While thousands cheered on Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn as they powered from Pietermaritzburg to Durban in their 2025 Comrades Marathon victories, another group of determined athletes faced their own marathon – this one on greens in the Kingfisher Bowling Association.
Last Sunday marked the conclusion of sectional play and the beginning of playoffs in the KZN Men’s and Women’s Pairs Bowling Championship, with 190 pairs teams representing districts from across KwaZulu-Natal.
Hosted by the Kingfisher Bowling Association, the event coincided with turbulent weather conditions as a cut-off low weather system disrupted much of the province — echoing the chaos of the 2024 KZN Singles finals when storms similarly interrupted play.
Despite the adverse conditions, the championship pressed on with spirited competition.
In the men’s final, the host club’s pair Clinton Knott and Louw Vermeulen faced off against Wayne Roberts and Roger Boulle of Port Natal Bowls (Aero Bowls South Africa). The match began competitively; with the PNB pair taking an early 6–3 lead after four ends.
From there, Roberts and Boulle dominated, adding 16 shots over the next 12 ends while Knott and Vermeulen managed only three.
After 16 of the scheduled 18 ends, with the score well in hand, the Kingfisher team conceded the match, awarding Roberts and Boulle the 2025 men’s title.
Ken Fann and Lance Mansfield from Westville Bowling Club picked up a playoff win to secure the bronze medal.
The women’s final delivered high drama and a near-comeback. Minette Hatton-Jones and Natalie Botha of Stella Park Bowling Club (PNB) faced the NIBA duo, Zelda Siebert and Karen Vahey, from Collegians Bowling Club.
Siebert and Vahey surged ahead, posting a 12–0 lead by the sixth end. But Hatton-Jones and Botha refused to surrender, clawing back to level the score at 13–13 by the thirteenth end.
Unfortunately, that same thirteenth end proved ominous: the NIBA pair responded with five shots in the fourteenth, regaining momentum and eventually claiming a 20–15 victory after the mandatory eighteen ends.
Kingfisher’s Jessica Henderson and Michelle Gregg from Riverside Sport Club shared the bronze medal position with local opposition Alida Munnik and Lorraine Van Jaarsveld from Hibberdene BC.
Under extremely difficult conditions, the Kingfisher Bowling Association is to be applauded for successfully managing the championship, while all semi-finalists and finalists deserve high praise for their perseverance and sportsmanship in the adverse weather conditions.
As the greens dry out and the weather (hopefully) stabilises, the next few weeks offer a breather in the bowling calendar.
Clubs are encouraged to use the time for internal competitions and fundraising activities.
The only major fixtures on the horizon are the PNB Men’s and Women’s Master’s Championships (20–22 June) and the BSA Green and Gold Squad practices at The Nest (26–29 June).
