Wilson claims back-to-back titles

Australian Aaron Wilson watches the progress of a shot in  the final of the North East Valley 10...
Australian Aaron Wilson watches the progress of a shot in the final of the North East Valley 10,000 Invitational Singles tournament against Canadian Ryan Bester (right) in Dunedin yesterday. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery
There was no doubt the cream rose to the top when Commonwealth Games gold medallist and defending champion Aaron Wilson, of Australia, retained the North East Valley 10,000 title yesterday.

Wilson became just the third player in the event’s 28-year history to go back to back in the tournament, joining Jim Scott (2000-01) and Russell Meyer (2004-05), and becoming the first international to achieve the feat.

In repeat of last year’s final and the Commonwealth Games final earlier this year, Wilson again had to  overcome Canadian international Ryan Bester (26).  It was somewhat of a feisty final, each player drawing shot only to have it smacked from the green on his opponent’s drive.

Such was the power of the drive play that on the 16th end Bester let rip with a powerful drive that sent everything flying including the jack, which had to be replaced after chipping and cracking when it landed on the concrete pathway in front of the clubhouse.

"It’s pretty special and exciting to be in an elite club," Wilson said of his 25-15 victory that put him in the company of Scott (Dunedin) and Meyer (Palmerston North).

"It’s an honour to get on the [clubhouse] wall. And it’s an honour to get a win from time to time."

Being in another final with Bester was something that brought out the best in them, he said.

"Ryan is renowned for being one of the best drivers in the world. You’ve just got to be on your game and draw good."

Wilson added he was lucky in yesterday’s final a few things went his way early and he was able to get away to a good start in the race to score 25.

The signs it was Wilson’s day were there early on during the  quarterfinal and semifinal matches played in the morning. He made short work of eliminating Mike Nagy (Taren Point, Sydney) in the quarterfinals, taking just 14 ends to send Nagy packing 25-4.

In the semifinals, Wilson played in-form Bill Clements (Central Otago), who had ended Shaun Scott’s unbeaten run in the quarterfinal with a 25-11 victory. However, against the class of Wilson  Clements struggled to get out of the blocks and was eliminated 25-1 in just 13 ends.

On the other side of the draw, Bester halted the  run of Mark Watt (Nelson Bays) 25-18 in the quarterfinals and lowered the colours of Scottish international Kevin Anderson 25-9 in the semifinals.

Wilson said it was an interesting quirk of fate that he and Bester kept finding the final of tournaments together.

"We seem to be finding each other these days. He’s a great mate and we have some epic games.

"And they always come down to the wire. You can’t really let him in at all.

"Otherwise he’ll take you on and destroy you. I was just just lucky to get away early today and come away from him in the end."

Wilson said that the conditions were "perfect sunny Dunedin" yesterday as opposed to the deluge during the final they had to contend with last year, and over the weekend had to chance his technique to adjust to the pace of the greens.

"The greens here are running a little bit quicker that what we’re used to in Oz" he said.

"Back home they’re running 15-16, here they seem to be 17-18."

He added that yesterday he just got a feel for it early and stuck with it from there.

Bester, who will rejoin the Broadbeach Bowling Club on the Gold Coast for summer competition, was full of praise for Wilson after their final.

"He got off to a great start. I fought back a little bit in the end. But he was just too consistent."

- Wayne Parsons

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