Auckland Bowling Club Named Club Of The Year At Bowls Awards
In an event that blended history with high performance, Auckland Bowling Club, founded in 1861 and recognised as the oldest bowling club in the Southern Hemisphere,has been crowned Club of the Year at the 2025 Bowls Auckland Awards.
The win marks a triumphant chapter in the storied legacy of the Stanley Street institution, which continues to evolve as a modern, high-achieving hub for competitive and social bowls in New Zealand.
'This honour is both a celebration of our past and a statement about our future,' said Manager Analiese Rands. 'For a club that has stood proudly for over 160 years, this award proves we're not just part of history — we're still setting the standard today.'
A Modern Club Built on Heritage
Auckland Bowling Club's success this season has been unparalleled, with strong player representation across all levels of competition, innovative community initiatives, and a reinvigorated club culture that blends tradition with innovation.
In addition to the top club award, two of the club's brightest stars received the highest individual honours of the night:
Lisa Prideaux was named Marlene Castle Women's Bowler of the Year, this season, Lisa made history by winning five Centre titles adding to her total of 13 Centre titles and earning her second Gold Star. She was also a Plate winner in the Women's Premier Singles, a National Pairs competitor, a member of the Auckland Premier Rep team, the Blackjacks Development Squad, and the Aotearoa Māori squad. Lisa also completed her Foundation Coaching Course this season and serves on the Auckland Bowling Club executive — further showcasing her dedication to the sport both on and off the green.
Liam Hill was named Men's Bowler of the Year, the teen had a standout season, which included winning the Centre Triples and Molecheck 7s, finishing as runner-up in the National Under-26 Pairs, earning a bronze medal in the National Singles, and helping lead the Auckland Premier side to a runner-up finish at the National Intercentre Championships.
Extraordinarily, most nominees for both Bowler of the Year categories came from Auckland Bowling Club along with most of the other incredible awards — a remarkable show of dominance that hasn't gone unnoticed by the wider bowls community. 'This was a blue-wash in every sense,' said Club Manager Nenad Rajic. 'To have mostly all the top nominees come from our club is a massive endorsement of what we're building — strong development pathways, a high-performance mindset, and a culture people want to be part of.'
More Than Just a Club
While the accolades speak volumes, Auckland Bowling Club's impact goes beyond results. The club has become a central hub in Auckland for both bowls and broader community activity — hosting twilight leagues, charity events, corporate functions, and welcoming new players through inclusive social bowls.
Its legacy as the oldest club in the Southern Hemisphere remains a point of pride, but it's the club's ability to stay relevant, progressive and competitive that truly sets it apart in 2025.
'We honour our roots — 1861 is etched into everything we do,' said Rands. 'But this award shows we're not stuck in the past. We're leading the way into the future of bowls.'
With planning already underway for the 2025–26 season, including development squads, summer twilight leagues, and expanded public events, Auckland Bowling Club is proving that age is no barrier to innovation — and excellence.
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Auckland Bowling Club Named Club Of The Year At Bowls Awards
Press Release – Auckland Bowling Club In an event that blended history with high performance, Auckland Bowling Club, founded in 1861 and recognised as the oldest bowling club in the Southern Hemisphere,has been crowned Club of the Year at the 2025 Bowls Auckland Awards. The win marks a triumphant chapter in the storied legacy of the Stanley Street institution, which continues to evolve as a modern, high-achieving hub for competitive and social bowls in New Zealand. 'This honour is both a celebration of our past and a statement about our future,' said Manager Analiese Rands. 'For a club that has stood proudly for over 160 years, this award proves we're not just part of history — we're still setting the standard today.' A Modern Club Built on Heritage Auckland Bowling Club's success this season has been unparalleled, with strong player representation across all levels of competition, innovative community initiatives, and a reinvigorated club culture that blends tradition with innovation. In addition to the top club award, two of the club's brightest stars received the highest individual honours of the night: Lisa Prideaux was named Marlene Castle Women's Bowler of the Year, this season, Lisa made history by winning five Centre titles adding to her total of 13 Centre titles and earning her second Gold Star. She was also a Plate winner in the Women's Premier Singles, a National Pairs competitor, a member of the Auckland Premier Rep team, the Blackjacks Development Squad, and the Aotearoa Māori squad. Lisa also completed her Foundation Coaching Course this season and serves on the Auckland Bowling Club executive — further showcasing her dedication to the sport both on and off the green. Liam Hill was named Men's Bowler of the Year, the teen had a standout season, which included winning the Centre Triples and Molecheck 7s, finishing as runner-up in the National Under-26 Pairs, earning a bronze medal in the National Singles, and helping lead the Auckland Premier side to a runner-up finish at the National Intercentre Championships. Extraordinarily, most nominees for both Bowler of the Year categories came from Auckland Bowling Club along with most of the other incredible awards — a remarkable show of dominance that hasn't gone unnoticed by the wider bowls community. 'This was a blue-wash in every sense,' said Club Manager Nenad Rajic. 'To have mostly all the top nominees come from our club is a massive endorsement of what we're building — strong development pathways, a high-performance mindset, and a culture people want to be part of.' More Than Just a Club While the accolades speak volumes, Auckland Bowling Club's impact goes beyond results. The club has become a central hub in Auckland for both bowls and broader community activity — hosting twilight leagues, charity events, corporate functions, and welcoming new players through inclusive social bowls. Its legacy as the oldest club in the Southern Hemisphere remains a point of pride, but it's the club's ability to stay relevant, progressive and competitive that truly sets it apart in 2025. 'We honour our roots — 1861 is etched into everything we do,' said Rands. 'But this award shows we're not stuck in the past. We're leading the way into the future of bowls.' With planning already underway for the 2025–26 season, including development squads, summer twilight leagues, and expanded public events, Auckland Bowling Club is proving that age is no barrier to innovation — and excellence.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Scoop
