LAWN BOWLS
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New Bulli bowling members were given a warm Australia Day welcome to their new club Woonona at a special function at Woonona Bowling Club.
The demise of Bulli Bowling Club at the end of 2013 meant their bowlers had to find a new club in 2014, with around 55 men and 35 women joining neighbours Woonona BC.
Bulli won the Grade 2 and Grade 4 Zone 16 men's pennant titles in a highly successful 2013 on the green, with most of the championship winners now able to play together at their adopted club.
While Jarrod Hamilton has joined Grade 1 champions Warilla, and Steve Haines will play for Wiseman Park, the other members of the winning Bulli Grade 2 side for last year will play together in Grade 1 for Woonona.
Woonona Bowling Club hosted an official reception for their newest members on Australia Day, with everyone in Illawarra bowls hoping the transition is a smooth one.
Woonona BC have doubled its men's pennant numbers from three teams - grades 2, 4 and 7s in 2013 - to six teams in 2014.
Woonona now have around 196 bowling members and will be represented in grades 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in 2014.
"The intention has always been to allow Bulli members to feel at home in their new club and enjoying playing their bowls," Woonona member and Zone 16 official Brian Gibson said.
Woonona BC have appointed Chris McLay, formerly of Albion BC, as its bowls coordinator to manage the influx of new bowlers and new teams in 2014.
Meanwhile, in a signal of the continuing tough times in Illawarra bowls, struggling Helensburgh will merge with Scarborough Wombarra BC in Illawarra pennants in 2014 and will play their home games at Scarborough.
The new pennant season begins on February 22.
In the opening round in Grade 1, defending champions Warilla host Towradgi, Dapto Citizens are at home to Corrimal, Wiseman park host Shellharbour, Figtree RSL are at home to Woonona and Albion Park host Thirroul.
Taylor's triples treat
Taylor Davis and partners edged out a top-class field to win the Albion Park Junior Triples tournament.
The event was a lead-up to the Junior South Pacific Carnival and featured 13 teams, including 18 state junior squad members in four games of 11 ends of 2-bowl triples.
Heading into the final game, state junior singles and fours champion Dylan Skinner skipped his team to three wins (29 points) and a 38-shot margin.
Two other teams were also tied on three wins with Ethan Mills in second (27 points, 22-shot margin) and Taylor Davis in third (27 points, 14 margin).
The final-round 15-shot victory by Davis proved enough to edge out Luke Jones, with Skinner third and Jamie Warsnop fourth.