Bowls champion has easy path through

Press, 9 June 1980, Page 6

Bowls champion has easy path through

PA- Nelson The defending champion, Robert Frelan (Waikato), easily qualified for post-section singles play •at the national indoor bowls championships at Nelson yesterday.

Frelan won all four of his qualifying games to clinch a position in the 'first round Of the singles event. Seven other previous titleholders also qualified, with Auckland’s Rod Fleming and Canterbury’s Brian Stewart and Lloyd Beilis each notching four straight wins..

The Waikato champion, Kevin Boothby, also qualified with three wins, in spite of dropping i Ins last game, anil Southlander Stan Johnston . was another former winner to enter postsection play with three wins and a draw.

The national pairs co-tit’e holder, Trevor Wright (Waikato), was the only former singles champion to fail to make the post-section cut-off. His pairs teammate, Taddy Troy, also failed to qualify with only two wins. . ’

New ■ Zealand representative Bryoni Inners (Canterbury), coasted ' into post-section play with four straight wins, and veteran Auckland bowler Sen Smith also qualified easily -with three, wins.

Noel Eva, of Victoria, became the first Australian to qualify in a New Zealand singles championship when he recorded four

straight wins to enter the -knoefc. out draw. •' - - ' ■■■( '. ,

His fellow Victorian, -Clarice Power, also qualified, while the Australasian women’s 'singles champion, Audrey Dryden,. was only one point away from '-a postsection berth. .! About 580 bowlers will play in post-section rounds, which will start today. '.