Wairarapa’s locally owned community newspaper
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2022
INSIDE: Praise for new cider y P4
P8
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Bowls not just for oldies Lawn bowls is no longer just an ‘old person’s’ sport – and Fiona and Olivia Mancer have the championship titles to prove it. They chat to ERIN KAVANAGH-HALL. When Fiona Mancer was invited to play her first game of lawn bowls, she admits her first thought was “no way, I’m too young.” In 2011, Fiona was living in Manawatu with her young family when, while taking her two small daughters to their Girl Guides meeting, she was approached by a member of Kimbolton and Districts Bowling Club. “The bowling green was right by the community hall. I’d dropped the girls off, and a woman came up to me and said, ‘you’re wearing flat shoes. We need a third person for our game.’ “I played my first game, and I was hooked. I went home and bought a pair of bowling shoes and a set of bowls on TradeMe. It became my thing.” On moving to Wairarapa, it wasn’t long before eldest daughter Olivia, then still at primary school, caught the bug – drafted in lastminute for evening games at Masterton Bowling Club. Flash forward to 2022, and both Mancers are two of the region’s most decorated sportswomen in their field:
winning, between them, over 20 Wairarapa Centre titles, several national medals and, for Olivia, two consecutive national secondary school championships. Olivia, now Year 13 at Solway College, was awarded Junior Player of the Year at the 2001 Bowls Wairarapa Awards. The Mancer women regularly join forces on the green, both as a pair and in triples teams – and rate their proudest moment as their win at last year’s Manawatu Open Pairs, beating former New Zealand representative Sharon Sims. Gone are the days where lawn bowls was solely the domain of pensioners in their “summer whites”. Thanks to greater visibility on television, and the success of younger players (such as Katelyn Inch, who made the New Zealand Blackjacks at age 21), the sport is becoming more popular among secondary students. Though the Mancers receive some good-natured teasing for their sport of choice (Olivia says her nickname at school is
“Granny Mancer”), their skill on the turf is undeniable – with the combination of Olivia’s dynamic style and Fiona’s cool head making them a formidable force. “I think Liv’s youth is an advantage, as she plays with no fear,” Fiona said. “She sees a shot lined up, and she goes for it. She plays with no hesitation and doesn’t doubt herself. “There aren’t a lot of sports where people of all ages can play together at a competitive level – and the young people definitely bring that energy to the green with them.” “Basically, for me, if you can see it, you can play it,” Olivia chimed in. “While Mum is all about the strategy. She’s good at figuring out what our opponent is doing, and then blocking their moves.” After her fateful first game, Fiona quickly joined the Kimbolton and Districts Club Bowling Club, and later the Masterton Bowling Club – which she noticed was “much
Olivia (left) and Fiona Mancer after their win at the Manawatu Open Pairs in 2021. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
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