Some of the biggest names in bowls in New Zealand has been confirmed in the North (Te Ika-M-āui) and South (Te Waipounamu) Island teams for the new inter-island challenge in September.

The North v South Challenge will be contested at the Hopes Dunedin Indoor Stadium, 3-5 September in a Ryder Cup type format with 18 players announced including some of the legends of the game.

Both teams have a mix of experience and youth and are dominated by national and overseas medal winners. Jo Edwards and Val Smith are included in the South team up against rivals such as Selina Smith (nee Goddard) from the North who is 26-years-old and has already won a Commonwealth Games medal.

Seamus Curtin from Wellington is just 21-years-old but has the experienced Michael Galloway from Auckland in his team as well as Chris Le Lievre who is bowling out of Queensland at the present.

One of the female team members for the North is Debbie White from Hamilton who can’t wait for the tournament to start.

“I am absolutely super excited. It’s such an exciting event to be named in a team for.. I think the whole team thing is going to be epic. Dunedin is a happy hunting ground for me, Bev (Corbett) and I actually won a pairs title there. It’s going to be interesting over the winter, we’re in our off season now.” But will the North take out the title? “Dam straight. Of course we are, absolutely, go the North,” said White.

The South men contain big names such as Ali Forsyth, Gary Lawson, Shannon McIlroy and Mike Kernaghan who have won almost too many medals at national and international level to mention. There are five bowlers in total from Nelson in the South team while Gore is represented by the flamboyant Sheldon Bagrie-Howley who has made his mark in the Bowls3five competition over the past couple of years.

South para bowler, Bruce Wakefield from Christchurch is adamant his team will win and loves the new format.

“It’s absolutely brilliant to be named in the South Island team. There’s nothing like north v south rivalry. I’m a big fan of golf and the Ryder Cup format has a sudden death-ness of it every game is crucial, a brilliant concept. I’ve played there before a few years ago, but it’s changed a bit since then. As long as it’s consistent and you can play your shots on it. It doesn’t really matter what the surface is, you can adapt to it.”

Teams have eight male and eight female competitors as well as two para bowlers (male and female) for each team.

Day one of the event will feature two men’s and two women’s fours. Day two is nine mixed pairs (including mixed para pairs) and the final day is a huge 18 singles (including para bowlers v para bowlers).

In the past there have been North v South events but not in this new format and not always on a regular basis.

Teams listed below with region followed by club.

North: Men: Seamus Curtin (Wellington – Stokes Valley ), Dan Dickison (Bay of Plenty - Tauranga), Michael Galloway (Auckland – Royal Oak), Jamie Hill (Auckland – Mt Albert), Chris Le Lievre (Auckland – Carlton Cornwall, also Queensland – Musgrave), Ray Martin (Wellington - Victoria), Finbar McGuigan (Wellington – Stokes Valley), Rory Soden (Auckland, Carlton Cornwall), Para bowler – Graham Skellern (Auckland – Takapuna) Women: Clare Hendra (Wellington – Silverstream), Ashleigh Jeffcoat (Auckland – Carlton Cornwall), Leeane Poulson (Counties – Papakura), Lisa Prideaux (Auckland- Carlton Cornwall), Dale Rayner (Wellington – Johnsonville), Selina Smith (Auckland – Takapuna), Nicole Toomey (Wellington – Victoria), Debbie White (Waikato  - Hinuera), Para bowler – Linda Bennett (Waikato - Te Awamutu).

Non-playing captain – Sharon Sims (Manawatu - Takaro)

South: Sheldon Bagrie-Howley (Southland - Gore), Keanu Darby (Dunedin – North East Valley), Ali Forsyth (Nelson – Nelson Bowling Club, also Australia – Melbourne), Mike Kernaghan (Dunedin – North East Valley), Andrew Kelly (Canterbury - Canterbury 2017), Gary Lawson (Canterbury – Elmwood Park),  Shannon McIlroy (Nelson – Stoke), Lance Pascoe (Canterbury- Elmwood Park), Para bowler – Bruce Wakefield (Canterbury – Burnside). Women: Mandy Boyd (Canterbury – Elmwood Park), Tayla Bruce (Canterbury – Burnside), Kirsten Edwards (Nelson – Stoke), Jo Edwards (Nelson – United), Katelyn Inch (Canterbury – Oxford, also Sunshine Coast, Australia), Sarah Scott (Dunedin – North East Valley), Val Smith (Nelson – United), Bronwyn Stevens (Invercargill – Te Rangi), Para bowler – Pam Walker (Queenstown – Omakau).

