Podium Open Pairs Results
The curtain has now come down on 2024’s Podium Open events with the pairs discipline being completed on Sunday 2nd June.
123 teams were competing across the seven separate venues throughout Scotland, with 246 players hoping to stake their claim to reach next weekend’s international Assessment Days.
A full report from each of the seven venues can be found below.
Allandale BC
Our first winners at Allandale Bowling Club was the pairing of Peter Kirk and Arron Craig.
The Alloa East End Bowling Club team played some excellent bowls throughout the event to impressively go the whole day undefeated. Peter and Arron qualified for the knockout phase after winning all five of their section games in Group A.
Joining them in the semi finals were Gavin Ansari & Elliot Reid, Aimmee Thomson & Morgan Williams and Ian Bell & Martin Todd, who finished as the events highest runner up with 12 points and +26 shots in Group B.
Both semi finals were closely contested affairs with Peter and Arron managing to edge out Gavin and Elliot 11-9. Ian and Martin used all their experience to overcome Aimmee and Morgan with an 8-5 victory.
In the final, Peter and Arron delivered one of their best displays of the day to comfortably defeat Ian and Martin 12-2.
Blacklandmill BC
The Blacklandmill Bowling Club qualifier was won by the talented young duo of Kayden Young and Liam Grantham.
Kayden and Liam managed to qualify for the semi finals via Group A after winning two of their three group matches. Their only loss throughout the day was a narrow 5-6 defeat to Kevin Bain and Darren Gualtieri in their opening group game.
Group B was won by the youthful team of Logan Fraser and Astyn McKechnie. Logan and Aystyn also qualified for the knockout phase by winning two of their respective three group games. Kieran Ward and Paul Kane Jnr managed to win Group C after winning all three of their group contests by the narrowest of margins. Shazaid Hussain and Kieran O’Neill completed the semi final lineup as they finished in top spot in Group D following their two victories from three encounters.
In the semi finals, Logan and Astyn managed to hold their nerve to oust Kieran and Paul in a match that went right down to the final bowl. Kayden and Liam progressed to the final in much more comfortable fashion as they got the better of Shazaid and Kieran 9-2.
The final was a brilliant showcase for bowls with four players under 25, including three under 18’s, going toe to toe. Eventually it was Kayden and Liam who came out on top with a 6-2 victory.
Broughty BC
The Perthshire based pairing of Craig Middleton and Stephen Bodle triumphed at the Broughty Bowling Club Podium Open Pairs playdown.
Craig and Stephen were in inspired form throughout the event as they won all six of the matches they took part in yesterday. The pairing from Glencarse Bowling Club and Perth Bowling Club won all four of their group matches to finish in top spot in Group C.
2023 European Open Pairs champions Andrew Reilly and Andrew Thomson also made it through to the knockout stage after winning three of their four respective fixtures in Group A. Group B was as tight a section as you will see with four team all finishing on 9 points, however, it was the Angus based team of Jamie Low and Andy Fuyre that had the best shot difference to advance to the semi finals. Last year’s Linda Brennan Ladies U25 Pairs winners Amy Blyth and Emma Blyth also reached the semi finals as they finished as the events highest runner-up with 9 points and +12 shots.
Both semi finals were nip and tuck encounters which saw Craig & Stephen edge out Amy & Emma 8-6 and Jamie & Andy defeat the two Andrew’s 7-5.
The final was a high scoring contest with both teams playing some excellent conversion shots. Craig and Stephen proved to be too strong on the day and ran out as 11-6 winners against Jamie and Andy.
Crookston BC
Lennon Hamilton & Mark Kelsey and Lanarkshire’s Gary Prunty & Iain McLean have qualified for this weekend’s Assessment Day after both winning their semi finals.
Lennon and Mark came through Group A with four wins from their five fixtures. They were tied on 12 points each with Donna Clark and Robert Lenza, however had a far superior shot difference. The Glasgow based pairing’s only loss throughout the day came at the hands of 2023 Bowls Scotland Ladies Triples champions Emma Kennedy and Gail Notman.
