Our Aviva England squad is in Hong Kong for the penultimate international event of 2024. The team, consisting of Harry Goodwin, Tom McGuinness, Emma Cooper and Harriet Stevens, is competing in Classic Singles and Classic Pairs competitions across Saturday 9th to Sunday 17th November.
On the first day of the Hong Kong International Bowls Classic, our Aviva England squad showcased competitive performances in the singles. Matches were straight-knockout comprising two sets of seven ends with a three end tiebreak, if required.
In the Men’s Singles, Harry Goodwin had a strong start after winning his first two matches. His second round match against Japan’s Kenta Treacher Hasabe was closely contested but saw Harry edge through with a 1.5-0.5 win. His campaign came to an end against Australia’s Kyle Hansen in a tight third round tiebreaker. Tom McGuinness faced a close match in the first round but lost 1-2 to Nixon Man.
In the Women’s Singles, Emma Cooper first-round match saw the first set tied but she was narrowly defeated by Emily Chan. Harriet Stevens delivered a strong opening with a 2-0 victory over Sheron Chan. However, her run in the Singles was cut short in the second round, where she lost a hard-fought battle against Jessie Lam that went to a fourth tiebreak end to decide the result.
Despite our players bowing out in the Classic Singles, they will return to action in the Classic Pairs on Monday.
Men’s Singles
Harry Goodwin
Round One | Won 2-0 vs. Jude Yeung (TMSA) | 5-5, 8-4
Round Two | Won 1.5-0.5 vs. Kenta Treacher Hasebe (JPN) | 4-4, 6-5
Round Three | Lost 1-2 vs. Kyle Hansen (AUS) | 6-10, 10-4, 0-4
Tom McGuinness
Round One | Lost 1-2 vs. Nixon Man (YDT) | 5-7, 8-3, 1-4
Women’s Singles
Emma Cooper
Round One | Lost 0.5-1.5 vs. Emily Chan (YDT) | 5-5, 2-8
Harriet Stevens
Round One | Won 2-0 vs. Sheron Chan (AWASG) | 7-2, 8-2
Round Two | Lost 1-2 vs. Jessie Lam (ILBC) | 2-6, 5-3, 2-2, 0-1
Our Aviva England squad were back in action with the first set of matches in the Classic Pairs event. Both pairs delivered impressive performances to secure important wins.
In the Men’s Pairs, Tom McGuinness and Harry Goodwin began with a decisive win over CCC, collecting maximum points. In their second game against HKC B, a solid win in the first set helped them claim four valuable points. After today’s results, they are currently sitting in third place in Group B.
Emma Cooper and Harriet Stevens also enjoyed an unbeaten start to their Classic Pairs campaign. In their first game, they fought hard to draw the opening set but clinched the second to secure five points. In their second match, they stormed to a 6-0 victory on points, winning both sets in style. At the end of the opening day, Emma and Harriet hold third place in their group.
Tomorrow, both sets of pairs will play three more group matches.
Men’s Pairs
Tom McGuinness and Harry Goodwin
Match One | Won 6-0 (points) / 16-12 (shots) versus Jordi Lo and Dennis Yiu (CCC)| 9-8, 7-4
Match Two | Won 4-2 (points) / 20-15 (shots) versus Lyndon Sham and Tony Cheung (HKC B) | 11-5, 9-10
Women’s Pairs
Emma Cooper and Harriet Stevens
Match One | Won 5-1 (points) / 19-14 (shots) versus Gloria Ha and Yu Yee Sin (HKFC)| 9-9, 10-5
Match Two | Won 5-1 (points) / 25-12 (shots) versus Ada Lai and Pheobe Ho (HKC B) | 12-4, 13-8
Today saw resilient performances from our Aviva England squad, as they continued to push hard in their respective groups, keeping themselves well within reach of the top positions.
In the Men’s Pairs, Tom McGuinness and Harry Goodwin displayed consistency and grit throughout their three matches today. In a close opener against Singapore’s Bernard Foo and Isaac Yuen, they drew on points, 3-3, after a tightly matched game that ended 16-16 in total shots. They came back strongly in their second match, securing a convincing 6-0 win with a 21-8 shots victory. Their final match of the day was another close encounter, but Tom and Harry edged it, taking four points in a 15-14 win over the Philippines’ Homer Mercado and Leo Carreon. Their efforts keep them in third place, just three points behind group leaders New Zealand.
Emma Cooper and Harriet Stevens faced tough competition in the Women’s Pairs today, starting with a narrow 2-4 loss to New Zealand’s Selina Goddard and Briar Atkinson in a closely contested 16-17 game. Their second match against Canada’s Emma Boyd and Kelly McKerihen also proved challenging, ending in another 2-4 loss with a final score of 14-19. However, they bounced back in their third game, defeating Malaysia’s Nur Ain Nabilah Tarmizi and Nor Farrah Abdullah with a strong 6-0 win, tallying 21-12 in shots. Emma and Harriet currently stand fourth in their group, six points behind leaders New Zealand.
Both pairs remain firmly in the mix as the competition heats up.
