Wilkie defeated Shannon Gittoes, of Musgrave Hill, 31-29 in the Summerland Singles final to pocket $4000, while Mills and Cheyne won the Summerland Pairs, winning 22-14 against Dale Jones (Qld) and Brendon Egan (NSW), sharing $3200.

Mills and Cheyne were unbeatable early and built up a 16-0 lead after nine ends.

Jones and Egan fought back in the latter stages but could not match the unrelenting Mills and Cheyne.

Brent Cheyne is one of Australia’s rising stars. Only 19 years old, he is the current NSW Singles Champion and a member of the Australian Under-25 team.

In the singles final, Brett Wilkie looked confident and strong early in the match and led by several shots after eight ends.

But Gittoes pegged him back and they reached 14-all. 

“They then traded shot for shot for the rest of the game in a memorable display of quality bowls. Because it was so close, the match took over 3 1/2 hours to complete,” publicity officer Ken Clarke said.

Results:

Quarter-finals:

Shannon Gittoes (Musgrave Hill) 25 def Kris Lehfeldt (Pottsville) 12

Joey Mills (Redland Bay) 25 def Steve Piggott (McKenzie Park) 16

Brett Wilkie (Helensvale) 25 def Joel Bourke (Kempsey Heights) 24

Ken Evans (Musgrave Hill) 25 Brian Baldwin (Musgrave Hill) 23.

Semi-finals:

Shannon Gittoes (Musgrave Hill) 25 def Joey Mills (Redland Bay) 5

Brett Wilkie (Helensvale) 25 def  Ken Evans (Musgrave Hill) 23.

Final:

Brett Wilkie (Helensvale) 31 def Shannon Gittoes (Musgrave Hill) 29.

Pairs:

Quarter-finals:

Peter Foster (StJohns Park)/Troy Makins (Ballina) 19 def Reed Burgess (Musgrave Hill)/Neil Burgess(Ballina) 13

Joey Mills (Redland Bay)/Brent Cheyne (Capalaba) 25 def Alf Boston/Tony Scott (Ballina) 15

John Lang (Ballina)/Ray Pickard (Avalon) 17 def Geoff Hawkin (Southport)/Ray Glasser(Musgrave Hill) 10

Dale Jones (Wynnum Man)/Brendon Egan (Taren Point) 29 def Dave Bennet (Tweed Heads)/Luke Edmonds (South Tweed) 3.

Semi-finals:

Joey Mills (Redland Bay)/Brent Cheyne (Capalaba) 19 def Peter Foster (St Johns Park)/Troy Makins (Ballina) 6

Dale Jones (Wynnum Man)/Brendon Egan (Taren Point) 16 def John Lang (Ballina)/Ray Pickard (Avalon) 15

Final:

Joey Mills (Redland Bay)/Brent Cheyne (Capalaba) 22 def Dale Jones (Wynnum Man)/Brendon Egan (Taren Point) 14.

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Top-class bowlers Kelvin Kerkown (pictured), Brendon Egan, Alan McMaster, Jesse McKenzie and Brett Wilkie have nominated and will be challenged by local players Tony Scott (Ballina), Tony Cheli (Lismore), Aaron Teys (Ballina), Richard Latta (Ballina), Barry Ward (Ballina), Neil Burgess (Ballina), Michael Anderson (Ballina) and John Lang (Ballina).

The series will get under way on Saturday, December 27, with the $10,000 pairs event, with the final played on Monday.

The winning pair will share $3200.

The singles will be played from Friday, January 3, with the final on Sunday, January 5.

The singles winner will win $4000.

Play starts at 9am each day.

There are 16 Sections with four entries in each section making a total of 64 entries in each event.

The Summerland Bowls Series has been an annual event at the Cherry St Bowling Club in Ballina over the Christmas New Year holiday period for many years.

The event attracts some of the best bowlers in Australia. It provides an opportunity for the Northern Rivers’ top bowlers to pit themselves against some of the nation’s best and for spectators to see class bowlers in action.

