Day 3 of competition at the 2026 Australian Open on the Gold Coast was a monumental day for Sturt Bowling Club, with both of our pairs teams winning through to the knockout stage.
It was a tough, demanding experience for our four colleagues, as described below by Shane Ettridge, but they rose to the occasion.
We salute their performances.
Shane Ettridge's Report:
Day 3 of the 2026 Australian Open marked the beginning of the pairs competition, with Sturt fielding two teams across the Gold Coast.
Shane Ettridge and Richard Weeks headed to Benowa, while Alex Smith and Isaac (Izzy) Trenorden travelled to Southport.
With knockout qualification on the line, both teams wasted little time getting down to business.
At Southport, Alex and Izzy were in fine form early, recording comfortable victories in their opening two matches. Their third game proved a much sterner test and eventually slipped away, but a crucial five-shot pickup on the final end ensured they finished on top of their group on shot percentage.
It was the bowls equivalent of leaving your assignment until the last minute and somehow still getting the highest mark in the class.
Over at Benowa, Shane and Richard also made a strong start, winning their first two matches to set up a winner-takes-all showdown in the final round.
Standing in their way was a quality combination featuring emerging Jackaroo, Logan Waters.
In what proved to be one of the matches of the day, the Sturt pair held their nerve in a nail-biting finish, prevailing by a single shot to secure top spot in the group.
Both Sturt teams produced some excellent bowls under pressure and demonstrated the composure required to succeed in tournament play.
With the two Sturt teams finishing on top of their respective groups, Day 3 was undoubtedly the most successful of the trip so far.
Confidence is high, spirits are excellent and attention now turns to the knockout stage where the competition steps up another level.
The dream remains alive and both teams are looking forward to the knockout stage.
Results
Richard Weeks - Shane Ettridge
Ladder
Richard Weeks - Shane Ettridge
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