Non-playing captain – Maurice Symes (Malborough - Blenheim).

A new initiative for bowls in New Zealand has been confirmed with the sport adding a fresh level of inter-island competition with the ‘first’ North (Te Ika-A-Maui) v South (Te Waipounamu) contest set for later this year.

The North v South Challenge will bring together the best bowlers from the North Island against those from the South Island at the Dunedin Indoor Stadium, 3-5 September in a Ryder Cup type format with 18 players each side to be announced.

Teams will be confirmed by the Bowls NZ National Selection panel including two para bowlers (male and female) for each team. There will be a mix of current high performance squad players featuring experience as well as unknown quality.

Day one of the event will feature two men’s and two women’s fours. Day two is nine mixed pairs (including mixed para pairs) and the final day is a huge 18 singles (including para bowlers v para bowlers).

South non-playing captain, Maurice Symes can’t wait for the North v South Challenger to get underway.

“It’s going to be a great event. I was quite excited when they asked me to be involved. The hard part as the non-playing captain will be getting the combinations right, particularly as the singles can turn the competition on its head,” said former Commonwealth Games medallist Symes who resides in Blenheim.

“Dunedin Stadium isn’t the easiest with judging distances, It can be quite demanding on the bowlers. I think the South Island can win and will win, but it’s going to be great competition.”

From the North Island, the non-playing captain, Sharon Sims is also looking forward to something a little different in the sport and creating a legacy as well as extra competition around the country between bowlers.

“It’s exciting to be involved in something that’s new like this. Anything that gets all of the best players together is great.”

“On paper the south may look stronger with the players they have at the moment, but you don’t play on paper, form doesn’t always mean a lot. It’s a new challenge for all of us.”

Bowls NZ High Performance Manager, Kaushik Patel is looking forward to the new concept and how it will put pressure on the competitors in a different environment as they look forward to further recognition and national selection, especially with Commonwealth Games 2022 selection only eight months away.

“The North v South Challenge will add a huge amount to everyone taking part. It will be interesting to see how the players respond to the pressure, plus seeing the inter-island rivalry come to the fore. There is already a bit of talk around the country about which island has the best bowlers currently, this event could settle things.”

In the past there have been North v South events but not in this new format and not always on a regular basis.

Bowls New Zealand today announced the six club teams to compete in the inaugural televised league of the new fast format, Bowls3Five, coming this October on SKY Sport.

Teams from Gore, Christchurch, Nelson, Wellington and Auckland will compete in the new ‘short format’ bowls league, every Tuesday and Wednesday on SKY Sport for six weeks. 

In June 2018, Bowls New Zealand called for expressions of interest from clubs from around the country, with the following clubs being selected for the inaugural league:

Point Chevalier Bowling Club (Auckland),

Stokes Valley Bowling Club (Wellington),

Woodend Bowling Club(Canterbury),

Stoke Bowling Club (Nelson),

Royal Oak Bowls (Auckland),

Gore Bowling Club (Southland).

Games will last no more than 55 minutes, with teams comprising three players (minimum one male or female) who each play two bowls per end.  The game is made up of two five-end sets.  In the event the sets are tied, a one end tie-breaker will be the decider. 

Bowls3Five will see six club teams from throughout New Zealand selected to compete in a ‘live to air’ competition on SKY Sport every Tuesday and Wednesday 7pm-10pm.   For six weeks from October 23 - November 28, the competition will promote New Zealanders playing bowls for the challenge, the entertainment and that taste of victory.

