Elliot again joined Christine Buchanan (Queenstown) to chase the North East Valley premier mixed pairs title, after reaching the quarterfinals last year.
They lost their first two encounters before going on a winning streak throughout the rest of section play, only to narrowly miss post-section qualification on aggregate.
Elliot, 46, who plays out of the Edendale club, has been a regular Southland representative for the past 10 years, playing in seven inter-centre championships and winning the title in 2021.
Bowls, however, has taken a back seat for the past two years as he has supported his wife, Nicole, as she battled breast cancer.
She was now in remission, but it had been an emotional journey with the tireless support of their children, Maddison, 16, and Morgan, 14, along with the bowls community, Elliot said.
"Coming to these events is a good release for me and a chance to have a wee reset," he said.
“It’s been a struggle for the last couple of years. We are just really grateful that the bowls community have been really helpful for us. And very supportive."
The Edendale club had organised a tournament at Easter that raised $15,000 for the Cancer Society of Otago and Southland.
“It’s just amazing how many people you discover affected with cancer. It just blows you away.
“We are very grateful for the support of the Cancer Society and the bowls community. It’s been a struggle, but without that support we would not have got through it as well as we have."
He also praised the support of his two teenaged children.
“They have been absolute rocks in this. I’ve been a bit of a softy.
"It’s hard when you see your wife going through stuff like that. But they have been fantastic.
"When we first told them of Nicole’s diagnosis they just said, ‘right, what do we have to do?’. Their school (Menzies College) has been fantastic. The guidance councillor at the school has been great."
His wife had maintained a positive approach and served as president of the Edendale club during her illness, Elliot said.
