Star Kyabram lawn bowls recruit Brett Reiner was the hard luck story of the Henselite Victorian Open when he lost a thrilling semi-final to end his hopes of becoming the state’s best lawn bowler.
Reiner joined Kyabram this year for Goulburn Valley division one pennant competition, along with Connor Trewren, David Cartwright and Geoff Beattie.
He and Cartwright both made it to the final 32 in the men’s singles event
Reiner lost to Deer Park star Jay Bye-Norris in the semi-final, by just one shot, then Bye-Norris went on to claim the title.
Bye-Norris won the VIctorian Open event in 2019 while playing with Sunbury and has also played at the Metropolitan Premier League level with Lilydale.
South Australian Cathryn Greenslade won the women’s singles title after she was a 21-12 winner against Moama’s Cassandra Millerick.
Millerick only stumbled once in the tournament, during the sectional play when she lost to Kyabram teenager — and Moama teammate — Olivia Cartwright.
The duo played together in the women’s pairs, but did not advance past the round of 16. They lost by one shot on the eve of moving into the quarter-finals, ironically to Olivia Slade and Joyden Long.
Slade played with Olivia’s younger brother, Josh, in the mixed pairs and Long played in the qualifying rounds with her father, David, before Olivia was subbed in for the finals.
Olivia and David Cartwright made it to the semi-finals of the tournament before they lost to eventual champions Mark Ryan (Tallygaroopna) and Stacey Collier (East Shepparton).
Millerick’s outstanding tournament also included a quarter-final appearance in the mixed with Scottish legend Alex Marshall. They lost that to eventual singles champion Bye-Norris and Carli Morrison, from Deer Park.
Deer Park is the club that hosted Marshall in Premier League pennant competition in the last Australian summer.