“Bowls3Five is an important evolution for the sport of lawn bowls, by combining the short fast format of a competition like T20 cricket with the ‘made for TV’ entertainment of a sports league like Professional Darts,” said CEO of Bowls New Zealand, Mark Cameron.

The inaugural Bowls3Five round robin competition will be played at the new covered facility at the New Lynn Bowling Club in Auckland. Teams play each other twice in the first five weeks of competition, with the sixth and final week scheduled for the post-section and Finals action.

Bowls New Zealand CEO, Mark Cameron, is encouraged with the attention this new format has gained from the bowls community.

“Our sport needs a televised competition and it needs to be equal parts sport and entertainment” says Cameron, “understanding that the traditional game of bowls does not appeal to all New Zealanders. This televised league is a big ask of our clubs, especially the travelling clubs.  

The commitment is a huge indication that they are excited for a new format to play and the opportunity this provides to put their club and their community on the map.” Cameron added “we are indebted to SKY Sport for the support of this new bowls initiative and the positive feedback from the bowls community.”

Over the coming weeks Bowls New Zealand will be announcing the members of each club team, and you can expect to come across a current world bowls champion, an ex All Black coach, a head boy, young and old bowlers, male and female bowlers.

Bowls3Five  - At a Glance

What: Bowls3Five Televised League

When: October 23 - November 28 (Tuesday, Wednesday - 7pm-10pm -LIVE on SKY Sport)

Where: New Lynn Bowling Club, Auckland

Who: SIX club teams from throughout New Zealand

Get ready, Bowls3Five is coming to SKY Sport - and with a short fast format, it’s going to challenge the perception of lawn bowls and arguably become the most innovative change to the sport yet.

Bowls New Zealand are primed and ready to launch the fast format of lawn bowls this coming summer.

Bowls3Five aims to showcase the diversity and personality of the sport of lawn bowls by featuring the best ‘club bowlers’ in a high-profile televised sports league.

Bowls3Five will see six club teams from throughout New Zealand selected to compete in a live to air competition on SKY Sport every Tuesday and Wednesday 7pm-10pm.  

For six weeks from October 23 - November 28, the competition will promote New Zealanders playing sport for the challenge, the entertainment and that taste of victory.

Games will last no more than 55 minutes, with teams comprising three players (minimum one male or female) who each play two bowls per end.  The game is made up of two five-end sets.  In the event the sets are tied, a one end tie-breaker will be the decider.

Adding to the thrill of the short format of the game, a Power Play will be available to each side once per game with double points for the nominated Power Play end. Astute followers of the format know this is where games can be won or lost depending on the strategy deployed.  A 30-second shot clock keeps the action fast paced as it applies pressure to every delivery.

Bowls New Zealand is currently calling for expressions of interest from clubs from around the country.  This is the opportunity to showcase our community bowling clubs to New Zealand.   The Bowls3Five competition will acknowledge lawn bowls as one of New Zealand’s all-inclusive sports, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, ability! There’s an opportunity for all to have a go.

“Bowls3Five is an important evolution for the sport of lawn bowls, by combining the short fast format of a competition like T20 cricket with the ‘made for TV’ entertainment of a sports league like Professional Darts,” said CEO of Bowls New Zealand, Mark Cameron.

The inaugural Bowls3Five round robin competition will be played at the new covered facility at the New Lynn Bowling Club in Auckland.

Teams play each other twice in the first five weeks of competition, with the sixth and final week scheduled for the post-section and Finals action.

The New Zealand Blackjacks are looking strong to repeat their 2015 victory as they prepare for the A$100,000 at Bowls Premier League starting tomorrow in Brisbane..

The BPL features seven teams from Australia alongside the Blackjacks competing at Brisbane’s Club Pine Rivers from November 14 to 17 under roofed greens.

The Kiwi team comprises of Ali Forsyth, world singles champion Shannon McIlroy and international stalwart Joe Edwards with New Zealand national coach Sharon Sims calling the shots

The made-for-TV quick-fire format features the majority of Australia and New Zealand’s best along with Scottish star, Alex Marshall who is playing for Brisbane, which is also coached by Kiwi Dave Edwards.

