Kim Suckley and her Dapto Citizens partners proved the best of six unbeaten teams to win the prestigious Illawarra District Carnival at Warilla Bowls.
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Suckley has transferred from Wiseman Park Wollongong City to Dapto Citizens and with Linda Meiser (lead),
Debbie Kelly (second) and Chris Ellem (third) finished on top with 3wins+43.
Thirroul's Dianne Hamilton and partners were runners-up on 3wins+28, with Warilla's Vicki Smith third on 3wins+21.
The other three-game winners were Oak Flats' Debbie Kelly (3wins+17) who claimed fourth on countback from Warilla's Barbara O'Donnell (3wins+17), with the rink skipped by Windang's Bessie Alaban (3wins+11) a close-up sixth.
The tournament is regarded as one of the premier events on the IDWBA calendar, with 34 teams in 2019 enjoying perfect playing conditions at Warilla BC.
Fifteen teams won at least one game and only four teams failed to win a match which showed the competitiveness and terrific standard of bowls of the day.
Illawarra clubs Oak Flats, Towradgi Dapto Citizens, Fairy Meadow, Wiseman Park, Thirroul, Bellambi, Albion Park, Windang and Figtree RSL were represented along with a visiting Goulburn Railway side skipped by Jocilin Hayman.
In other tournament news, the Windang team of Robyn Burke, Marlene Sharp, Nicolle Grogan and Shirley-Ann Gadd reached the semi-finals of the 2019 Weekend Pennant State Finals at Belmont.
Windang won all three sectional games before losing to St Johns Park in the semi-finals. West Tamworth beat Bomaderry in their semi-final and went on to win the title.
Meanwhile, the focus for the Illawarra District women's representative side now turns to the clash against South Coast in the annual Anderson Irvine Shield at Bomaderry BC on November 15.
South Coast host the fixture and have won the last two years and are posted a strong 144-116 triumph at Kiama BC 12 months ago.
Illawarra won only two rinks through skips Kim Suckley and Julea Morgan in 2018 and the visitors will be keen for an improved effort against the powerful South Coast combination.
The Shield format is 18-end Fours with Illawarra clubs Bellambi, Corrimal, Fairy Meadow, Figtree RSL, Kiama, Towradgi, Warilla, Wiseman Park Wollongong City, Windang and Woonona having an Illawarra District representative.
Pat Purdie, Carmen Plaza, Margo Brandes, Leone Barnett, Carol Owen, Julea Morgan and Debbie Waldron are among the leading Illawarra bowlers hoping to win back the Shield.
The Anderson Irvine Shield was first played in 1966 and formed by Ethel Anderson and Ivy Irvine following the separation of the two associations.
