I thought I would give you an update on where our competitors in their Bowls England National Competitions, these include the mixed events, seniors (singles & pairs), family pairs and both Top Club and Club Two Fours.
All of the events are at different stages, and for whatever reason (from Bowls England) have different numbers going to the national finals, as in some events there are 32 going, but in other events only 8. It is good to be consistent!!!
Firstly I will start with the mixed events, and the mixed pairs – Benfield’s Rachel Cartwright & Gosforth’s Chris Yeomans won their area final at Houghton Dairy Lane on Wednesday defeating Silksworth & Durham’s Jaxon McKenna. In the mixed pairs all 32 area / or county winners progress to the national finals. Well done Rachel & Chris.
In the mixed 4’s – St. Georges’s Gary Myerscough has home advantage over Gosforth’s Michael Bennett, and the winners will take on a four from Durham. This winners will progress to the national finals.
In the family pairs – Northumberland winners New Delaval Knights’ father & son duo of Stephen & Aaron Robson played an inter-area final (basically another area winner) and they defeated the Cumbria’s David Hodgson 20 – 18 at Haltwhistle BC last Monday. So they are now in the round of 16 (and still not yet qualified) and they take on Yorkshire’s & Driffield’s Nick Cleveley, with the winners qualifying for the national finals, as only 8 qualify.
In the senior competitions, that is singles & pairs – the singles qualifier is Gosforth’s Mick McGreevy; the pairs is down to the area final where Portland’s Gren Richardson plays Gosforth’s Peter Duffy.
In the Champion of Champions our area winner is St. Georges Phil Harvey, but Phil has not qualified as yet, as again Bowls England lack of consistency, as it is not each county, or even 8 but 16 advance to the national finals this time. Phil now faces the Durham winner Brian Poulter, with the winner progressing to the finals.
In the team or club events, the Top Club has fours clubs left in – and sees Portland playing St. Georges, with the winners having home advantage over Rockcliffe or Gosforth. But in this competition only 8 advance to the finals, so there is another 2 or 3 rounds to go before the national finals stage. In the club two fours Gosforth will take on St. Georges in the area final, but the winners will have an additional two rounds (if successful) before qualifying for the national finals, as like the Top Club only 8 clubs advance.
I will keep you updated on the above where I can and good luck to all our competitors.