BHBR’s Sarah Braybrook bows out of 2024 Vic Open to New Zealand’s Selina Goddard
The BHBR’s Sarah Braybrook had an impressive 2024 Vic Open, making it through to the last 16 of the women’s singles before bowing out to accomplished New Zealand bowler Selina Goddard in the finals.
Sarah, from Webbcona Bowling Club, won Section 49 of sectional play at Heyfield Bowls Club on Saturday, 23rd March 2024 and lined up in the Vic Open finals this morning (Sunday 24th) at Morwell Bowls Club.
In finals Round 1, Sarah scored a 21-17 victory over Vicki Wilson (Merrylands) before getting past Trish Cullinane (MCC) 21-15 in Round 2, setting up a clash with New Zealand’s Selina Goddard in the third round.
Selina got off to a quick start in the Round 3 match, winning the first 3 ends and skipping out to a 4-0 lead before Sarah got on the board with one shot the next end.
After 8 ends the New Zealand bowler led 8-2, although it was far from one-way traffic.
Sarah found her groove and rhythm over the next 5 ends adding 7 shots to her opponent’s one, tying the scores at 9-all after 13 ends.
With the match up for grabs, Selina’s international experience came to the fore, especially her poise and composure under pressure, winning 5 of the last 6 ends while adding 12 shots to 1 along the way.
Sarah held shot a number of times and the talented New Zealander converted losing shots into winning ones with well-timed weighted shots or pinpoint accuracy.
The final score was 21-10 to Selina and a gallant Sarah Braybrook certainly enjoyed the experience.
“I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this match,” Sarah said.
“Selina is just such a beautiful bowler and watching her bowl, it’s just effortless.”
Selina’s consistency was pivotal to her victory and Sarah was quick to compliment her opponent.
“She’s very consistent,” Sarah said.
“Even when you’ve got all the shots, she finds a way to get them out.”
“So, it’s like, I’m in my head going, where could I put my bowl?“
“And a few times I’m thinking, I need to be a little bit behind because Selina may have a look at it, and then I’d pull up short and I’m like, oh, I needed that one behind.”
“I thought, if I can get to double figures I’ll be on track.”
It was a top effort by Sarah against a quality opponent.
View Sarah Braybrook’s Vic Open finals results here.
For Selina Goddard, who plays out of Takapuna Bowling Club in New Zealand, the format of the Victorian Open appealed to her.
“I’ve been looking at the calendar over in Australia, wondering what events are on when it doesn’t clash with New Zealand events and I saw the Vic Open as one,” Selina said.
“I saw that it was a bit of a bowls festival where you get to play in a lot of different events.”
“Then I thought, you know what, I’ve never been to the Latrobe Valley before, so that’s why I’m here and I’m really enjoying it.”
Now Selina finds herself in the last four of the 2024 Victorian Open after defeating Emma Spicer (Northern Suburbs) 21-8 in the quarter finals at Morwell and is certainly enjoying her time here.
“It’s been amazing,” Selina said.
“We have maybe one event in New Zealand similar to this, but nowhere near the sort of extent of how great it is here.”
“I’m meeting a lot of lovely people and it’s been very enjoyable.”
For those unaware, Selina, along with a number of fellow New Zealand bowlers, including Tayla Bruce, have a number of ‘Be a Better Bowler‘ coaching modules on the Bowls New Zealand youtube page.
The videos are designed to answer questions bowlers may ask, just as if at a bowling club, and were created for the bowls community.
“It was actually an initiative from Bowls New Zealand,” Selina said.
“And it was really cool because there were questions just mostly that might not be asked by your typical bowler.”
“We’re able to go into the detail of, you know, how I guess we operate and our brains operate and hopefully it can help bowlers.”
View Be a Better Bowler coaching modules at Bowls NZ youtube page here.
Selina Goddard has taken all before her in the 2024 Vic Open to date and faces Lisa Phillips (Clayton) in the 2024 Vic Open semi final at Traralgon Bowls Club on Thursday, 28th March 2024 at 9.00am.
Selina won Section 9 of the women’s singles sectional play at Traralgon Bowls Club before defeating Angela Hackett (Traralgon) 21-8, Irene Attard (Yarraville-Footscray) 21-11, Sarah Braybrook (Webbcona) 21-10 and Emma Spicer (Northern Suburbs) 21-8 on her way to the semi final.
We wish Selina all the best for Thursday’s semi final.
View Selina Goddard’s Vic Open finals results here.
Featured photo: Selina Goddard & Sarah Braybrook at 2024 Vic Open at Morwell Bowls Club.