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Double world champion Gary Lawson has claimed a 10th national bowls title, equalling Nick Unkovich's all-time record.
Lawson, whose international career hangs by a thread awaiting the outcome of an inquiry into allegations of match fixing at a tournament in Malaysia last year, and partner Danny Delany (Onehunga) defeated the Kia Toa combination of Sean O'Neill and Lance Pascoe 13-12.
Lawson and Delany came back from 10-2 down to beat O'Neill and Pascoe in the final of the men's pairs at Hutt Bowling Club.
Lawson says they were really flat to start the final.
He says luckily they were only dropping one or two shots and so he thought things might change and they did.
It is Danny Delany's first national title.
"I'm happy for Danny to get his first national title as well. I remember getting my first in 1989 so I'm really delighted for him." Lawson says.
The key was not letting their rival post big numbers at the start, he added.
"We managed to minimise the damage and then took some half chances."
"I always felt that if we were two or three behind with a couple of ends to go, we had a chance because a lot of pressure goes on at the end."
Lawson, who feels he is at the peak of his playing powers, said he and Delany had gone out at 6am to practice before the start of competition each day and it had paid off.
Meanwhile, Australian-based kiwi Andrew Todd's survived a massive scare to claim the mens singles title.
Todd led his opponent Ken Walker 17-6 midway through their match but could only watch as Walker stormed back to level the final up at 20-all before Todd clinched the vital point to win 21-20.
Todd says he's still satisfied with his performance.
He says Walker was drawing very well but his driving was good and he kept getting everything perfect.
Women's singles and pairs
The Auckland combination of Reen Stratford and Bev Crowe have beaten Tauranga's Bev White and Josephine Connolly 17-14 in an absorbing women's pairs final.
White and Connolly jumped out to a 5-1 lead before Stratford and Crowe slowly clawed their way back.
It is Crowe's third national title and Stratford's first.
For Crowe, the win was the Cornwall Bowling club member's second national pairs title, her first coming in in 2008 with Jo Babich.
They led 13-12 after 14 ends, and in the close it was Crowe's consistent leading and strong support play by Stratford that saw them through.
Earlier, Jan Khan took out the women's singles final against Jan Shirley - winning 21-5.
Results today from the national bowls championships at
Lower Hutt:
Men
Singles final: Andrew Todd (Burnside) bt Ken Walker (Fairfield)
23-20.
Pairs final: Gary Lawson/Danny Delany (Eastbourne) bt Sean O'Neill/Lance Pascoe (Kia Toa) 13-12.
Women
Singles final: Jan Khan (Beckenham) bt Jan Shirley
(Canterbury) 21-5.
Pairs final: Reen Stratford/Bev Crowe (New Lynn) bt Bev
White/Josephine Connolly (Omanu) 17-14.
