THE countdown is on for two international representatives to achieve bowls immortality in Australia over the next few weeks when the sport crowns this year’s men’s and women’s world singles champions.
In 10 days a stellar field of fifty-four contenders hailing from thirty-two countries will set their sights on the ultimate honour at Sydney’s palatial St Johns Park Bowls Club in the 16th World Singles Champion of Champions.
Commencing on October 29 for seven days of competition, the event features twenty-eight men and twenty-six women in action on the pristine greens at St Johns Park.
Qualifying rounds will be conducted continuously over the first five days, with semi finals on Saturday 3 November, followed by the men’s and women’s world finals on Sunday 4 November.
This annual championship, first conducted in Australia at Moama in 2003, offers the ultimate ‘rags to riches’ fairytale story – fact is, any club singles winner, anywhere in the world, can progress through at regional, state and national level to win a shot at a world title – a place in this competition is won out on the green without the necessity to curry favour with national selectors.
This year’s field will no doubt comprise several players who fall under the ‘previously unheralded’ category, while it also carries a spate of the sport’s heavy hitters.
Hot favourite in the women’s division is Jo Edwards from New Zealand, who won this title in 2011 in Hong Kong. More recently Edwards has won the past two Commonwealth Games singles gold medals. Similarly, fellow New Zealander Shannon McIlroy, the reigning world bowls singles champion, will be the man to beat in the men’s event.
However, there is plenty of talent in both line-ups to spoil the possibility of a ‘black wash’ by the aforementioned Kiwi stars
Keep an eye out for Ireland’s Mark Wilson, American Charlie Herbert, Guernsey’s Todd Priaulx and South African champion Wayne Rittmuller in the men’s, while Norfolk Island’s dual world singles gold medalist Carmen Anderson, Kirsty Richards from England, America’s top lady Anne Nunes and Judith Wason from Wales will push hard for women’s honours.
A special heads-up to follow the fortunes of rising Malaysian star Nurul Alyani Jamil, who claimed under-25 singles and mixed pairs gold at the Asian championships in China at Xinxiang last week. Another to watch will be Wattana Kadkhunthod from Thailand who clinched the open men’s singles title at the same event.
Host nation Australia will be represented by competitors from two of its smallest bowling communities. Darwin’s Colleen Orr creates history in the women’s event – being the first Northern Territorian to challenge for a world title – while Lee Schraner from Tasmania will start as one of the warm favourites in the men’s competition.
The recently announced sections for this year’s championships are:
Men: Section 1: Ralph Goodlife (Argentina), Jerome Kirby (Canada), Surend Prasad (Fiji), Todd Priaulx (Guernsey), Tony Cheung (Hong Kong China), Mark Wilson (Ireland), Clive McGreal (Isle of Man), Noam Yehudai (Israel), Hank Satoh (Japan), Will Esterhuizen (Namibia), Shannon McIlroy (New Zealand), Wattana Kadkhunthod (Thailand), Ozkan Akar (Turkey), Kevin Riddiford (Zambia).
Men: Section 2: Aaron Chilundo (Zimbabwe), Teddy Evans (Norfolk Island), Charlie Herbert (USA), Roger Jones (Wales), Su Hong Lam (Macao China), Joseph Nthobelang (Botswana), Zoltan Pavelka (Hungary), Zulhilmie Redzuan (Malaysia), Martyn Rice (Scotland), Wayne Rittmuller (Sth Africa), Brian Robertson (Spain), Avala Savanlinaea (Samoa), Lee Schraner (Australia), Thomas Schneiter (Switzerland).
Women: Section 1: Alicia Olaverria (Argentina), Colleen Orr (Australia), Deliwe Kitsiso (Botswana), Mary Wright (Canada), Kirsty Richards (England), Shirley Ko (Hong Kong China), Jean Holmes (Jersey), Jo Edwards MNZM (New Zealand), Dee Hoggan (Scotland), Tammy Tham (Singapore), Leone Du Rand (South Africa), Rahsan Akar (Turkey), Ursula Gripper (Zimbabwe).
Women: Section 2: Carmen Anderson OAM (Norfolk Island), Hazel Bagshaw (Cyprus), Sue Bryant (Thailand), Hilda Fong (Macao China), Ruthy Gilor (Israel), Nurul Alyani Jamil (Malaysia), Caroline Lehmann (Switzerland), Anne Nunes (USA), Janice Pilling (Isle of Man), Litia Tikoisuva (Fiji), Marietjie van den Bergh (Namibia), Judith Wason (Wales), Alicia Weir (Ireland).

