Cook Islands Bowls team are taking part in the Oceania Bowls Challenge 2024 and they are looking forward to more good results with finals to be played on Saturday.

The team is made up of players from Cook Island base and New Zealand based, managed by Josie Tangi and David Akaruru and coached by Jamie Hill. The players are (Ladies) Tai Jim, Tiare Jim, Christina Paio, Philomina Akaruru, Rima Strickland and Men Royden Aperau, Teora Turua, Taiki Paniani, Aidan Zittersteijn, William Daniel.

According to a statement, this year’s tournament attracted strong teams from around the Pacific which included Samoa, Australia, Tokelau, NZ U26, Tonga, Norfolk, Niue, Aotearoa Maori.

Missing from the tournament was Fiji and PNG who participated at the last world tournament.

On Day 1 the Cook Islands Men and Ladies played in the single and fours discipline and our Mens 4s Teora, Taiki, Aidan, William played extremely well and qualified in the semi-finals and today 5pm (CIs time) they play against Aotearoa Maori while the other semi-finals will be Australia vs Tonga.

Result of this game will put the Cook Islands running for the gold, silver or bronze play off.

The other Cook Islands teams also played well but failed to make the playoff.

On Day 2 both Cook Islands men and women’s teams will play the round competition in the Pairs and Triples discipline.

Bowls Cook Islands looks forward to another good result with finals to be played on Saturday hosted at the Royal Oak Bowling Club.

The Cook Islands Men 4s maintains its successful position where they qualified in the top 8 playoff at the last World Bowling Tournament in 2023 hosted in Australia.   

This can be viewed live on Youtube Bowls NZ.

Meanwhile, players Tai Jim and Royden Aperau will compete in the World Singles Championship of Champions hosted in Burnside Bowling Club, North Shore, in Auckland New Zealand among 31 top players from around the world. This will be from November 26-30.

On December 2-8 Cook Islands player Adoni Rairoa, managed by Papatua Papatua and Mere Rairoa will compete in the 2024 World Bowls Junior Indoor Championship to be hosted in Hong Kong representing the country at the highest international level.