The Plate blocks changed venues today: A through D moved up the coast to Waikanae, joined by block H, while E through G played at the now-notorious Plimmerton lawns. With little wind, scores were generally higher at Plimmerton than on previous days, but there were no successful triple peels at either venue today. The Waikanae lawns have become a touch more challenging as sections continue to dry out.
Read MoreSoo: Plate Action Under Way#06
The Plate blocks were split between Paraparaumu and Waikanae today, while the main knockout started at Kelburn and Wellington. The Plate format is eight blocks of five or six players each, the eight block winners advancing to a knockout. The only triple of the day at Paraparaumu was by Alain Giraud (ENG) and featured an adventurous finish.
Read MoreSoo: Moberly Surprises in G Block #04
Waikanae is an especially attractive venue on the Kapiti Coast, about an hour NNE of Wellington. There are five lawns, one of which is newer and faster than the rest, and about which Simon Hockey was in raptures after a fifth-turn (I think) +26tp he played there. Hockey (AUS), the top seed in block G and therefore the #7 seed in the event (pre-tournament world ranking #15), finished with 7/9 for a share of first place in the block. He lost to Aiken Hakes (NZ) after a Hakes TPO and a two-ball finish. Earlier in the game Hakes had broken down at 1b, and on the peeling turn he also peeled partner to 2b, and then pegged off both rovers. In the two-ball ending, each player scored five hoops.
Read MoreClarke: Plenty of Upsets on Day One #02
After visiting all five venues on yesterday's practice day, I spent most of day one at Waikanae with a short visit to Plimmerton in the early afternoon.
Waikanae is the furthest venue at about one hours drive outside Wellington and has a pretty five lawn club. The front four lawns are soft, green and over-watered, running at 10.8 seconds whilst lawn 5 is an excellent lawn with different grass and firmer subsoil, running at 12.2 seconds.
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