Records broken as our stars shine
It was a record breaking day at Joondalup Bowling Club on Sunday as the Dyenamic Sublimation Bowls WA State Singles came to a familiar, but outstanding conclusion.
Kristina Krstic was the first to enter the record books becoming the first Female WA player to win five State Singles titles. Krstic was previously tied with Therese Hastings on four titles, but it would seem the sky is the limit for the Commonwealth Games champion as she continues to create records that may never be broken.
The only other WA player to have recorded five State Singles victories is Hall of Famer Geoff Oakley who won his titles between the years of 1975 and 1993. Oakley is widely regarded as one of the best ever, and one must simply assume that Krstic’s name will be etched alongside Oakley in the Bowls WA Hall of Fame once her career is complete and her amazing records are compiled.
Krstic’s Jackaroo and Manning teammate Cody Packer then had people searching through the record books as he burst out of the blocks to lead 18-7 in the Men’s final. Whilst Warren Holt mounted a fightback, in the end it was Packer becoming the first player since Kings Park’s EJ Ford in 1929 to win back-to-back Men’s State Singles titles. Ford won four himself to sit just behind Oakley on the singles titles tally.
Let’s take a look at what was a massive final day of action…
Men’s Quarter Finals
Blake Nairn (Cambridge) def Ryan Havercroft (South Perth) 21-13
Cody Packer (Manning) def Brian Davis (Swan) 21-7
Warren Holt (Wagin) def Segan Pasalich (Osborne Park) 21-16
Daniel Trewhella (Mount Lawley) def Clive Adams (Cambridge) 21-16
Some great games in the Men’s Quarter Final round, with each of the quarter finals featuring a previous champion of the event. The live streamed match between Daniel Trewhella and Clive Adams went to the wire, tied at 16-16 before Trewhella was able to pull away with a couple of accurate drives making the primary difference. Cody Packer started slowly before pulling away against Brian Davis, and Blake Nairn controlled his match against Ryan Havercroft.
The Warren Holt versus Segan Pasalich matchup was a high quality affair, especially considering the difficult conditions, however it was Holt producing the goods on the final end to secure three shots and take the win.
Men’s Semi Finals
Cody Packer (Manning) def Blake Nairn (Cambridge) 25-20
Warren Holt (Wagin) def Daniel Trewhella (Mount Lawley) 25-22
Two incredible matches that followed very similar formulae. Cody Packer started quickly against Blake Nairn, grabbing 5 shots in the first two ends, before Nairn was able to run off a string of ends to move 5 clear himself. After trading a few ends, Nairn led 20-13, but would not score again as Packer reeled off 7 ends in a row to record a 25-20 come from behind victory
The second semi-final was a similar tale with Daniel Trewhella the one to move out first. Collecting 5 counts of 3 shots in the first 19 ends of the match, it seemed victory was within reach at 21-11 before Warren Holt started to charge. Five ends in row trimmed the margin to 2 shots and while Trewhella managed to grab an end to creep closer to the win, it was Holt who collected the last three ends to win 25-22.
Men’s Final: Cody PACKER (MANNING) d Warren HOLT (WAGIN) 25-20
Windy, blustery conditions, which had been the order of the day, greeted the players for the Men’s Singles Final and with both players opting for longer ends, it was certainly a day where grouping bowls was going to be difficult.
Soon after the start, Packer went on a run of 8 ends in a row, however 5 of those collects were just ones. Remarkably through this time, Holt went 56 minutes without scoring, but still found himself just seven shots behind when he grabbed a single shot on the 15th end.
Packer immediately grabbed another 3, and when another 2 meant the scoreline was 18-7 it seemed like Packer’s back-to-back dream was about to come true. Holt dug in though, scoring four multiples in the next eleven ends to get back to 20-21. As often happens though, the opponent is due, and Packer was able to grab one, and then a three on the final end as Holt came up short with his final bowl.
A fantastic match in trying conditions, and a deserved champion in Cody Packer.
Women’s Semi-Finals
Pam Chalmers (Osborne Park) def Amanda Masters (Osborne Park) 25-18
Kristina Krstic (Manning) def Lisa Featherby (Mosman Park) 25-8
An extra round down and it was just four players who entered the final day as champion contenders, and just one, Kristina Krstic who had tasted State Singles glory before.
Pam Chalmers jumped out to an early lead against Amanda Masters, leading 10-1 and 14-4 before a sequence of multiples saw Masters close the gap within just four ends. At 14-14, it was a trade-off of ends before Chalmers regained the ascendancy, and with four twos scored over five ends got to the finish 25-18.
Kristina Krstic was simply in sublime form against Lisa Featherby. Flying out to an 8-1 lead Krstic frequently smothered the jack, and while the Featherby fight is ever-present and hard to hold out, Featherby just couldn’t find a way to close the gap. It was Krstic home in a very impressive display against one of the stars of the sport in WA.
Women’s Final: Kristina KRSTIC (MANNING) d Pam CHALMERS (OSBORNE PARK) 25-8
Quite simply, Kristina Krstic looked like she was playing on a different green to everyone else – her consistency that was so evident in the semi-final carried through to the final in another high quality display.
Four multiple scores in the first five ends established a Krstic lead 11-2, before Pam Chalmers could grab a couple of ends back and close the gap. A four to Krstic on the 8th end was countered immediately by a brilliant trail of the jack by Chalmers to grab four right back. From there however it was Krstic’s orange bowls that frequently accompanied the jack.
Chalmers toiled hard, with plenty of close, and perhaps unfortunate results, however it was Krstic’s quality that was forcing Chalmers’ hand in terms of needing to attempt the more difficult conversion shots.
In the end, a 25-8 scoreline, and an emotional Krstic was once again crowned champion.
Five titles now to Krstic and a remarkable record that will stand for many years.