Tomorrow was due to be a rest day for the event. However, due to an approaching typhoon, the schedule of the pairs competition at the Hong Kong International Bowls Classic will be changed as follows:
The two games originally scheduled for Thursday will be moved forward to Wednesday.
Thursday will be a rest day and games on Friday will go ahead as scheduled.
Men’s Pairs
Tom McGuinness and Harry Goodwin
Match Three | Drew 3-3 (points) / 16-16 (shots) versus Bernard Foo and Isaac Yuen (Sin)| 10-9, 6-7
Match Four | Won 6-0 (points) / 21-8 (shots) versus Wong Chi Hong and Cheong Pak Keong (MAC) | 9-4, 12-4
Match Five | Won 4-2 (points) / 15-14 (shots) versus Homer Mercado and Leo Carreon (Phi) | 9-7, 6-7
Women’s Pairs
Emma Cooper and Harriet Stevens
Match Three | Lost 2-4 (points) / 16-17 (shots) versus Selina Goddard and Briar Atkinson (NZ)| 7-11, 9-6
Match Four | Lost 2-4 (points) / 14-19 (shots) versus Emma Boyd – Kelly McKerihen (Can) | 9-6, 5-13
Match Five | Won 6-0 (points) / 21-12 (shots) versus Nur Ain Nabilah Tarmizi and Nor Farrah Abdullah (Mal) | 9-6, 12-6
Both England pairs continued to deliver strong performances today, maintaining their positions within reach of group qualification.
In the Men’s Pairs, Tom McGuinness and Harry Goodwin remain undefeated after another impressive day. In their first game against New Zealand’s Seamus Curtin and Sheldon Bagrie-Howley, they fought to a 3-3 draw, ending level at 16-16 in shots after an intense second set. They followed this with a commanding 6-0 win over Wales’ Owain Dando and Daniel Davies Junior, finishing with a 19-7 shots lead. With these results, they have climbed to second in their group with 32 points, just three points behind leaders New Zealand.
Emma Cooper and Harriet Stevens also impressed today, winning their first game 6-0 with a strong 20-7 victory over Macau’s Lai Yuk Ping and Chan Wai Kun. They faced a tougher challenge in their second game against Scotland’s Rachel Sinclair and Dee Hogan, narrowly losing 2-4 with a final score of 14-18. The pair now stands in third place in their group on 29 points, six points behind group leaders New Zealand.
With only a few matches remaining in the group stage, both England pairs are well-positioned for a strong finish.
Thursday will be a rest day for the Hong Kong International Bowls Classic and games will resume on Friday.
Men’s Pairs
Tom McGuinness and Harry Goodwin
Match Six | Drew 3-3 (points) / 16-16 (shots) versus Seamus Curtin and Sheldon Bagrie-Howley (NZ)| 8-6, 8-10
Match Seven | Won 6-0 (points) / 19-7 (shots) versus Owain Dando and Daniel Davies Junior (WAL) | 12-3, 7-4
Women’s Pairs
Emma Cooper and Harriet Stevens
Match Six | Won 6-0 (points) / 20-7 (shots) versus Lai Yuk Ping and Chan Wai Kun (MAC)| 11-2, 9-5
Match Seven | Lost 2-4 (points) / 14-18 (shots) versus Rachel Sinclair and Dee Hogan (SCO) | 10-5, 4-13
It was another fantastic day for our Aviva England squad, as both pairs delivered great performances to move within touching distance of the quarter-finals.
Tom and Harry continued their unbeaten run with three more impressive matches, climbing to the top of their group with 47 points.
They started the day with a solid 4-2 win over Jimmy Tsang and Dominic Fok (HKPBC), backed by a dominant first set. In their second game, they produced a stunning 6-0 victory against Aaron Man and Au W.C from GLBC, conceding just two shots across both sets. Their final match of the day against Desmond Lai and Nixon Man of the Youth Development Team (YDT) was a hard-fought battle, earning them a 5-1 victory with a narrow two-shot overall margin.
With just one game left in the group stage, Tom and Harry are in pole position to qualify for the quarter-finals, leading their group by four points.
Emma and Harriet remain in contention after picking up important points to see them fourth in their group with 40 points.
They began with a closely contested 3-3 draw against Vivian Wong and Jenny Miu from TKOBC, recovering well to edge the second set. Their second match saw them dominate Dreamy Ng and Anny Yu of SBSC, taking all six points in a confident 13-7 win. In their final game, they fell short against Jamie Tam and Hazel Lee from the Youth Development Team (YDT), losing 2-4 in a closely fought encounter.
Emma and Harriet remain six points clear of the YDT in fifth place, keeping their qualification hopes alive heading into the final round of group matches.
