Bowls Champions Achieve New Milestones – contributed article

  • April 27, 2026

It was a weekend of spectacular achievements for North Harbour bowls, as two of the centre’s most decorated players, Colin Rogan and Lisa Dickson, reached magnificent new milestones during the Champion of Champion singles finals.

In an exhilarating men’s final held at Orewa, Browns Bay’s Colin Rogan secured a hard-fought 21-19 victory over Birkenhead’s Nick Thompson. This impressive win marks Colin’s 40th Harbour title, earning him a prestigious seventh bar to his gold star—a testament to his sustained excellence. Colin displayed dominant form throughout the event, including notable victories over Northcote’s Greg Taylor and Beach-haven’s Dean McMurchy. The win against McMurchy was particularly rewarding, serving as a triumphant follow-up to their earlier encounter this season.

The women’s final saw Takapuna’s Lisa Dickson deliver a masterful performance, defeating former club and centre teammate, Wendy Jensen (now with Birkenhead), 21-11. This victory brings Lisa’s tally to an outstanding 25 Harbour titles, adding a fourth bar to her gold star. It has been a truly vintage season for Lisa, highlighted by her championship pairs win with Sarah Childs, strong runner-up finishes in the singles and fours, and a crowning achievement: skipping Takapuna to the national fours title in February. Her path to the singles title was defined by consistent brilliance, including commanding wins over Orewa’s Shirley Paton and Mahurangi East’s Wendy Turner.

The weekend also showcased the bright future of the sport in the 1-5 year any combination pairs. Hobsonville’s Grant Beach and Stephen Thom emerged victorious, clinching a 16-9 win in the final against Manly’s Shaun Goldsbury and Richard Coles. Both teams displayed great skill throughout the tournament, with Beach and Thom narrowly winning their semi-final 14-13, and Goldsbury and Coles impressing with a comprehensive 21-7 victory in their own semi-final match.

 

Congratulations to all the champions and finalists for such inspiring performances!