2024-2025

Champion of Champions

Congratulations to Paul Casware (S), Kevin Ross & Braeden Casware on making the final of the CoC's Men's Triples vs Club Redcliffs. A close game going down 17-21. Very well done on your efforts guys!

Congratulations to Mark Buist on winning the Centre Men's Under 5's Singles final 21-13!
This win also awards Mark a Centre White Star for 3x Under 5's titles.

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS 2024/2025

MEN'S OPEN FOURS: Andrew Cox (S), Ben Swiggs-Fitzsimon, Terry Rossiter, Don Stephens

WOMEN'S OPEN FOURS: Elaine McKinlay (S), Margaret Knowler, Michelle Townsley, Christine Kane

MEN'S OPEN FOURS PLATE: not competed 

MEN'S OPEN TRIPLES: Paul Casware (S), Kevin Ross, Braeden Casware

WOMEN'S OPEN TRIPLES:  Ang Mitchell (S), Joyce Speedy, Naoko Fukuhara

MEN'S OPEN SINGLES: Braeden Casware

WOMEN'S OPEN SINGLES: Cath Burrows

MEN’S UNDER 2's SINGLES: Glen Carston

WOMEN’S UNDER 2's SINGLES: Liz Miller

MEN’S UNDER 5's SINGLES: Mark Buist

WOMEN’S UNDER 5's SINGLES: Margaret Knowler

MEN'S OPEN PAIRS: Ben Swiggs-Fitzsimon (S), Andy Weber

WOMEN'S OPEN PAIRS: Christine Kane (S), Michelle Townsley

​​​​​​​MIXED PAIRS (2-4-2): Paul Casware, Margaret Knowler

CLUB TROPHIES

MARGARET AUSTIN TROPHY (OPENING DAY): Cheryl Gee (S), Barry McGill, Peter Keller, Peter Scott

PRESIDENT/SECRETARY TROPHY: Secretary

PRESIDENT'S TROPHY: Terry Rossiter (S), Greg Trewhitt, Noelene Keller, Margaret Knowler

LOLLIPOP TROPHY: John Bowley and Liz Miller

WIN GOODMAN BOWL: Dave Huband and Chris Carey

JOAN ROBERTSON TROPHY: 

CLOUSTON CUP: Greg Trewhitt (S), Dave Huband, Noel Livick

KEBBY CUP: Ben Swiggs-Fitzsimon (S), Steve Brown, Cheryl Gianelly

CLUB CAPTAINS CLOSING DAY TROPHY: John Bowley (S), Dave Orchard, Tracy Robinson

MOST IMPROVED JUNIOR PLAYER: Cheryl Gianelly

PLAY FAIR AWARD: Andy Weber

New Zealand Blind Lawn Bowling Association (NZBLBA) national championships (November 2024):

Congratulations to Don Stephens on winning the Silver medal in the Pairs event held at Burnside, with three wins and a draw. Don teamed up with Glenn Hanneman (Graham Ball director).

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2024

Champion of Champions

Congratulations to Ben Swiggs-Fitzsimon making the final of the CoC’s ‘Men’s Open Singles’. Ben came so close to winning going down 20-21

Also congratulations to Mark Buist who made the final of the CoC's 'Men's Under 5's Singles'. A game that went backwards and forwards with Mark putting up a great battle going down 17-21

