Sport
28 March, 2024
Centenary feast of bowling on big tournament menu
WEDDERBURN Bowls Club celebrated its 100th Easter tournament this weekend, with a three-day gathering that has attracted bowlers from all over Victoria. Club president Lance Standfield said there would be as many as 88 entrants in the Gold Letter...
WEDDERBURN Bowls Club celebrated its 100th Easter tournament this weekend, with a three-day gathering that has attracted bowlers from all over Victoria.
Club president Lance Standfield said there would be as many as 88 entrants in the Gold Letter fours event on Saturday, with some local members having to step aside to allow the visitors to play.
“We’ve got players coming from as far afield as Melbourne, Lara, Irymple and Mildura,” he said.
The club will have 11 rinks operating, with an expected 44 players in the pairs event today – with six bowlers on the waiting list – and 66 in the triples on Friday, before Saturday’s huge turnout.
The centenary will be celebrated with an afternoon tea on Saturday following play, with many visitors attending to commemorate historic family connections with the club.
Despite the feast of player entries, Standfield lamented that the diminishing number of volunteers made staging the annual event ever more difficult.
“It used to be a seven-day tournament from Wednesday to Tuesday, but now we have only eight lady members as volunteers. Our volunteer numbers are shrinking all the time. We need more from outside,” Standfield said.
Those eight members have organised the catering and will serve on the three days as well as donating much of the food themselves.
“If we didn’t have them, we wouldn’t be able to hold the tournament,” Standfield said.
Play begins at noon today and at 9.30am on Friday and Saturday.
Wedderburn teams have also had success at a local level this season, with the mid-week team winning its grand final and looking forward to regional championships in Warracknabeal on Sunday.
The division one team also triumphed in its grand final and will compete in regional titles at Stawell on Wednesday.