Defending champions Mandy Boyd and Kirsten Edwards return this weekend to defend their Stoke Stakes Women’s Pairs title, with Boyd arriving in red-hot form.
Boyd claimed the World Champion of Champion Singles title in Barham, New South Wales, on Saturday, giving the defending combination a timely boost ahead of the $20,000 event at Stoke Bowling Club.
Boyd and Edwards have traditionally built into the three-day tournament, often saving their best performances for Sunday. This year, however, Boyd's world title suggests she may already be at her peak.
Kirsten has enjoyed a successful winter herself, winning the New Zealand Champion of Champion Triples alongside Stoke Stakes rival Amy McIlroy and Gemma Watts.
McIlroy teams up with Tayla Bruce this weekend, forming one of the strongest challenges to the defending champions. Bruce won the World Champion of Champion Singles in 2022, while McIlroy finished runner-up in the New Zealand Champion of Champion Singles in July.
Then there are household names Jo Edwards and Val Smith, who will be difficult to overlook. Both were part of Nelson Bowling Club's National Interclub Sevens-winning team in April, alongside four other Nelson clubmates who will feature in the 32-team field.
Picton pair Eden Murrell-Manu and Alisa Waters also arrive with strong credentials after winning the Pairs title in the National Champion of Champion series. Kerry Heffer, a member of the winning fours combination, will partner Katherine Matthews.
Last year's runners-up Kaaren Guilford and Dale Rayner are back, as are Leeane Poulson and Robyne Walker, who were beaten by Guilford and Rayner in the semi-finals.
A feature event on the Bowls New Zealand calendar, the Stoke Stakes attracts 32 teams from across the country, with $20,000 in prize money on offer. Every match is worth $100, with the stakes increasing as teams progress through the tournament.
The tournament runs from Friday, 16 October, to Sunday, 18 October, at Stoke Bowling Club on Ranui Rd. The final is expected to get under way at about 3pm on Sunday.
Entry is free and spectators are welcome to watch some of the country's leading players in action. Sunday's play will also be broadcast on the Bowls New Zealand YouTube channel at youtube.com/bowlsnewzealand
