Austin and White are just two bowlers to feature centre-stage over finals weekend of the local regional competition. The winners in each section progress to the national finals in Hastings next month, for a chance to win automatic entry into the World Indoor Singles, World Indoor Pairs or International Singles, in Norfolk, England, in November.
But it is Austin and White who have it all to play for at the Dunedin regional semifinals stage.
Austin (61), a property maintenance owner in Christchurch, hails from a triathlon and iron man background, and used the same preparation mindset in his approach to bowls competition.
In the mid to late 1980s he was a highly regarded and nationally ranked triathlete, gaining selection in the New Zealand team for the prestigious Hawaiian Iron Man.
Unable to fulfil a dream of contesting the Hawaiian Iron Man because of work commitments, his training then ground to a halt. He described training commitments as virtually like holding down a second fulltime job (swimming 18 to 20km a week, running 100km a week, and cycling between 600 and 700km a week).
"I just couldn’t take the time off," he said.
Austin said he had achieved all that he wanted in triathlon.
It was taking a toll on his knees, and taking him away from his young family, so he retired from the competitive side of the sport and turned his attention to a social interest in bowls.
It was not until meeting up with Ken Walker in Dunedin seven years ago, combined with being able to team up with some very good representative bowlers, that the competitive streak began to come out in Austin’s game.
"I’ve never looked back since being introduced to Ken Walker."
Austin, now in his third season with PBA bowls and as a member of the Halswell club in Christchurch, has been commuting to the Dunedin regional competition this PBA season with partner Tania Woodham (52), the director of international students at Cashmere High School. She is a sixth-year bowler out of the Elmwood Club in Christchurch.
Both Woodham and Austin are in the Canterbury Development squad, but have a preference for the Dunedin Regional PBA competition, and are proving tough opponents to get past.
"The Dunedin conference is very strong, probably the strongest in the country," Austin said.
But while Woodham fell away in section play, any chance of Austin clipping the ticket for the two to travel to the national final hinges on firstly getting past local Duane White, of the Forbury Park club.
"Phil’s game has certainly improved over the past couple of seasons since he’s been coming down here," White said.
"It certainly won’t be easy. You never take anyone for granted."
The winner of the Austin-White clash will then face the winner of the other semifinal between Karl Mason (Taieri) and Bill Hinton (Andersons Bay).
All semifinals, including the international singles and Dunedin regional ranking singles sections, start at 12.30pm, with the finals programmed to follow. The final of the Dunedin Regional World Indoor Pairs in which Mario Sopp (Brighton), teamed with Helen Carman (Taieri), will play Oliver Mason (Forbury Park) and Lou Robinson (Leith), starts at 3pm.
