CONCENTRATION: Daniel Gloury of Wimmera competes at Sunnyside Bowling Club on Saturday. Picture: AYESHA SEDGMAN
NORTHERN Gateway left the region a winner after the Bowls Victoria Men's Region Sides Championships at the weekend.
The state's best lawn bowlers converged on Horsham yesterday and Saturday for the championships.
Bowls Australia community development officer for Western Victoria and Wimmera bowler Peter Nixon said Northern Gateway pipped Murray Mallee in the grand final yesterday afternoon.
He said every game was close, with the semi-finals all coming down to the last bowl.
Nixon said unfortunately the Wimmera's team did not win any of its three games.
He said the first loss was 63-52 to Northern Gateway.
"They ended up winning so it shows we weren't that far off the mark,'' he said.
"The second game we got done by Central Goulburn Murray. The last game we played Central Victoria.''
Nixon said Central Victoria beat the Wimmera by only six shots.
He said a silver lining for the Wimmera's team was his rink, which won all of its games.
The rink included Daniel Gloury, Ken Hinchcliffe, Nixon and Gary Radford as skipper. Nixon said he was happy with the event, which included almost 300 players and decent crowds.
"It was all good,'' he said.
"This is the best competition in the state. It was a good two days.
"There were lots of compliments to the host clubs, Horsham City and Sunnyside.''
Nixon said a highlight for him was the number of younger players taking part.
He said Northern Gateway's team had an average age of mid-20s.
"Everyone thinks bowls is an old-man's sport but there were plenty of younger ones involved,'' he said.