Roger Stevens gave his father Ernie a birthday to remember when he fronted up to his 95th birthday party last night with his medal from winning his first national bowls title.
Stevens was skipped by Keanu Darby in the national champion of champion pairs finals at the Bowls Dunedin Stadium at the weekend. The North East Valley combination cemented their place in the national finals after winning the Dunedin Centre title earlier this year.
The two have collected various Bowls Dunedin titles, both individually and in team competition in recent years, but had never won a national title.
Stevens took his golden prize to his father’s 95th birthday party last night.
"I was supposed to make a speech, but I missed that so I guess this will do the talking."
Coming up against the Browns Bay Bowling Club pair of Neil Fisher and Sean Mulholland, Darby and Stevens were made to work for every point in a see-saw battle as each combination went shot for shot throughout.
The scores locked at 10-10 at the conclusion of the ninth of 18 ends, then 11-11 after 11 ends, 13-13 after 14 ends and at the conclusion of the mandatory 18th end it was 18-18, forcing a tiebreak to decide the national title.
The extra end was decided with Darby’s final bowl when he dragged the jack into the ditch to regain the advantage.
With everything riding on his final bowl, Fisher drew agonisingly short by a narrow margin for Darby and Stevens to claim a first national title.
The pair progressed through section play without too much trouble, but in post-section were made to work for their place in the final.
Firstly, they defeated Gore Bowling Club champions Sheldon Bagrie-Howley and Craig Tinker 16-14 and then ended the run of Aramoho’s Ray Wilson and Peter Belliss.
"It was close the whole way through," Darby said of post-section play.
"We had to play Sheldon and Craig, who were the top team on paper, and then Peter Belliss for another close game there."
Stevens added that it was good to come through and win the chocolates after three consecutive close games against quality opposition.
For Stevens, it was third time lucky in national competitions, having lost two previous national finals in recent years, one in mixed pairs and one in fours.
"It’s good to get that monkey off the back," he said.
"Keanu had to play a monster to win this.
"I would have liked it to have finished an end or two earlier but these guys [Neil Fisher and Sean Mulholland] just kept coming back at us. Full credit to them. That shot Neil played on the second-to-last end was unbelievable.
"Neil played a couple of telling bowls towards the end but we just had to hold the nerves," Darby said afterwards.
"We left it to the end, but got the job done."
The women’s champion of champion pairs final was equally as intense.
The Picton Bowling Club pairing of Jenny Anderson and Helen McIsaac came away in the final ends to defeat the Hinuera Bowling Club pair of Debbie White and Bev Corbett 21-12.
The Hinuera pair got off to an early 6-2 lead after the first six ends, but Anderson and McIsaac clawed their way back and it was not until the final five ends they were able to put some numbers on White and Corbett.
"It was close. Very close. And we were lucky to get away with it," Anderson said afterwards.
"Full marks to Bev and and Deb. They played beautifully all weekend, but we are very, very proud to be taking this title back to Picton."
It was a first national title for both Anderson and McIsaac.
There was double celebration for Steven though, as his wife Bronwyn, also representing the North East Valley Club, won a bronze medal in the champion of champion women’s competition with playing partner Sarah Scott.
