Country week bowls skipper Shane Giudice-Nairn celebrates trophy, mateship

Half a lifetime — that’s how long Shane Giudice-Nairn has been bowling.

For the 32-year-old country week skipper, bringing the pairs trophy back to Geraldton is a high point in a decorated bowls career, but what keeps him coming back is his mates.

“I’ve been playing a while now,” Giudice-Nairn said.

“Seventeen or 18 years.”

He said he started out through school bowls sessions run by the late Merv Reed and Alec Watt, who ran junior bowls programs locally for around a decade.

“We used to do some drills and practice sessions, and then go and have some chips,” Giudice-Nairn said.

“It’s a good game. You meet so many people. It’s a good place to be.”

Giudice-Nairn and Ford played Eaton’s Tim Stevens and Greg Slavin in the grand final at country week in Perth last Friday, the State’s biggest bowls event, dominating the match and winning 13-7.

It came after nearly reaching the summit several times.

“We got there,” Giudice-Nairn said.

“We’ve made semifinals and made the final before.

“It’s definitely good to get over the line and realise you can do it.

“Now we can load up for next year now and hopefully make a bit of a run.”

He said it was nice to finally have a win after coming close previously, and the victory paved the way for more competition and more fun.

“We’ve been together for a fair while now and we’re sort of just starting to hit our straps, I think.

“It’s pretty good playing with your mates, that’s the best part.”