2023 Australian Indoor Championships: Finals recap
Scintillating performances from Victoria’s Samantha Atkinson and New South Wales’ Ray Pearse have seen the pair hoist their maiden titles at the Australian Indoor Championships at Club Tweed with victories over Reese Finn-Young and Darren Gordon respectively.
Women’s singles final – Samantha Atkinson (VIC) def. Reese Finn-Young (NSW) 10-5 9-4
The women’s singles final saw a combined age of 45-years-old between the two combatants who were in their maiden national final, and it was Atkinson who adjusted earlier against Finn-Young.
The Victorian opened proceedings in blistering fashion, racing out to an early 7-0 lead after just four ends in the opening set thanks to some sublime draw shots.
Finn-Young then commenced the fight back, changing the length after getting on the board and securing three consecutive scores as she looked to wrestle the ascendancy back.
With the score at 7-5 with two ends to play, the Richmond Union product delivered in superb fashion to claim a three and secure the set with an end to spare.
The second stanza commenced in similar fashion as she raced to a 7-0 yet again, but this time it was within three ends.
Finn-Young began to reel the margin back yet again, clinching three of the next four ends before yet another sublime set of bowls saw Atkinson seal the biggest victory of her career to date.
Having only been bowling for six years, the Victorian has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the ranks, clinching three state titles to go with her maiden national crown all within the past two years.
Men’s singles – Ray Pearse (NSW) def. Darren Gordon (VIC) 10-1 8-3
Pearse’s day commenced with a semifinal clash against his fellow statesman in Christopher Couchman and it was a titanic tussle, with the former Right at Home Jackaroo tying the opening stanza from 4-6 down.
From there on it was bowl-for-bowl as the pair jostled for the lead, but ultimately it game down to a one-end shootout with scores tied after eight.
Pearse would prove too strong and clinch the the 6-6 8-7 win and set up a meeting with Gordon in the decider.
After admitting his morning contest was a scratchy one, there were no signs of rust from the 39-year-old as he came out firing in the first set of the final, clinching a trio of threes as he ran it out with two ends to spare.
Gordon began to find his range in the second, levelling proceedings at 3-3 before the Taren Point product went on a blitz of singles, securing the next five shots to ensure victory without needing full allotment of ends.
Both Pearse and Atkinson have earned a place in next year’s World Bowls Indoor Championships to take place in Guernsey from April 21-27, 2024.
