Heavyweights loom, as the men’s fours down to eight
Australian Jackaroos Barrie Lester and Aaron Wilson have lead their Men’s Fours teams into the Quarter Finals, but the looming threat of a Scottish plunder looms as Alex Marshall’s rink enjoyed a comfortable day. Australian Jackaroos Barrie Lester and Aaron Wilson have lead their Men’s Fours teams into the quarter-finals, but the threat of a Scottish plunder looms as Alex Marshall’s rink enjoyed a comfortable day.
Wilson’s team, featuring Sean Ingham (Broadbeach), Aaron Teys (Warilla) and Corey Wedlock (Cabramatta), won their first two encounters by four shots but enjoyed an easier time in the round of 16, defeating Bill Mitilnios’ rink 17-6 to set up an encounter with Sean Baker’s team. Baker’s team of Sam Laguzza (Kahibah, NSW), Jade Groenwege (Broadbeach, QLD), Robbie Wild (Pine Rivers, QLD) caused a minor stir, defeating Aron Sherriff (Ettalong Memorial, NSW) featuring Brett Wilkie (Helensvale, QLD), Ray Pearse (Cabramatta, NSW) and Ben Twist (St Johns Park, NSW).
In contrast, Lester’s team of Josh Thornton (East Shepparton, VIC), Dane McKinnon (Altona, VIC) and Wayne Wilson (South Tweed, QLD) defeated Nathan Rice’s Helensvale contingent on an extra end to book their quarter-final spot, eventually prevailing 16-15 (the final four ends were featured on Rinkside Live here!).
However, no team was more comfortable than the Scottish team of Ryan Burnett, Darren Burnett, Paul Foster and Alex Marshall, who only dropped 15 shots all day (and picked up 56) to book their quarter-final spot. They face a tough encounter, however, against the Malaysian national team foursome of Mohd Abd Jabal, Mohammad Soufi Rusli, Muhammad Hizlee and Fairul Izwan Abd Muin.
A number of favourites were also eliminated early today, with two fancied international contingents losing heavily in the round of 64. Canadian star Ryan Bester’s fancied combination featuring South African Commonwealth Games Gold Medallists Donald Piketh and Gerry Baker and former New Zealand international Gary Lawson losing heavily to North Queenslanders Bruce Bridger, Ian Gardner, Wade Cranston and Peter Blackburn 18-4.
Two-time defending champions Steve Dennis, Nathan Pedersen, Wayne Ruediger and Scott Thulborn were finally dethroned, losing in their round of 32 encounter to Malaysian based Broadbeach player Abdul Latif’s rink, including Fitri Hashim (Malaysia), Denis McDonald (Southport, QLD) and Geoff Lanham (Broadbeach, QLD) 13-9, who then progressed through to the quarters by defeating Blackburn’s team.
In a similar boat was the team featuring New Zealand internationals Mike Nagy, Blake Signal, Seamus Curtin and Richard Girvan, who lost heavily to Cheyne Edwards, Brendan Baker, James Cook and Darren Morrison 21-3.
The Women’s Fours sectional rounds were also played out today, with most of the big names emerging unscathed as either section winners or next best qualifiers. South African international’s Esme Kruger, Nici Neal, Elma Davis and Colleen Piketh would have been nervous after dropping a game and their section to former World Champion Carmen Anderson’s rink, but have progressed as the second-ranked next best qualifier.
With most of the big names avoiding each other in the first round of the knockouts, the marquee matchup in the round of 32 looks to the a clash between Anne Marie Peart (South Tweed, QLD), Kristy Thatcher (Tweed Heads, QLD), Melissa Larcombe (Tweed Heads, QLD) and Carmen Anderson (Cabramatta, NSW) and 2015 champions Samantha Noronha, Natalie Noronha (both Club Merrylands), Carla Krizanic (Sunbury, VIC) and Natasha Scott (Raymond Terrace, NSW).
