Sport
7 February, 2025
Champions trophy returns
Sixteen of the best bowlers in the Goldfields region will converge on the Maryborough Highland Society this Sunday to battle for the Goldfields Champion of Champions trophy.
The competition, split into male and female categories, is an eight-person single-elimination tournament with quarterfinals and semifinals played this Sunday and the final on Sunday, February 16.
Talbot’s Matthew Vernon will look to capture his third title in a row in a male bracket filled with familiar foes and fresh faces, while a new champion will be crowned in the female tournament with 2024 winner Wendy Taylor not participating this year.
Last year’s runner up Leanne Wallis will look to repeat her 2023 triumph when she starts her campaign against Rhonda O’Toole.
The winner of that matchup will take on either Avoca’s Allyson Hearnden or Maldon’s Annette Gillham who has seven wins, three losses and a draw in weekend pennant division two.
On the other side of the bracket, 2023 runner-up Barbara Crossley will face 2024 semi-finalist Michelle Harris who has seven wins from 14 matches for Maryborough Golf Blue in weekend pennant division one.
In a weekend pennant division two matchup, Dunolly’s Karen Waters and Carisbrook’s Judy Cassidy will face off to round out the female quarterfinals.
In the male competition, Vernon will look to start his three-peat bid strongly against Avoca’s Daniel Giddings.
They will face Dunolly’s Chris Williams or Highland’s Gregory Shay in the semifinals.
The tie between Williams and Shay will be an intriguing one, with their weekend sides Dunolly Blue and Highland Tartan facing each other the day before in the final round of weekend pennant division one.
The 2023 and 2024 runner up Bill Burnett will take on Peter Sedgwick in the quarterfinals as he aims to grab the crown that has alluded him.
With Burnett and Vernon once again on opposite sides of the bracket, a third installment in this enthralling competition between these great bowlers is possibly on the cards.
In the final quarterfinal matchup, Maryborough Golf’s Gerry Carmody, who has seven wins and six losses in weekend pennant division one, will take on Ross Gregory, who has nine wins and two losses in weekend pennant division two.
Quarterfinal games will start this Sunday at 9.30 am followed by semifinals at 12.30 pm.
The final will be held next Sunday, February 16 at 9.30 am.