be played, while the women begin qualifying rounds in the pairs.
New Zealand development squad member Sue Hodges (Outram) came up with the goods in her last game to qualify for post-section play in the women's singles.
Hodges started well with wins against Amy Brenton (Stoke) 21-15 and Catherine Bien (St Heliers) 21-19 in her first two games.
But she came unstuck and lost her third game to Linda Ralph (Pakuranga) 17-21 and needed to win her last to qualify.
She did this in style by beating Fay Gully (Waimauku) 21-12 in her final game.
The pressure will be on the North East Valley pair of Kelvin Budge and Mark Watt on the second day of the men's pairs.
They won only one of their three games yesterday and have to win all three today to qualify for post-section play.
Their only win was against Peter Harding (Hillsboro) 18-10.
- Additional reporting by APNZ
