Like all bowls competitions, the start of the midweek pennant season was pushed back due to a number of successive washouts, but there was action on the rink at last on Tuesday afternoon.
The Moama Steamers were the biggest winners in the opening round, earning a resounding 16-79 to 0-38 victory over Rich River.
It was a clean sweep to start the season for the Steamers at Moama Bowling Club, with the home team earning victories on all three rinks.
Skip Denise Pappin had a big 34-16 win, while her fellow skippers Marilyn Stephenson and Mary-Anne Spizer earned narrower, but still comprehensive, 26-12 and 19-10 wins, respectively.
Up north, Rochester started its season off on the right foot after a narrow 14-60 to 2-56 over Deniliquin.
Rochester won two of the three rinks at Deniliquin Bowls Club, with Brian Trengove earning a 26-13 win and fellow skip Richard Feuk prevailing 22-15.
Deni’s Linda Harris had a big 28-12 win on rink two, but it wasn’t quite enough to lift the home team to their first win of the new campaign.
Mathoura were also winners in the opening round, prevailing 13-63 to 3-50 over Echuca.
Echuca’s Roma Opie and Mathoura’s Christine Taylor could not be split on the first rink, playing out an epic 17-17 draw.
It was another close encounter on rink two, with Kerryn Evans of Echuca prevailing over Peter Holzer by the narrowest of margins, 19-18.
The contest came down to the third and final rink and it was Mathoura which pulled out the decisive victory, with skip Peter Holzer earning a crucial 28-14 win.
The results see the Steamers sit in first place on the ladder with the first official round of play in the books, with Rochester in second and Mathoura third.
The season resumed from round six, with the opening five weeks of play all washed out.
Round seven will be played tomorrow.