Click here to view all the Men’s Fours knockout results
Click here to view all the Women’s Fours sectional results
Click here to view the Women’s Fours knockout fixture
Winners and qualifiers from each Women’s Fours section:
Winner Section 1: D. Clarke (NSW), C. Hanson (VIC), S. Matthews (QLD), J. Tennant (VIC)
Winner Section 2: L. Trewarne (VIC), M. Long (VIC), L. Cronan (NSW), K. Matthews (NSW)
Winner Section 3: T. Murray (QLD), J. Waits (QLD), J. Bush (QLD), M. Rigby (QLD)
Winner Section 4: L. Cuthbertson (NSW), K. Goldsworthy (QLD), M. Gibbs (QLD), C. Pavlov (QLD)
Winner Section 5: C. Morrison (ACT), S. Steele (ACT), K. Steele (ACT), J. Hogan (NSW)
Winner Section 6: K. Moran (NSW), E. Ryan (NSW), J. Keegan (QLD), K. Murphy (NSW)
Winner Section 7: E. F. Saroji (MAS), N. F. Noh (MAS), S. Z. Ahmad (MAS), A. Arshad (MAS)
Winner Section 8: M. Gibson (VIC), E. Brown (QLD), L. Thompson (NSW), N. Dutton (QLD)
Winner Section 9: N. Jones (QLD), D. Howard (NSW), P. Fantini (QLD), K. Krstic (WA)
Winner Section 10: J. Cottell (QLD), S. Brady (QLD), S. McKenzie (QLD), D. Robertson (QLD)
Winner Section 11: G. Read (QLD), G. Pratt (QLD), C. Baxter (QLD), D. Logan (QLD)
Winner Section 12: S. Smith (NSW), S. Wells (NSW), M. Fennell (NSW), M. Wilton (NSW)
Winner Section 13: V. Jackson (QLD), A. Pershouse (QLD), A. McClure (QLD), W. Ryan (QLD)
Winner Section 14: C. Hodgetts (TAS), D. Lee (TAS), K. Saunders (TAS), R. White (QLD)
Winner Section 15: C. Sanders (VIC), L. Warburton (WA), A. Miles (NSW), L. Featherby (WA)
Winner Section 16: T. Brodie (VIC), A. Bruggy (VIC), G. White (QLD), C. Stewart (QLD)
Winner Section 17: A. Johns (NSW), C. Turley (NSW), R. Van Asch (TAS), L. Clarke (QLD)
Winner Section 18: B. Archer (NZ), D. White (NZ), C. Buchanan (NZ), M. O’Connor (NZ)
Winner Section 19: Re. Rixon (QLD), Ro. Rixon (QLD), C. L. Rixon (QLD), W. Wilson (NSW)
Winner Section 20: B. Lynam (VIC), K. Ralph (VIC), G. Evans (VIC), H. Clough (VIC)
Winner Section 21: L. Treasure (QLD), L. Fortington (QLD), F. Clarke (VIC), E. Regan (QLD)
Winner Section 22: C. Sopher (NSW), J. Hamilton (NSW), M. Grant (NSW), J. Lees (NSW)
Winner Section 23: A. Peart (NSW), K. Thatcher (NSW), M. Larcombe (NSW), C. Anderson (NSW)
Next best qualifier 1: S. Noronha (NSW), N. Noronha (NSW), C. Krizanic (VIC), N. Scott (NSW)
Next best qualifier 2: E. Kruger (RSA), N. Neal (RSA), E. Davis (RSA), C. Piketh (RSA)
Next best qualifier 3: J. Peterson (NZ), E. Blackwell (NSW), G. Page (VIC), B. Walker (NZ)
Next best qualifier 4: L. Burgess (QLD), B. Balchin (QLD), M. Clayton (QLD), L. Witton (QLD)
Next best qualifier 5: M. Sheean (NSW), C. Keep (NSW), C. Kelly (NSW), B. McPherson (NSW)
Next best qualifier 6: K. Kurohara (NSW), M. Matsuoka (NSW), H. Emura (NSW), J. Thomas (NSW)
Next best qualifier 7: K. Wilson (QLD), M. Ross (QLD), J. Lonie (QLD), R. McAnelly (QLD)
Next best qualifier 8: J. Bostock (QLD), C. Hutchinson (QLD), B. Woodberry (QLD), K. Pickering (QLD)
Next best qualifier 9: D. Quick (NSW), C. Myers (NSW), M. Smith (NSW), G. Sheehan (NSW)
Caption: Paul Foster (Scotland) and his Scottish team mates cruised into the Men’s Fours quarter-finals, only dropping 15 shots during their first three matches.
