Friday was the start of the round robin competition with the Mixed Pairs teams from Cairns and Townsville facing off with the losing team to face North Wests Bev Peters and Damien McGee in the second match.

The Townsville pairing ran out comfortable winners by eight shots over their Cairns opponents who never really got into the match.

Next up Cairns versus North West which had many who watched the first round thinking Peters and Magee should get home comfortably but Cairns had other ideas and with fours ends to go were eight shots up.

After playing some excellent conversion shots Peters and Magee had clawed their way back to go into the last end tied on 24 shots all. Holding a couple of shots in the head McGee wanted Peters to ensure her last bowl finished behind the head to cover any drives by the Cairns Skip, whilst Peters got the length right her line was way off, with her bowl finishing just inside the out of bounds line. Knowing it was all or nothing the Cairns skip drove at the head and after making contact with the bowls the kitty sliced out to Peters bowl giving them the win meaning that the winner of their next game with Townsville would claim the title and be heading to Brisbane.

The next game against Townsville resulted in Peters and McGee playing some exceptional bowls to jump out to a handy 10 shot lead and after withstanding a mini fight back they took the win and the Zone 8 title by seven shots.

Peters said it was great to defend the title they won last year in Townsville and said she is excited about returning to Brisbane for the State Playoffs. Peters said the standard of competition is excellent at the playoffs with State and Australian Title winners and representatives competing.

The Men’s Pairs competition was next on the agenda and after learning that their Townsville opponents had pulled out of the playoffs the first match between Cairns and North West turned into a winner takes all playoff.

The North West pairing of Steven Hedge and Graham Von Hoff knew they had to get a good start against their opponents if they were any chance of taking the title and did exactly that playing consistent bowls to open up an unbeatable 12 shot lead half way through the game. With Hedge playing consistent lead bowls and Von Hoff converting shots when required the pairing were never really troubled by their rivals.

Both Hedge and Von Hoff were full of praise for each other’s bowling skills and after some near misses in the past both were excited to be heading to Brisbane to represent the North West District.

The Men’s Fours title went to Cairns after defeating the North West team on the last end and the Singles title went to Townsville. Rod Jolly from the N.W.Q.D.B.A congratulated the teams on their play and wished them well in Brisbane.