The eight teams are the NZ Blackjacks, Perth Suns, Sydney Lions, Melbourne Roys, Helensville Gold Coast Hawks, Moreton Bay Brisbane Pirates, Moama Bowling Club and the Illawarra Gorillas

The sixth edition of the Bowls Premier League has teams containing three players plus a non-playing coach. Two players from each Team shall be nominated to compete in the game (lead/skip), the third player will be the substitute for that team.

There are three bowls per player for each end. Each game will be played over two sets with each set consisting of five ends. A new addition to BPL06 will see the tie-breaks turn into a 2-bowl triples shoot-out, with all players taking part.

New Zealand’s Dean Elgar has fallen just short in the final of the Word Singles Champion of Champions at St Johns Bowling Club in Sydney on Sunday

Elgar from New Plymouth was beaten by Aussie prodigy Aaron Teys 1-12 4-8. The 22-year-old never giving Elgar’s a chance in the game to settle. Teys allowed Elgar only one scoring end in the first set and three in the second.

Elgar had won six straight games in section play earlier in the tournament but after a win and a loss on Thursday he then required three from three on Friday to make the top three in his pool. Achieving that feat he then beat Ireland’s Barry Kane and Scotland’s Derek Oliver to make the final before Teys showed his form in the final.

Elgar won the New Zealand singles championships in January 2017.

Malaysian superstar Emma Firyana Saroji’s quest to become the championship’s first dual winner came up short at the hands of reigning world pairs champion Laura Daniels from Wales. New Zealand’s Selina Goddard made the semifinals of the women’s singles the previous day before being beaten by Daniels.

New Plymouth bowler Dean Elgar is continuing his great form of late with a top performance to make the final of the 2017 World Singles Champion of Champions Bowls tournament at St Johns Park, Sydney, Australia.

A couple of weeks ago he won his 11th Taranaki singles title, while earlier in the year he took away the New Zealand national singles title.

In Sydney Elgar, accounted for Scotland’s Derek Oliver 10-5 10-7 in the semi-final to set himself up for the title clash against Australian Aaron Teys on Sunday afternoon.

Teys from New South Wales is something of an Australian prodigy having won a national singles title at age 21, two years ago and being a target for a Commonwealth Games medal next year.

Meanwhile fellow Kiwi Selina Goddard, 23 from Carlton Cornwell Club in Auckland and Broadbeach Club in Queensland who won her second New Zealand national title in January reached the semis of the women's singles Champions tournament but fell to Laura Daniels of Wales 2-8 2-11.

Daniels will take on Firyana Saroji (Malaysia) for the title.

Christchurch City Councillors have approved a $275,000 support package for a series of international bowls events to be held in Christchurch between 2013 and 2016, culminating in the World Bowls Championships in 2016

The money will support three lead-up tournaments, and the World Bowls Championships – all of which are expected to generate at least $5.6 million for the local economy. More than 340 players from 28 countries will attend the Championship event alone.

Council Recreation and Sports Unit Manager John Filsell says this presented a fantastic opportunity to showcase Canterbury sport and is an important achievement for the city. Hosting high profile events like this  was a strong indicator that we are moving forward following the earthquakes.

“The $275,000 investment represents a small proportion of the $1.6 million cost of staging the events. This is great value for money given the economic return to the city is going to be around $5.6 million.

“A major international event like this will support a visitor industry that, as a result of February’s earthquake, is predicting hard times in the near future. Previous experience shows that participants of the Championships are ‘destination travellers’ in that they will incorporate a travelling holiday in their games participation.”

Bowls NZ won the rights to host the World Championships in Christchurch in 2016, following the huge success of the 2008 tournament, also held in Christchurch.

In the two years following the 2008 event, participation rates in the sport increased by 5.72 per cent, with more than 100,000 kiwis now playing the sport either casually or as club bowlers.