Can't attend the North American Challenge in Laguna Woods, California, October 11-13?
You can follow the action by seeing end-by-end results on this web page.

   2018 Grant Program
For the third year in a row, Bowls USA has participated in “loyalty programs” and “incentives” for 100% Bowls USA clubs. The Grant Program has been the appropriate way to “give back” to those clubs that support Bowls USA. A committee, consisting of Alice Birkinshaw, BowlsUSA Treasurer; Ginger Harris, Councilor (PIMD); and Glorianne Mather, Councilor (CED), administered the program for 2018.  We are pleased to report that 22 clubs from 6 divisions expressed interest and will be receiving funding in 2018. Grant funds may be used for projects that are intended to attract new members or to improve the playing experience of the club. We also specified that funds could not be used for food and/or refreshments. The total amount of grant funds available for 2018 is $10,000.  Twenty-two clubs requested grants totaling $26,000. 

Grant Recipients 2018 
PIMD- 6 clubs
Oakland-$500  Contract with an outside agency to do the deep tining aeration of one of 3 greens with help from club volunteers
Berkeley-$400  Replace lawn tools and 8 new rakes
Palo Alto-$400  Lights for night bowling Sunnyvale-$300  Scoreboards and used bowls 
San Jose-$400  Bowls for lessons and new bowlers and Promotional materials
San Francisco-$500 42 foot mats and 7 scoreboards 
 
Southwest-6 clubs
Long Beach-$400 Promotions and Recruitment
Santa Barbara-$300 Promotions, small business cards and website
Oxnard Joslyn-400 Purchase smaller bowls and rink markers
Oaks North-$800 Make area around greens safer and less congested
Santa Monice-$400 Recruitment and retention
San Diego-$500  Laser Leveling of North Green to eliminate uneven playing surface 
 
South East-5 clubs
Clearwater-$400 Replace equipment and recruitment
Asheville-$800  Complete work on new green
Mt. Dora-$400  Repair rink irrigation system
Lakeland-$300  Clean playing carpet
Sun City-$400  Prep for US Championships 
 

 North East-2 clubs
Frick Park-$300 Umbrellas for shade and place to store them
Sunrise-$300  Purchase new training bowls 
 
Central-1club
Milwaukee-$800 Replace rotted wooden banks to meet modern standards 
 
Northwest-2 clubs
Portland-$500  Equipment for indoor rinks to continue youth lessons
Jefferson Park-$500 Support outreach with new and updated Web Page, replace mats   

BowlsUSA is stronger because of the support of all of its members, and we hope that these funds will help 100% clubs share our sport with their communities.   

DATES: July 6-14, 2018
LOCATION: Cardiff, Wales

Women's Team:
Debbie Tupper (NWD)
Pam Edwards (NWD)
Alice Birkenshaw (SCD)
Cheryl Barkovich (SWD)
Betsy Lauryssen (SWD)

Men's Team:
Bob Birkinshaw (SCD)
Ron Rollick (SCD)
Jim Filipiak (SCD)
Corey Vose (SWD)

Follow their progress at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/3/d/e/2PACX-1vTQIvVIWaSF5xIuyQKm64Cis-Z2sWwsiv1BzX4GKRF-nPaiOIhz5_9JrFyiuyqwl5Nk-7C_Mqw7PgAP/pubhtml#

What a great video filmed and produced by Julio Alcala of the Oxnard Joslyn Club in Wilson Park in California. Worth sharing.