Reynolds (74) used a controlled upshot to beat Crawford (Dunedin) 21-16 in a tight singles final at the New Zealand Disabled Bowls championships. Crawford won the world title at Wellington last February.
''It's an honour to beat the world champion,'' Reynolds said.
''Carolyn's a world class bowler but today was my day. I surprised myself and was a bit stunned by the result.''
The first three days of the championships were held at the St Clair Bowling Club but it was shifted to the Westpac Indoor Bowls Stadium yesterday because of the rain.
Reynolds has endured ongoing effects from a compound fracture of his left leg received in a motor accident in England when he was 19.
He has not let his disability stop him from competing in life. He has made 15 parachute jumps, walked the Buller half marathon six times, camped in the Arctic and worked at Ross Island in the Antarctic for two years.
''I have pushed myself,'' he said.
''If you don't use it you lose it.''
Reynolds used the same courage against Crawford, who is a master draw bowler and six times during the game had a cluster of scoring bowls around the jack.
Reynolds used his upshot to overturn Crawford's advantage on five occasions.
On the second end, Crawford had two shots on the head when Reynolds pushed the jack into the ditch for three shots. It was a five point turnaround.
He was three down on the head on the 20th end and pushed the jack back for two shots. It was another five point turnaround.
He won the game on the 23rd end with a bonus shot to the jack with his fourth bowl.
In the semifinals, Crawford beat veteran Snow Reardon (Christchurch) 21-2 and Reynolds beat fellow Christchurch bowler Bruce Wakefield 21-17.
Reardon played a key role with his accurate draw bowls when he won his fifth New Zealand Disabled Bowls title in the pairs.
Reardon and Carolyn Crawford won the gold medal, beating Steve Walker (Maheno) and Pam Walker (Dunedin) 17-7 in the final.
The Otago pair started better and led 5-0 after three ends, but then Reardon dominated the lead bowls as his team scored four, two and two on the next three ends to lead 8-5.
The game was still in the balance when Reardon and Crawford led narrowly, 9-7, with just three ends left.
Reardon (62), who competed in a wheelchair at the world championships in South Africa in 2007, displayed his drawing skills on the last three ends.
They were four shots ahead before the last end and Reardon rubbed salt into the Otago pair's wounds when his three bowls settled around the jack.
Steve Walker and Pam Walker kept driving in an attempt to save the game but missed the target.
Crawford, who is also an accurate draw player, added three shots to give her team six on the last end.
Reardon, who became a C-7 tetraplegic after a car accident in 1973, has been playing bowls with the Papanui Working Men's Club since 1991.
He plays able bodied bowls in Christchurch. It was his second national pair's title.
Reardon and Crawford beat Mason Luccs (Riversdale) and Bruce Wakefield (Christchurch) 13-6 in the semifinal. The Walker's beat Peter Gardener (Canterbury) and Chris Mathews (Auckland) 10-8.
Steve Walker was awarded the cup for the most improved player at the four day championships.
Skip Chris Mathews (Auckland) drew the shot with his last bowl to draw the game to win the triples and his first disabled bowls title.
The team of Arthur Brodie (Christchurch), Peter Horne (Wellington) and Mathews drew with Mike Reynolds (Christchurch), Marty Sullivan (Marlborough) and Steve Walker (Oamaru) 13 all in their last game.
It was enough to win the title in the five game round robin competition on the differential. They won three games and drew two.
They won the gold medal with eight points (plus 29) and were followed by Betty Ferguson (Dunedin), Pam Walker (Dunedin), Bruce Wakefield (Wellington) eight (plus 11) and Graham Reardon (Christchurch), Heather Cornelius (Christchurch) and Carolyn Webster (Dunedin) six. Mathews beat Wakefield 15-7 in a crucial round robin game.
Mathews (45), who had his right leg amputated above the knee after a motorcycle accident 25 years ago, has been playing bowls for 10 years.
It was also the first title for Brodie (56) who lost his co-ordination and balance after a car accident. He has been playing bowls for 15 years.
It was the fourth national title for Horne (62) who was born without hands or feet.
He has been playing bowls for 37 years and won the Paralympics singles gold medal in Korea in 1988. He has also won three Bowls Wellington open titles.
NZ Disabled bowls
Champions
Singles: Mike Reynolds (Christchurch).
Pairs: Snow Reardon (Christchurch), Carolyn Crawford (Dunedin).
Triples: Arthur Brodie (Christchurch), Peter Horne (Wellington), Chris Mathews (Auckland).
