Tauranga's Sue Hodges and Mary Campbell, both dogged and successful bowlers, are expected to be tough opponents at the Summerset Nationals in Christchurch which opens today.

After being recently selected in the New Zealand development team for the trans-Tasman contest in February, Paritutu’s Briar Atkinson has a brilliant opportunity over the coming days to make further steps down the pathway to full international honours.

Briar has a tough opening day at the New Zealand bowls tournament today, with matches against both Sue and Mary, as well as against Diane Strawbridge from Kensington

It’s a beautiful day in Christchurch for Day One of the Summerset Nationals, with the National Singles and Pairs competition running from January 2-9.

Blair is one of 10 Taranaki players competing and she begins in the women’s pairs, leading for Tannith Potgieter of Whanganui’s Durie Hill club.

They face a tough opening assignment – against former Blackjack Jan Shirley and Candian Kelly McKerihen. Kelly is a three-time medallist in the world singles, which included losing the 2023 final 21-18 to Tayla Bruce.

Blair also has a tricky opening match in the singles on January 6, against Ashleigh Jeffcoat (Carlton Cornwall), the current fours champion and a past pairs winner.

But regardless of the outcomes of the opening games, Blair is favoured to qualify.

In fact, she will be among the players at short-odds to take the title. Big names Val Smith, Jo Edwards, Katelyn Inch and Bruce are all absent, with only two of Blackjacks world cup squad in attendance – Leeane Poulson and Selina Goddard, the defending singles titleholder.

Blair is joined in the singles by Alesha Quay, who will represent Okato at the event.

On the men’s front, national high performance squad members, Hamish Kape, representing Okato, and Kaylin Huwyler, wearing Durie Hill colours, will be searching for big performances.

Both players compete in the singles before joining forces in the pairs. In the latter, they meet two powerhouse South Island duos – Roger Stevens and Keanu Darby, who won the national club pairs in July, and Southland’s Craig Tinker and Craig Merrilees.

Overall, the men’s field looks exceedingly strong, with world singles champ Ryan Bester returning for his first Dominion in 13 years, while Ali Forsyth is another player venturing over from his now Australian base.

Rahotu’s Shae Fleming and Nathan Goodin also take part in both disciplines, as Paritutu’s Mike Hori, who combines with his father, Allan, in the pairs. A quirk in the singles sees Hori junior play both Fleming and Okato’s Jimmy Quay.

West End’s Bruce Hall teams up with Peter Kaitoa – they both started their bowls at Vogeltown 30 years ago.

On the local scene, Coastal claimed the Summerset-sponsored men’s second division title, with a comfortable victory at Opunake.

Coastal finished on 12 points, to head off Paritutu (9), Tower (8) and Waitara (5). The winning Coastal side was Harry Davy, Graeme Mills, Peter Clement, Levi Davis, Ian Lowry, Paddy Deegan, Alan Niwa and Bruce Peacock.

Meanwhile, Fitzroy became the third holders of the John Murtagh Trophy, when they won the Dean File-sponsored junior interclub at Stratford-Avon.

The Fitzroy side of Simon Rowe, Ian Dawson, Craig O’Sullivan and Gavin Benton remarkably dropped only one match throughout section play and the finals day. Fitzroy took out the final with 10 points, following by West End and Lepperton (both 6) and Stratford-Avon (2).

A broadcast will be live on Sky at midday with a full replay available on the NZ Bowls YouTube later this evening

Grant Hassell/Stuff