It’s been an exciting first finals day at the 2025 Summerset National Lawn Bowls Championships with a new Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, and Open Disability Singles Champion crowned.

The match of the day saw Debbie White join the list of two-time New Zealand Singles winners, following a hard-fought battle against Auckland’s Wendy Jensen.

White (Hinuera Bowling Club), who turns 62 tomorrow, raced out to a 10-4 lead before Jensen fought back, executing some beautiful bowls under pressure to level the scores at 16-all.

However, it was White who held her nerve at the death, precision bowling helping her to win a critical two-point end on her way to a 21-17 victory.

“There’s been a lot of hard work going into this,” said an emotional White after winning the title.

“I was definitely on a mission today. That was a great final, I started off well and then Wendy came back, and it was neck and neck. It felt like a final should be and I’m really pleased to walk away with that title.”

The win comes six years after White won her maiden National Title in 2019.

White is pictured above with Bowls New Zealand President Phil Huwyler.

Earlier in the day, Auckland Bowling Club’s Adam Baillie withstood a late fightback from Sumner’s John Lavell as he clinched the Open Disability Singles title.

Baillie, who won the deaf world championship title in 2023, pulled away from Lavell early in the match as some clinical bowls helped him to win four consecutive ends and sit comfortably at 19-9.

Lavell then found his form, but it was too little too late, as 22-year-old Baillie won the match 21-14.

The day finished with the Men’s Pairs final where Adam Hayward (Thames Valley) and Scott Cottrell (Auckland) took on Lance Pascoe (Elmwood Park) and Jamie Hill (Mt Albert).

It was a seesawing first few ends with Hayward and Cotterell establishing an early lead before a big fightback saw Pascoe and Hill surge ahead to take the match 21-14.

“They put us under all sorts of pressure but we hung in there and it was a good game,” said Pascoe.

“It’s tricky conditions with the wind so it was easy to throw them all over the place. Luckily, we managed to put a few in a the right place and come away with the result,” added Hill.

It’s the second time in five years that Hill and Pascoe have won the event. The title has also seen Hill achieve Gold Star status as he now holds five Open National Titles.