Men’s Pairs
Tom McGuinness and Harry Goodwin
Match Eight | Won 4-2 (points) / 16-11 (shots) versus Jimmy Tsang and Dominic Fok (HKPBC)| 13-2, 3-9
Match Nine | Won 6-0 (points) / 25-2 (shots) versus Aaron Man and Au W.C (GLBC) | 12-2, 13-0
Match Ten | Won 5-1 (points) / 14-11 (shots) versus Desmond Lai and Nixon Man (YDT) | 9-6, 5-5
Women’s Pairs
Emma Cooper and Harriet Stevens
Match Eight | Drew 3-3 (points) / 11-11 (shots) versus Vivian Wong and Jenny Miu (TKOBC)| 6-7, 5-4
Match Nine | Won 6-0 (points) / 13-7 (shots) versus Dreamy Ng and Anny Yu (SBSC) | 10-5, 4-13
Match Ten | Lost 2-4 (points) / 8-13 (shots) versus Jamie Tam and Hazel Lee (YDT) | 2-8, 6-5
It was a joyous day for our Aviva England squad, as both pairs advanced through their final group matches, quarter-finals, and semi-finals to secure places in Sunday’s finals. England stands proud as the only country with both Men’s and Women’s Pairs competing at this stage.
Tom and Harry completed their group stage campaign unbeaten, securing a narrow 4-2 victory in their final match against Benson Fung and Musa Karamdin from IRC. Finishing top of their group, they carried that momentum into the knockout stages.
In the quarter-finals, they faced Malaysia’s Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple and Hizlee Rais. A dominant performance saw them claim a 2-0 sets victory, progressing to the semi-finals, where they took on Hong Kong Club B’s Lyndon Sham and Tony Cheung. Another composed display earned them a hard-fought 2-0 victory, booking their place in the final.
The duo will face Scotland’s Darren Gualtieri and Iain McLean in Sunday’s final at 6:00 am (GMT).
Emma and Harriet finished their group stage with an emphatic 6-0 win over Andrea Chan and Kathleen To from CCC, securing second place in their group.
In the quarter-finals, they delivered a stellar performance to overcome Ysie White and Lauren Gowen of Wales in straight sets. The semi-finals brought a thrilling match against New Zealand’s Selina Goddard and Briar Atkinson. Emma and Harriet held their nerve, securing a 1.5-0.5 sets victory to earn a spot in the final.
They will take on Canada’s Emma Boyd and Kelly McKerihen in the Women’s Pairs final on Sunday at 2:00 am (GMT).
With both pairs reaching the finals, our squad is poised for a remarkable finish to the Hong Kong International Bowls Classic.
Live streaming from Lawn Bowls Association of Hong Kong, China will be available on their YouTube channel. Times of the Women’s Pairs and Men’s Pairs finals are listed below and the live stream can be found here.
Men’s Pairs
Tom McGuinness and Harry Goodwin
Match 11 | Won 4-2 (points) / 17-16 (shots) versus Benson Fung and Musa Karamdin (IRC)| 7-9, 10-7
Quarter-Final | Won 2-0 (sets) versus Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple and Hizlee Rais (MAL) | 12-5, 8-3
Semi-Final | Won 2-0 (sets) versus Lyndon Sham and Tony Cheung (HKC B) | 7-6, 10-8
Final | Sunday 17th November| Will play Darren Gualtieri and Iain McLean (SCO) at 6:00am (GMT)
Women’s Pairs
Emma Cooper and Harriet Stevens
Match Eleven | Won 6-0 (points) / 29-5 (shots) versus Andrea Chan and Kathleen To (CCC)| 16-1, 13-4
Quarter-Final | Won 2-0 (sets) versus Ysie White and Lauren Gowen (WAL) | 7-6, 11-3
Semi-Final | Won 1.5-0.5 (sets) versus Selina Goddard and Briar Atkinson (NZ) | 7-6, 8-8
Final | Sunday 17th November | Will play Emma Boyd and Kelly McKerihen (CAN) at 2:00am (GMT)
The final day of the Hong Kong International Bowls Classic saw England’s pairs compete in the Men’s and Women’s Pairs finals. Despite a change of venue to Craigengower Cricket Club’s indoor green due to adverse weather, the players showcased exceptional adaptability and resilience in challenging conditions.
Tom and Harry’s impressive unbeaten run through the group stages and knockout rounds came to an tough end against Scotland’s Darren Gualtieri and Iain McLean in the final. The Scottish pair produced a strong performance, winning in straight sets, 13-6 and 9-7, to claim the title.
Emma and Harriet faced a tough contest against Canada’s Emma Boyd and Kelly McKerihen. After losing the first set 8-5, they rallied to take the second set 10-3 and force a tiebreak. The decider was a tense affair, but the Canadian pair edged it 2-1 to secure victory, going down to the last bowl of the match.
While the results didn’t go their way, Tom, Harry, Emma and Harriet can be proud of their remarkable campaigns in Hong Kong.
Men’s Pairs
Tom McGuinness and Harry Goodwin
Final | Lost 2-0 (sets) versus Darren Gualtieri and Iain McLean (SCO) | 6-13, 7-9
Women’s Pairs
Emma Cooper and Harriet Stevens
Final | Won 1.5-0.5 (sets) versus Emma Boyd and Kelly McKerihen (CAN) | 5-8, 10-3, 1-2