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Mark Casey, of Helensvale, beat clubmate Nathan Rice 31-25 in yesterday’s final to take the $3000 first prizemoney.

Tournament favourite Steve Glasson was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Rice, but any disappointment was countered by the fact that he won a car in a tournament at Coffs Harbour on Friday.

Results:

Section A:
Ann Johns 3 wins + 27 (winner)
Sam Shanahan 2 wins + 11
Yvonne Lovelock  0 wins – 32
Gail Waitai 1 win -6.
 
Section B:
Sharyn Renshaw 3 wins + 24 (winner)
Jane Bush  0 wins – 15
Carole McDonald 1 win -16
Carmen McCluskey 2 wins + 1.
 
Section C:
Nathan Rice 2 wins +6 (winner )
Jesse McKenzie 1 win -5
Matt Miles 1 win +1
Neil Burgess 2 wins -2.
 
Section D:
 
Steve Glasson 3 wins + 39 (winner)
Blair Barringer 1 win -13
Ryan Bester 1 win -3
Alan Carver 1 win -23.
 
Section E:
 
Kevin Tresize 3 wins + 33 ( winner )
Shane Globits 1 win -26
Ali Forsyth 0 wins – 34
Ian Law 2 wins + 27.
 
Section F:
 
Mark Casey 3 wins + 31 (winner)
Michael Anderson 0 wins -38
Barry Lester 1 win -11
Viv Ross 2 wins + 18.
 
Section G:
 
Nathan Wise 3 wins +22 (winner)
Alan McMaster 0 wins -40
Kelvin Kerkow 2wins +19
Mark Cowan 1 win -1.
 
Section H:
 
Brian Baldwin 2 wins + 11 (winner)
Gary Burt 2 wins -5
Matt Pieterson 0 wins – 16
Ray Pickard 2wins + 10.
 
Quarter-finals:

Sharyn Renshaw 25 A Johns 19
Nathan Rice 25  Steve Glasson 15
Mark Casey 25 Kevin Tresize 16
Brian Baldwin 25 Nathan Wise 21.
 
Semi-finals:
 
Nathan Rice 25 Sharyn Renshaw 20
Mark Casey 25  Brian Baldwin 13.
 
 
Final:
Mark Casey 31 v  Nathan Rice 25.

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“Glasson has been recognised as one of Australia’s top bowlers since he took out the Australian Indoor Singles title way back in 1994,” the club’s publicity officer, Ken Clarke, said.

“He is competing in a Section with Blair Barringer from New Zealand, Ryan Bester from Canada, and Coffs Harbour regular Alan Carver.”

The action gets under way on Saturday, with the finals on Sunday.

Already tagged as the highest quality field ever seen in the Northern Rivers, organisers are expecting a big crowd on both days to watch the experts in action. 

“The field is so strong that only a limited number of the top local bowlers were invited to play,” Clarke said.

“Gary Burt of Casino, the winner of the District Singles this year, is the form local player, but evergreen Neil Burgess from Lennox Head can always cause an upset in the highest quality field.

“If Ballina local Viv Ross lives up to his name of ‘the Fox’, then he too could surprise punters.

“At the other end of the experience spectrum, there are several emerging stars. 

“Three 19-year-olds are competing again this year — Alan McMaster, Matt Miles and Matthew Pietersen — and there are several players not long out of the junior ranks including Mark Casey, the 25-year-old from Queensland who has already represented Australia on numerous occasions, and Jesse McKenzie from Sydney, who was the runner-up last year.”

Clarke said the eight women in the field were in with a chance as well.

“Eyes will be on Carmen McCluskey for a whole host of reasons, not the least of which is her bowls skills, having represented Queensland on numerous occasions despite her tender age,” he said.

“But she will be up against the likes of Australian Women’s National Squad players Sharyn Renshaw and Anne Johns.”

Players are competing for $8500 prizemoney.

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