RRBC IS SO PROUD OF YOU BOTH 

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS 2023/2024

MEN'S OPEN FOURS: Mark Buist (S), Andy Weber, Paul Casware, Scott Broomhall

WOMEN'S OPEN FOURS: Lynne Brown (S), Beryl Murphy, Maria Jacobsen, Cath Burrows

MEN'S OPEN FOURS PLATE: not competed 

MEN'S OPEN TRIPLES: Mark Buist (S), Andy Weber, Scott Broomhall

WOMEN'S OPEN TRIPLES: Lynne Brown (S), Beryl Murphy, Cath Burrows

MEN'S OPEN SINGLES: Ben Swiggs-Fitzsimon

WOMEN'S OPEN SINGLES: Christine Kane

MEN’S UNDER 2's SINGLES: Tony Ellis

WOMEN’S UNDER 2's SINGLES: Christine Bird

MEN’S UNDER 5's SINGLES: Mark Buist

WOMEN’S UNDER 5's SINGLES: Joyce Speedy

WOMEN'S OPEN PAIRS: Helen Bevin (S), Amanda Carides

MEN'S OPEN PAIRS: Paul Casware (S), Braeden Casware

​​​​​​​MIXED PAIRS (2-4-2): Paul Casware, Margaret Knowler

CLUB TROPHIES

MARGARET AUSTIN TROPHY: Bruce Hansen (S), Robin Watkins, Peter Keller, Tony Ellis

PRESIDENT/SECRETARY TROPHY:  Secretary

PRESIDENT'S TROPHY: Grant McLean (S), Steve Brown, Lowie Clarke, Cliff Read

LOLLIPOP TROPHY:  Lynne Brown, Brendan Burrows

WIN GOODMAN BOWL: Steve Brown, Cheryl Gianelly

JOAN ROBERTSON TROPHY: Steve Brown, Mary Kennedy

CLOUSTON CUP: 

KEBBY CUP: Peter Speedy (S), Greg Trewhitt, Christine Bird

CLUB CAPTAINS CLOSING DAY TROPHY: Peter O'Sullivan (S), Leigh Webber, Steve Wilkie, Christine Kane

MOST IMPROVED JUNIOR PLAYER: Paul Casware

PLAY FAIR AWARD: Tony Ellis

BOWLS NZ CLUB PERSON OF THE YEAR 2023: Joyce Speedy had taken out this award at the NZ Bowls awards. This is a great thrill for the Club. Have a read of the Bowls New Zealand write up:

There’s an old adage in the game of bowls: you haven’t got a bowling club unless you’ve got a bowling green.

Many clubs have found that out the hard way … when their greenkeeper has moved on … or when the nematodes have moved in … or when the liquefaction has moved up … or when cyclonic sludge has moved through.

But it could equally be said that you haven’t got a bowling club unless you’ve got one of those ubiquitous organisers in the club … some who takes it on their shoulders to ensure everyone in the club knows why they should be where they should be when they should be, and if necessary, how they should be!

At the Riccarton Racecourse Bowling Club, on the western outskirts of Christchurch, they not only enjoy lovingly curated bowling greens (both natural and artificial), but are spoilt by a club organiser who is the best of the best: Club Secretary, Joyce Speedy.

So good are Joyce’s organisational genes, that she is co-winner of Bowls New Zealand’s Club Person of the Year 2023.

General Manager of Bowls Canterbury, Lorraine McLeod, is unequivocal in her support for Joyce,  “Riccarton Racecourse would not be the club it is today, nor the club it will continue to be in the future, if it wasn’t for their incredible secretary, Joyce Speedy.  She is the epitome of a true ‘club person’.”

But what really wins the hearts and minds of all those she deals with inside and outside the club, and inside and outside Canterbury, is not only that she’s super-competent, but super-nice to boot.

“She’s approachable, caring, empathetic and has a great sense of humour,” says an adjective-piling Lorraine. “And she’s punctual, dedicated and always available 24/7 to answer never-ending queries.”

“It means that everyone always knows what’s going on.”

Joyce is assiduous in maintaining communications: creating and distributing the minutes of meetings almost before they happen, curating and printing the club’s handbooks well before a new season beckons, and unfailingly authoring and publishing the club’s weekly ‘What’s Happening’ newsletter.

But Joyce is not just a one-woman chief cook and bottle washer.

Her positive can-do attitude rubs off on the others around her, motivating them to join in to create the flourishing club that Riccarton Racecourse is.  The vice-president of the club, her husband Peter ‘Speedo’ Speedy, is no doubt very grateful.

And so are we in the wider bowls community.  Congratulations for your well-deserved award, Joyce.

Joyce Speedy: Club Person of the Year 2023 - Bowls New Zealand Aotearoa