Bowlers prepare for European Championships with sportscotland funding
Tuesday 6 February 2007
Scotland’s men and women bowlers have received a huge boost ahead of this month’s European Championships in Cyprus with sportscotland’s announcement of £55,000 investment in the sport.
This investment of £30,000 to the Scottish Women’s Bowling Association, of which £25,000 is Lottery funding, and £25,000 of Lottery funding to the Scottish Bowling Association, will assist with the elite bowlers’ preparation for the upcoming European Championships in Paphos, Cyprus and the Atlantic Rim Games being hosted at Northfield Bowling Complex in Ayr.
The sport now aims to build on the success of last year’s Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, where Scotland won a gold in the men’s pairs and a silver in the women’s pairs and on a record breaking fourth World title achieved by Alex Marshall, MBE.
Scotland have selected a strong 17 member men’s squad for this month European Championships which includes singles specialist Darren Burnett from Arbroath. Darren holds the 2005 Scottish Singles title and recently won the Champion of Champions event in New Zealand last December.
The women’s team consists of 12 players and will be hoping to continue their successes from the 2005 Atlantic Rim Games where Kay Moran won gold in the singles, Margaret Letham and Seona Black secured silver in the fours, and Margaret earned another silver in the pairs. The women’s team also won overall team gold in the Games.
Scottish Bowling Association President James Stewart said: “Bowling is an amateur sport and the bowlers in the elite squad have to give up a lot of their time and holidays to compete at the highest level. We are grateful for this funding which enables our players to train and play in world-class competitions. Scotland are the current World Bowls Champions and this funding will ensure that we have a good chance of retaining the title again in 2008 and build up to another successful medal opportunity in the Commonwealth Games in 2010.”
Anna Marshall, Company Secretary of the Scottish Women’s Bowling Association said: “The Scottish Women’s Bowling Association (SWBA) welcomes the decision by sportscotland to award funding of £30,000 to assist in the preparation of the elite bowlers for the Atlantic Championships and World Bowls in Christchurch.
“It will be a very challenging and exciting year for the SWBA as it will be the first time that both men and women will have taken part in the Atlantic Championships being held at Northfield Bowling Complex in Ayr.”
Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair of sportscotland said: “We are delighted to provide this funding to men’s and women’s bowls to assist with their preparations for forthcoming major competitions.
“Scotland has a proven track record of success in bowls, both at home and internationally, it is therefore essential that we support our bowlers with the best possible preparation to ensure continued success at the highest level.”
- In July last year the Scottish Bowling Association (SBA) announced the launch of their new Strategic Plan (2006-2010) which will drive forward the development of bowling in Scotland. The SBA recognised the need for change to both attract new individuals to the sport and to secure the future of the Association. The Strategic Plan also signified a real change for the sport, with the Bowls council of 32 having agreed to scale down to a board of nine directors. This change in governance was an integral part of the Plan.
- European Championships, 24 February to 3 March 2007, in Paphos, Cyprus
Atlantic Rim Games, 13-22 July 2007, Northfield Bowling Complex in Ayr.