Gary and Iain stayed undefeated across the whole day as they qualified for the knockout phase via Group C with a record of four wins and one draw.
Group B was won by Gavin Johnston and George Robertson courtesy of their three victories from four matches. Ian Johnston and Alan McAllister also qualified for the semi finals as the highest runner-up with 12 points and +26 shots.
Both semi finals turned out to be one sided encounters as Lennon and Mark dispatched of Ian and Alan 9-2. Gary and Iain also got the better of Gavin and George 9-3.
East Lothian Co-Op BC
Danny Stevenson and Liam Nicholson claimed victory at yesterday’s Podium Open Pairs qualifier at East Lothian Co-Operative Bowling Club.
Despite losing their first group match against Daniel Gormley and Andrew Caldwell, the two current and former U25 internationalists battled their way back to win their three remaining group games and finish top of Group B.
Current Scottish internationalists Liam McKay and James Hogg came through Group A undefeated following their three wins and one draw. Logan Kennedy and Alex Marshall MBE dominated Group C by winning all three of their respective matches. The Gifford Bowling Club pairing of Beth Riva and Dean Riva completed the semi final lineup as they also progressed through Group D undefeated with three victories and one draw.
Both semi finals were high quality affairs with a number of outstanding bowls played by all four teams. Danny & Liam overcame Beth & Dean 7-3 and Liam & James edged past Logan and Alex 8-5.
Danny and Liam started the final strongly and never looked back as they rallied home with a 6-2 victory over Liam and James.
Newhills BC
Joe Sammons and former Scottish internationalist Stuart Cruickshank used all their experience to win the Newhills Bowling Club Podium Open Pairs playdown.
The team from Moray Bowling Club impressively won all seven of the matches they competed in yesterday, advancing to the knockout stages from Group C having won all five of their fixtures.
Kyle Ross and Jason Banks were also in fine form as they comfortably qualified for the semi finals following five wins in as many matches in Group A. Richie Ansell and Mark Airey qualified out of Group B courtesy of their four wins from five matches. Steve McGillivary and Steve Buchanan were the final team to qualify for the knockout phase as the highest runners-up with 12 points and +4 shots.
There was hardly anything to split the two teams in both semi final encounters with both games going right down to the wire. Kyle & Jason managed to get over the winning line 7-6 against Richie & Mark and Joe & Stuart got the better of the two Steve's 8-7 following a tense extra end.
The final was an equally tight contest which saw Joe & Stuart overcome Kyle & Jason 7-6.
Winchburgh BC
The final Podium Open Pairs qualifier was won by Craig Gourlay and Brian Clarkson from the host club.
The Winchburgh Bowling Club pairing impressively won all six of their games across the whole event, qualifying from Group B with the maximum 12 points.
Ewan Shearer and Andy Dunnett qualified from Group A as they chalked up three victories from four matches. Current Scottish internationalists Stephanie Wallace and Chloe Thomson topped Group B after also clinching three wins from their four respective games. Abby Cairns and Beth Isbister were the fourth team to make it through the group phase as the highest runners-up with 9 points and +13 shots.
In the semi finals, Ewan and Andy battled past Stephanie and Chloe 5-2 in a low scoring encounter. Craig and Brian won the second semi final courtesy of a 9-2 victory over Abby and Beth.
The final was an all-West Lothian affair which saw Craig and Brian get the better of Ewan and Andy 7-4.
A huge thanks to all of the players, host clubs, assessors, umpires and volunteers that have helped bring the inaugural Podium Open events to life over the last four weeks.
The players that achieved qualification throughout the Podium Open events and a number of other invited players will be contacted no later than Tuesday 4th June with information on this weekend’s international Assessment Days. More details will be released later this week regarding the players taking part in each of the respective Assessment Days.
To view the full results from the Podium Open Pairs, please click here.