Victoria locks in Bowlers Arm state titles
History was created at the last Bowls Victoria board meeting when the board approved the introduction of state championships for arm bowling from season 2016-17.
Announcing the decision, president John Fisher said: “With over 5,000 arm players, 18 arm events, a coaching strategy that has seen over 600 players helped into arm playing and a state arm side that has won back to back national titles, the board believes it is timely to introduce state titles in both singles and pairs for our arm players.”
“We decided that the commencement would be from season 2016-17 to give the championship committee time to plan for its introduction into the BV calendar of events.
Meanwhile, Queensland will join the national bowlers arm championships next year.
This follows meetings in Queensland of arm players keen to compete at a higher level.
Bowls Victoria director Phil Gude, who is in Queensland to help encourage this development, said: “It is exciting to have Queensland come on board.
“They will be very competitive from what we have seen up here over recent weeks and I am looking forward very much to them participating thereby further widening the competition for arm players.”
The 2016 national bowlers arm championships will be held in Queensland at a venue to be announced at this year’s national titles in September.
This move has resulted from Victoria forgoing its turn to run the titles thereby enabling Queensland to enter the competition on home turf.
Bowls Victoria chief executive Graeme Bridge says: “Much of the credit for Queensland taking this step must go to director Phil Gude who has made the contacts in Queensland over the past three years, brought them together and encouraged them to enter a side which has now been achieved.”
“This strengthens the national titles and gives arm bowlers across the nation an opportunity to play at a higher level.”
“We believe there are around 9,000 arm players across Australia.
“This is an important part of lawn bowling … and one that keeps people playing in many cases long after they would have had to retire from sport.”
