SOUTH PACIFIC PAIRS
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It took 53 years for a father/son team to win the South Pacific pairs but Steve and Ben Glasson's title defence lasted just a few hours after losing their section at headquarters Fairy Meadow BC on Saturday.
The reigning champions hadn't played a match together since their historic win last January at Woonona BC. Despite winning their opening match comfortably, they lost the critical second to Peter Thompson and Carlos Hernandez, with the Windang team taking the section with three wins.
Steve Glasson is among the biggest names in Australian bowls with a legendary resume and said the South Pacific was more about "bonding" with teenage son Ben than winning a trophy.
"Playing with Ben in pairs is what I love most about this tournament," Steve said.
"We have a great time together, there's some good fun sledging and we enjoy playing together."
Saturday's three-game sectional round of pairs was the longest day of the carnival, with almost 200 teams in 48 sections and 14 Illawarra clubs hosting matches.
It was a good day for many visiting teams, in particular North Manly with two teams into Wednesday's knockout round.
Norm Lee and Paul Leckey had two wins and a draw to win section 17, while clubmates Anthony Morton and Mark Beaumont had three wins in section 21.
Other visiting clubs to reach the knockout phase include teams from Gymea, St John's Park, Taren Point and Revesby Workers, while former champion John Green (Taren Point) and Cabramatta partner Michael Clarke look in ominous touch after needing only two big wins to claim section 19.
Reigning singles champion Shane Garvey and partner Rob Smith dropped their opening match but two big wins were enough to claim their section.
St Johns Park's Robert Cook and Kevin Cashman played great pressure bowls, winning their three games by a combined six shots.
Windang's David Tyrrell, who knocked out Steve Glasson in singles, is having a great carnival and with clubmate Rick Malley were among the biggest three-game winners with a whopping 46-shot margin.
In contrast, Oak Flats' Luke Cocksedge and Matt McIntyre (2.5 wins+2) won two games by a shot and had a draw in their third game to win section 31.
And in one of the more remarkable turnarounds, Dapto Citizens' Ian Venables and Jason Drinkwater lost their first match, then beat Warilla's Erin Smith and Jeremy Henry by 17 shots and won their final game to claim section 46.
Finally, 2011 pairs champions Hemi Palmer and Scott Bateup had two wins to claim section 47.