Lance Pascoe and Jamie Hill have completed a perfect run through the men’s pairs at the Summerset Nationals in Auckland.
The composite combination have beaten the experienced Mike Bradshaw and John Carruthers (Royal Oak) 19-6 in the final at Carlton Cornwall, having won all eight of their previous games over the four days of competition.

It is Hill’s fourth national title after three previous successes in the fours and the first for Pascoe, after a number of near misses.

“It’s good to get the monkey off the back. I’ve been in a few semis and a final so I’m rapt,” Pascoe said.

And it is another national title for his family, with his partner Mandy Boyd, who finished runner-up in the women’s singles, a seven time New Zealand champion.

“It makes a change doesn’t it?

“Everyone knows I’m the second best in the household so when the kids grow up I’ll be the fourth.”

Pascoe paid tribute to his lead Hill, who got the better of him in the final of the national fours in Mt Maunganui last year.

“Jamie is an absolute freak of game. Seriously he’s so good so I thank him for that.

“I chipped in when I had to but Jamie had it under control most of the time, he’s that good.”

One of the times Pascoe “chipped in” was on the 10^th end when Bradshaw and Carruthers were holding two shots.

He managed to draw through a narrow corridor with his final bowl to turn a two shot deficit into a three shot advantage and extend their lead to 10.

“It just kept the momentum going for us.

“They get a couple there and there’s only six or seven in it so the three there just put them under the pump a bit so yea it was a big bowl.”

Lance Pascoe and Jamie Hill had earlier raced to a 25-12 quarter-final victoryover Southlanders Craig Merrilees and Craig Tinker before overcoming Pat Houlahan and Howard O’Donnell 17-10 in the semi-finals.

Mike Bradshaw and John Carruthers scored a three on the final end of their semi-final to beat Bay of Plenty’s Dan Dickison and Nicholas Tomsett 15-14 after they had downed youngster Aiden Takarua and Richard Hocking 24-16 in the quarters.

All players will now turn their attentions to section play in the men’s singles, which starts tomorrow (Wednesday, January 6).

Men’s pairs results:

Quarter-finals – Mike Bradshaw & John Carruthers beat Aiden Takarua & Richard Hocking 24-16, Dan Dickison & Nicholas Tomsett beat Jerry Belcher & Hamish Kape 18-13, Pat Houlahan & Howard O’Donnell  beat Marshall Stoddart & Tom Taiaroa 20-15 and Lance Pascoe & Jamie Hill beat Craig Merrilees & Craig Tinker 25-12.

Semi-finals – Mike Bradshaw & John Carruthers beat Dan Dickison & Nicholas Tomsett 15-14 and Lance Pascoe & Jamie Hill beat Paul Houlahan & Howard O’Donnell 17-10.

Final – Lance Pascoe & Jamie Hill beat Mike Bradshaw & John Carruthers 19-6.