Mr Filsell says the $275,000 funding would come from interest earned from the Capital Endowment Fund, not from rates, and funding will be made across four financial years.

Bowls NZ Chief Executive Kerry Clark says he is thrilled with the support package approved by Christchurch City Council.

“This investment validates the significance of the World Bowls Championships for Christchurch and the excellent planning and leadership undertaken to bring this pinnacle bowls event back to New Zealand.

“We’re committed to playing our part in rebuilding Christchurch and are confident our bowls events will generate a positive economic impact for the Canterbury region.

“As with the 2008 World Bowls Championships, we know that Christchurch will be the perfect host for 2016 and look forward to partnering with Christchurch City Council to ensure this.”

Avid bowlers around the country are once again fighting to take out the title of New Zealand’s Corner to Corner Bowls Champion as the popular Grant’s Corner to Corner Tournament returns for the second year running.

Grant’s Blended Scotch Whisky has joined forces once again with local bowling clubs from across New Zealand to bring a new angle to a traditional light-hearted bowling game.

Grant’s Whisky’s Brand Manager Jesper Poulsen says, “We’re really excited to bring the Grant’s Corner to Corner Tournament back for its second year. The competition proved to be so popular in its inaugural year that we have now seen the number of participating clubs grow from 84 to 151 and the number of regional finals grow from four to six!

“Our mission for the competition is to retain the relaxed spirit of Corner to Corner within the bowling community, whilst also providing a standard format to allow competition between players and clubs at a national level.

“The talent and sportsmanship we have seen in this year’s qualifying rounds has been outstanding and we can’t wait to see the best from each region play it out on the green for a place in the national final and their chance to win $3000 for their club.”

Most Kiwi bowlers will know of ‘corner to corner’ play as an informal game that is often played at the end of the day once official competition has finished. It offers players the opportunity to wind down from more serious play and have some fun.

As opposed to normal bowls games which are played end to end on a bowling green, Corner to Corner is played diagonally across the entire green from one corner to the opposite corner and uses no jack. The objective is to play the bowl as close to the corner of the green as possible.

Over the past three months, each of the 151 participating clubs in the Grant’s Corner to Corner Tournament has held 10 round robin matches to identify a club winner who will represent their club in the regional finals, to be held 18 – 26 March in Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, Bay of Plenty/Waikato and North and South Auckland.

The national finalists from each region will then go head to head Friday 8 April at the national final at Pakuranga Bowling Club in Auckland, where they will compete for the grand prize of $3,000 cash for their club.

A celebrity charity match will also be played before the big national final match where $2,000 will be up for grabs and donated to a nominated charity.

Regional Final Events:

SOUTH AUCKLAND – FRIDAY 18TH MARCH 5.00pm
Hillsboro Bowling Club
Rain date: Saturday 19th March

WELLINGTON – FRIDAY 18TH MARCH 6.00pm
Wilton Bowling Club
Rain date: Saturday 19th March

DUNEDIN – FRIDAY 18TH MARCH 6.00pm
North East Valley Bowling Club
Rain date: Saturday 19th March

NORTH AUCKLAND – FRIDAY 25TH MARCH 6.00pm
Brown’s Bay Bowling Club
Rain date: Sunday 27th March

CHRISTCHURCH – FRIDAY 25TH MARCH 5.00pm
Burnside Bowling Club
Rain date: Sunday 27th March

BAY OF PLENTY/WAIKATO – SATURDAY 26TH MARCH 11.30am
Rewa Bowling Club, Matamata
Rain date: Sunday 27th March

National Final Event:

AUCKLAND – FRIDAY 8TH APRIL 6.00pm
Pakuranga Bowling Club
Rain date: Saturday 9th April, 6.00pm

New Zealander Val Smith, who had a dismal start to her Commonwealth Games campaign, went within one match of winning the gold medal today.


Eventually the Nelson bowler, the current world singles champion, lost in the final to young English bowler Natalie Melmore 7-6, 11-2.


Smith began her time in Delhi with four losses from her first six games and it seemed she was out of semi-final contention.


