TIMBOON bowler Joan Laing was still on “cloud nine” yesterday after winning her maiden Western District Bowls Division champion of champions title.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Laing, 72, defeated Mortlake’s Val Smith 26-17 in the first-to-25 final at Dennington on Sunday, her biggest individual achievement in the sport.
“I just can’t believe it’s really happened to me. I’m still on cloud nine. It just seems surreal,” Laing said.
“I feel I’m an ordinary sort of a bowler, perhaps I’ve had a stroke of good luck. The other ladies were all nice to play against.”
Laing, the Timboon club champion, started her WDBD campaign by beating Warrnambool’s Gillian Vorwerk 27-21 two weekends earlier.
She backed up with a 25-14 defeat of Port Fairy’s Sue Gavin on Sunday morning before holding on against Smith in the afternoon.
“We had a close game. We were 16 together and then she was 17. After that I got a little run-on,” she said.
“She did put a long end on the last end, it was very windy. I was lucky enough to get the shots I needed.”
Laing’s title comes 14 months after she broke an ankle, which forced her to watch most of last season’s pennant season from the sidelines.
“I hoped to get back. I really wanted to get back, I missed it,” she said.
“The girls came and picked me up and I’d watch half a game when they were at home, because I couldn’t drive.”
Laing started her bowls career at Simpson about 20 years ago and won a pennant flag in the former Camperdown and District Ladies’ Bowls Association.
Travel demands prompted her to cross to Timboon. She is in her seventh season with the club but had not tasted individual success before this season.
She congratulated Smith for being runner-up. Clubmates Marelene Page and Trix Hayden also drew praise for driving her to her matches.
Laing was one of two bowlers to claim WDBD champion of champions honours at Dennington on Sunday.
City Memorial’s David Wells defeated Warrnambool’s Laurie McLaren in the men’s final, 25-19.
Wells’ campaign included victories against Port Fairy’s Neil Lowe 25-18 and Terang’s Jim Whitehead 26-18.
The West Coast Region champion of champions finals are on February 22 at a Far Western Bowls Division venue.
. Two WDBD bowlers have progressed to Bowls Victoria’s state singles finals after claiming West Coast Region honours at Cobden on Sunday.
Warrnambool’s Kellie Bowles and Timboon’s Arthur Finch defeated opponents from the Corangamite and Far Western divisions to progress to the final 16.
Finch edged out Casterton’s Peter Nixon 25-22 and followed up with a comfortable 25-12 win against Camperdown’s Gary Body.
Bowles beat Portland RSL’s Leonie Buchanan 25-18 in her first match. Her second encounter, against Colac City’s Rebecca McMahon, finished 25-23.
“It’s really difficult to play someone who you’re good friends with and who is one of your state team colleagues,” Bowles said of McMahon.
“We’ve played Vic Open pairs, we’ve played Bendigo pairs, we’ve travelled away and played pairs quite a bit together.”
Bowles and Finch will head to state championships at Bendigo in April, where they will take on singles champions from across Victoria.
. A cross-town derby highlights round 13 of the WDBD Tuesday pennant season today.
Ladder leader Warrnam-bool Gold takes on third-ranked City Memorial Gold at Timor Street, with both sides jostling for position before finals.
Elsewhere, Timboon Gold hosts Port Fairy Gold, City Memorial Green meets Warrnambool Blue and Lawn Tennis takes on Terang.