Auckland Bowling Club Named Club Of The Year At Bowls Awards
In an event that blended history with high performance, Auckland Bowling Club, founded in 1861 and recognised as the oldest bowling club in the Southern Hemisphere, has been crowned Club of the Year at the 2025 Bowls Auckland Awards. The win marks a triumphant chapter in the storied legacy of the Stanley Street institution, which continues to evolve as a modern, high-achieving hub for competitive and social bowls in New Zealand. 'This honour is both a celebration of our past and a statement about our future,' said Manager Analiese Rands. 'For a club that has stood proudly for over 160 years, this award proves we're not just part of history — we're still setting the standard today.' A Modern Club Built on Heritage Auckland Bowling Club's success this season has been unparalleled, with strong player representation across all levels of competition, innovative community initiatives, and a reinvigorated club culture that blends tradition with innovation. In addition to the top club award, two of the club's brightest stars received the highest individual honours of the night: Lisa Prideaux was named Marlene Castle Women's Bowler of the Year, this season, Lisa made history by winning five Centre titles adding to her total of 13 Centre titles and earning her second Gold Star. She was also a Plate winner in the Women's Premier Singles, a National Pairs competitor, a member of the Auckland Premier Rep team, the Blackjacks Development Squad, and the Aotearoa Māori squad. Lisa also completed her Foundation Coaching Course this season and serves on the Auckland Bowling Club executive — further showcasing her dedication to the sport both on and off the green. Liam Hill was named Men's Bowler of the Year, the teen had a standout season, which included winning the Centre Triples and Molecheck 7s, finishing as runner-up in the National Under-26 Pairs, earning a bronze medal in the National Singles, and helping lead the Auckland Premier side to a runner-up finish at the National Intercentre Championships. Extraordinarily, most nominees for both Bowler of the Year categories came from Auckland Bowling Club along with most of the other incredible awards — a remarkable show of dominance that hasn't gone unnoticed by the wider bowls community. 'This was a blue-wash in every sense,' said Club Manager Nenad Rajic. 'To have mostly all the top nominees come from our club is a massive endorsement of what we're building — strong development pathways, a high-performance mindset, and a culture people want to be part of.' More Than Just a Club While the accolades speak volumes, Auckland Bowling Club's impact goes beyond results. The club has become a central hub in Auckland for both bowls and broader community activity — hosting twilight leagues, charity events, corporate functions, and welcoming new players through inclusive social bowls. Its legacy as the oldest club in the Southern Hemisphere remains a point of pride, but it's the club's ability to stay relevant, progressive and competitive that truly sets it apart in 2025. 'We honour our roots — 1861 is etched into everything we do,' said Rands. 'But this award shows we're not stuck in the past. We're leading the way into the future of bowls.' With planning already underway for the 2025–26 season, including development squads, summer twilight leagues, and expanded public events, Auckland Bowling Club is proving that age is no barrier to innovation — and excellence.
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At the same time, Zespri is committed to working with nature's flow to make more nutritious kiwifruit accessible worldwide. By expanding its global footprint, now reaching over 100 million households2, Zespri aims to help people thrive through better nutrition and natural goodness. 'We're thrilled to partner with Dame Lisa Carrington,' said Jiunn Shih, Zespri Chief Marketing, Innovation and Sustainability Officer. 'Her discipline, consistency, and drive for progress perfectly mirror our approach to growing and marketing great-tasting, high-quality Zespri Kiwifruit. Together, we look forward to connecting with a broader audience of sports and wellness enthusiasts, as well as inspiring people everywhere to prioritise good health and nutrition as they find their own flow.' Dame Lisa echoed this sentiment: 'I'm incredibly proud to partner with Zespri. It's exciting to have the opportunity to champion New Zealand kiwifruit on a global stage. 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Similarly, Zespri draws on nature's rhythm and New Zealand's fertile soils to grow nutrient-dense kiwifruit with care, dedication, and purpose, a philosophy that has helped it become the number one fruit brand across its 15 core markets³. The launch will also feature a campaign microsite with the full cinematic film, episodic videos, and a series of blog articles deep diving into Dame Lisa's values and what nutrition means to her. Discover the full film and learn more about the collaboration at ABOUT ZESPRI Zespri is 100 percent owned by current and former kiwifruit growers and has a global team of 900+ based in Mount Maunganui and throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas. Our purpose is to help people, communities and the environment thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit, and we work with 2,800 growers in New Zealand and 1,500 growers offshore to provide consumers with fresh, healthy and great-tasting Zespri Green, Zespri RubyRed and SunGold Kiwifruit. In 2024/25, we supplied 220.9 million trays (more than 795,000 tonnes) of kiwifruit to consumers in more than 50 markets, and recorded global operating revenue of NZ$5.14 billion. Zespri is committed to sustainability, with areas of improvement identified right through the supply chain including our pledge that by 2025 we will use 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging, do more to help the environment, and work with our partners to be carbon positive by 2035. ABOUT DAME LISA CARRINGTON Dame Lisa Carrington is a world champion kayaker and New Zealand's most decorated Olympian, with nine Olympic medals, including eight golds. Her remarkable career includes 15 world championship golds and nine successive K1 200m titles. In 2022, she was appointed Dame Companion to the New Zealand Order of Merit, and she has earned multiple accolades, including the Halberg Supreme Award and Sportswoman of the Decade. In 2024, she was awarded one of the Olympic movement's highest honours, receiving the ANOC Outstanding Sporting Career Award. This award recognises Dame Lisa's career to date.
