DIVISION 1
Ararat VRI and Stawell went head to head at the Aradale Bowling Club as the finals got under way.
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There wasn't much in the match right through to lunch, and Stawell held a seven-shot lead with 12 ends completed. Andrew Cray's was the first rink to finish, recording a great 17-shot win over Shane Briggs to put Stawell in a strong position. Grant Seeary managed a two-shot win over Mark Griffith. Clayton Holcombe scored a five on the second-last end to tie the match at 71 shots.
Stawell held shot when the skippers went to the head for the last time; Clayton went for a drive and clipped the kitty but Stawell held shot still. Adrian Troeth drew second shot and VRI's last chance was on the mat. Holbombe landed a bunch of short bowls - his bowl rolled up and got shot to a huge roar from the crowd. Troeth had one last chance and just missed the head to give VRI an exciting one-shot victory.
Stawell Golf and Chalambar went into battle at the Ararat Bowling Club on the new carpet green. Chally took a one-shot lead into the lunch break and another close match was on the cards, Jessie Austin and Gary Blackman managed a draw on their rink and Shane Todd got a win for Chally up by four shots over Greg Reading, but with only a few shots in the match it was David Kaczynski who was proving to be the difference between the two sides. He managed to pick up a seven after a trail of the kitty to put Golf in a strong position coming to the last few ends. Golf are moving into next week's preliminary final against rivals Stawell. Chally are now out of the finals race.
DIVISION 2
Stawell Gold came up against Lake Bolac Black at the Aradale green to see who would get first position into the grand final. They also were close at the lunch break with a seven-shot lead to Bolac, Bolac extended its lead after lunch and were in complete control.
Ellen Werry got a win for Gold by six shots, Brad Smith managed a one-shot victory over Graeme Carr, but it was the Barry Veale rink that caused most of the damage. The rink skippered by Angela Hodgetts was right in the match until they got to 13, where they sat for eight ends while the Bolac side extended the margin. In the end, it was a 15-shot victory to Bolac.
In the elimination final, Stawell Blue was up against Stawell Golf Gold at Ararat. All three Stawell rinks were playing well and the side had a big lead going into the break, going on to record a massive 43-shot win. Rita Pyke was the best winning skipper with a 24-shot win.
The two Stawell sides, Gold and Blue, will meet to see who is going to play Bolac in the grand final.