Pitschou eyes another Aussie trip

TWO-TIME defending Island champion Gary Pitschou made an impressive start to his quest for a hat-trick of titles. The 2002 and 2003 Elliott Singles winner returned the best score for the first round of this year's competition at the Guernsey Bowling Club.

Although he fell behind early in his match with Nigel Collins, Pitschou led 13 shots to four after seven ends and conceded only one more over the last eight as he completed a 21-5 victory.

'It is all on the day and it was just a case that I managed to get the right kind of weight and draw to the jack,' said Pitschou.

'I am not playing too badly at the moment but you have just got to take it one match at a time. We are playing on different greens and that is the beauty of outdoor bowls: as well as playing your opponent, you have got to play the green.

'It would be nice to win it again, especially with us now having the Champion of Champions competition in Australia. It is an extra incentive to win your island title.'

Pitschou reached the semi-finals of the Champion of Champions last year and he is looking forward to returning to Australia in November for this year's event.

'The greens were superb, quicker than indoors from the first taste I had. Last year's competition was in Melbourne but this year it is going to be in Sydney, so it is really exciting to get the chance to go there,' he said.

However, in the first rounds of the other island knockout competitions, Pitschou was on the wrong end of a surprise defeat in the Tostevin Triples.

As one of the Locals team and defending champions with Nicky Donaldson and Len Le Ber, the trio went down 18-14 to Phoenix.