A LADIES side has taken out the Commercial Club Bowls Classic for the first time in the tournament’s 35-year history.
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Yackandandah’s Mary Tragardh, Bairnsdale’s Faye Clark and Melbourne’s Evelyn Martin won their seven games and finished 45 shots up.
They shaded Theo Stanley, Darryl Coventry and Bob Hillier on percentage.
Anthony and Ted Withowski and David Cox also claimed their seven games in a thrilling finish.
“We were over the moon,” Tragardh said.
“A few ladies teams from Melbourne have been trying to win it for the last three of four years so it was good to get there.
“We didn’t have any trouble against the men and won quite easily but our two tight games were against other womens’ teams.
“They almost went down to the last end.”
There were nine six-game winners over the weekend.
Women started playing in the tournament in 1996 and have increased in numbers over the past decade.
The winners received $1000 each while the runners-up took home $500 each in the $15,000 event.
Prizemoney was paid down to 40th place.
Tragardh and Clark play midweek pennant together at Clayton while Martin also plays pennant in Melbourne.
“It’s a great tournament,” Tragardh said.
“You meet people who you haven’t met before and you catch up with people who you met the year before.
“We will definitely be back next year.”
The hard luck story of the weekend was Ashley Bates, David King and Norm Honey’s rink.
They won five games convincingly but dropped out of contention due to two draws.
Ninety-eight teams entered with organiser John McDonnell fearing the event may be washed out in the lead-up to the tournament.
“It didn’t look good for a while with the weather but it cleared up beautifully,” he said.
“The only time we have been washed out was back in 1995.
“We had a great couple of days and it’s fantastic a ladies side was able to win for the first time.
“Hopefully we will see more ladies teams enter next year.”
About 150 players returned for the presentations at the Commercial Club on Sunday afternoon with bowls president David Barnes and board member Jim Maher assisting.
Matches were played at the Commercial, North Albury, Wodonga and Lavington clubs.
A big contingent of Border District players took part while Melbourne, Geelong, Tumut, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Benalla, Bright and Moe were also well represented.