However, she fought back gamely and put together a six-match winning streak that took her all the way to the final.


Smith won a cliff-hanger against 21-year-old Australian Kelsey Cottrell to reach the final. The New Zealander eventually got there 9-7 4-8 4-3 after a match in which the lead alternated repeatedly.


In the final she played well, but struck Melmore at the very top of her game.


Meanwhile Ali Forsyth, New Zealand’s men’s singles representative, was eliminated by Australian Leif Selby today. Forsyth needed one more victory to make the semi-finals.


Forsyth said he was reasonably happy with how he had gone at the games.


He lost just qualifying one match and finished second in his section.


"I came so close,” said the Australian-based Forsyth. “I dropped only two games. I just happened to lose one at the wrong time."

Ali Forsyth has become the shining light in the New Zealand bowls team in Delhi.


After three days of singles play, the Australia-based Forsyth is unbeaten. He faces a tough game first up tomorrow, against England, and then meets Cook Islands and Jersey.


If he can win two of those matches, he will advance top of his pool and so go straight into the semi-finals, instead of having to go through a play-off.


Forsyth, 30, is in excellent touch and looking assured.


“Ali is a confidence player,” said New Zealand team head coach Dave Edwards. “After five wins on the trot he’s obviously feeling pretty good.”


Forsyth beat Niue 9-4, 9-6 and Brunei 13-2, 11-6 and was seldom stretched today.


The news has not been so good for the New Zealand women’s singles representative, Val Smith. The former world singles and pairs champion lost four of her first six matches to rule herself out of semi-finals contention.


The New Zealand bowls team, despite a promising build-up, has struggled in Delhi, Forsyth excepted.


The men’s pair finished sixth in their section, and the men’s triple fifth in their section.


The women were slightly better. Manu Timoti and Jan Khan in the pair got through section play and then lost their quarter-final to Wales.


The women’s triple finished fourth in their section but missed out on advancing by just one set. They had six wins and two losses.


“We had a fantastic build-up,” said Edwards. “We knew what the pace of the greens would be and we were prepared. But on the day most of our team just haven’t bowled well, and we aren’t sure why.”

Bowlers from around New Zealand will go head to head this weekend for the chance to be named New Zealand’s first ever Corner to Corner bowls champion in the national final happening in Auckland on Saturday 17 April.

Traditionally a light-hearted bowling game played for laughs at the end of the bowling day, Grant’s Blended Scotch Whisky has formalised the competition for the very first time, joining forces with 100 bowling clubs across the country to find New Zealand’s first Grant’s Corner to Corner champion.

Eight national finalists from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin will face off at Auckland’s Pt Chevalier Bowling Club, where they will compete for the grand prize of $5,000 for their club. The national finalists (detailed below) were selected following three months of club heats and regional finals in each centre.

Lion Nathan Marketing Manager Susan Browne says, “The regional finals have been a huge success with the clubs really getting behind players and supporting them. The players have been preserving the relaxed spirit of Corner to Corner, while also bringing a competitive streak to the game as they battle it out for a place in the national final.

“We’ve uncovered some phenomenal talent through the regional finals and now we’re excited to see the best from around New Zealand compete to take home the title and win $5,000 for their club.”

New Zealand celebrities as well as team members for the NZ bowls team will kick off the event in a star-studded curtain raiser Corner to Corner game.

National Final Event:
SATURDAY 17 APRIL, from 1pm (Rain Date: Sunday 18th April, 1pm)
Pt Chevalier Bowling Club,
Auckland

The National Finalists are:


Wellington


Winner

Kerrie Shearer

Waikanae Club



Runner Up

Bruce Miller

Wilton


Christchurch

Winner
Billl Hodge
Parklands Bowling Club

Runner Up
Phil Melville
Tai Tapu Bolwing Club

Dunedin

Winner
Bruce Suszko
Wakari Bowling Club

Runner Up
Laurence Moore
North East Valley

Auckland

Winner
John James
Balmoral Bowling Club

Runner Up
Russell Hocking
Birkenhead Bowling Club