The first major women’s bowls tournament of the new season was held at the Wānaka Bowling Club on Thursday September 19 in brilliant sunny weather.

The Wānaka Ladies ‘Spring into bowls’ tournament is held annually, with visiting teams entered from around Central Otago clubs. As it is an early season fixture, it is an extremely popular tournament for women bowlers.

This year there were three teams from Alexandra, three from Clyde, two from Cromwell, one from Omakau, two from Queenstown, two from Hāwea and three from Wānaka.

A number of top bowlers were playing, including Lynley O’Callaghan from Alexandra, Margaret O'Connor and Christine Buchanan from Queenstown. These three ladies have won many titles and performed on the national scene with considerable success. Margaret O’Connor and Christine Buchanan have both been recently selected to represent NZ in the over 60's team playing in the Trans Tasman challenge event in Australia during November.

Also playing was Pam Walker from the Omakau Club who has recently been selected in the Para team taking part in the TV Bowls 3/Five series that will be screened on Sky TV from October 22 to December 11.

After two games there were three teams with two wins.  In the third and last game, Alice Turnbull’s Wānaka team won their third game against Yvonne McCutcheon’s Alexandra team. Gill Stewart's Cromwell team beat Margaret O’Connor’s Queenstown team to take second place while Lynley O'Callaghan's Alexandra team won their last game to come in third — ahead of four other teams who also winners of two games.

Final results were: First, Wānaka (Alice Turnbull (s), Yvonne Gale, Jo Stock); second, Cromwell (Ailex Reid (s), Gill Stewart, Marie Holland); third, Alexandra (Lynley O’Callaghan (s), Carol Woods, Nancy Buchanan).