The Paritutu pair of Kaylin Huwyler and Hamish Kape and the Hawera Park duo of Pauline Kennedy and Kristin Stampa emerged unbeaten from the weekend to book double finals.
With the focus on the TCM Limited-sponsored champion-of-champions triples and pairs, Paritutu have worked their way into both men’s finals, with Hawera Park following suit in the women’s events.
Huwyler, despite only being seen occasionally in Taranaki this season, continues to impress as a draw player of some quality. In just his third year, Huwyler has one Taranaki title and one in Whanganui. Kape, who sits on four Taranaki titles, will this Saturday compete in his fourth, and then his fifth, Taranaki finals of the season – a remarkable feat.
On Saturday, at Paritutu, the pair combined with Aidan Zittersteijn to make the triples final, where they will meet the Inglewood’s O’Sullivan brothers – Gerry, Bernie and skip Danny.
Kape’s trio received a big scare in the quarterfinals, when they edged out the 2021 champions Mark Anderson (Tower) 18-17. Anderson led by three shots playing the last end. Kape took a three to force the extra end and then secured the shot on the decider with a brilliant just-over draw weighted shot.
There were no such dramas in the semifinals, with Kape thrashing the West End trio of Bruce Moeller, Dennis Moeller and Craig De Faria 27-4.
In the other semifinal, the O’Sullivans, having been locked at 13-all after 16 ends, cribbed ahead thereafter to beat New Plymouth’s Michael Mathews, Gordon Brown and Bill Foley 20-14.
Both women’s semifinals were relatively one-sided.
Kennedy and Stampa, with Ella Smailes in the middle, ousted Janelle Lane, Lyn Weir and Sue Edwards (New Plymouth) 22-7.
In the other, Fitzroy’s Robyn Klenner continued her progress in the sport by skipping Carolyn Wilks and Joan Richards to a 21-8 victory over Opunake’s Val Langton, Eileen Rothwell and Pauline Davy.
The women’s pairs, which was played on Sunday at Hawera Park, saw Kennedy and Stampa advance, along with the experienced Fitzroy combination of Vickie Kelly and Rhonda Adams.
Like the triples, Kennedy and Stampa had the advantage of a bye during the day, but were comfortable in the semis in beating Waitara’s Yvonne Cann and Jean Keith 25-9.
Kelly and Adams have previously won seven Taranaki titles together but they were made to work hard to make the final. A six late in the semifinal was the difference as they beat Tower’s Alison Sayer and Lyn Scott 20-14.
In the men’s, at Manaia, Fitzroy’s Evan Jones and Ron Gadsby upset their more decorated opponents in the semis, John Roberts and Jordan Linn (West End), 22-16. But Huwyler and Kape will be another big hurdle in the final. The Paritutu pair were untroubled during the day, which included a 26-2 win in the last four over Andy Shearer and Peter Radich (Oakura).
The finals this weekend will occur at West End. The fours, triples and junior singles will start at 8.30am on Saturday, with the senior singles and pairs finals due to start at approximately 12 noon.
The Hugh Moss junior pairs and mixed pairs semifinals are scheduled for Sunday morning, with the finals to follow.