Masters Singles – 19th & 20th November 2016
Top bowlers from four different disability bowls groups played in the elite 16-person event. The groups represented were BWBA (for wheelchair bowlers), CPSport (for bowlers with cerebral palsy, strokes and head injury), VIBE (visually impaired) and EALABA (for amputee’s and other disabilities). Each disability group nominates 4 top bowlers, they are then drawn into 4 pools consisting of one bowler from each disability group. They play a round robin in their pool, the winners of each pool determine the semi-finalists.
The previous year’s champion has automatic selection for the following year, in order that they may defend their title, this year it was Bob Love.
Representing
BWBA were; Simon Wright, George Ridgeon and Steve Bigg
EALABA Bowlers; John Rogers, Neil Smith, Chris Gray and Mike Robertson.
VIBE Bowlers; Ron Homer, Sarah Marshall, Liz Ward and Gareth Harwood.
CP Sport Bowlers; Alastair Domville, Steve Angus, Kieran Rollings and Jonathan Stokes.
The pool play this year produced clear winners, Simon Wright, George Ridgeon, Chris Gray and Bob Love.
The semi-finals saw Bob Love, (Birmingham) take on Simon Wright (Hornsea) in a very well contested game, Bob being the eventual winner, 17 shots to 11.
The other semi-finalists, George Ridgeon (Gloucs) and Chris Gray (Kettering) had a real tussle with George going 8 shots up in four ends. Chris then picked up 10 shots in the next 6 ends, George had a better short spell but then Chris won the last four ends. The eventual score finishing 19 – 13 to Chris, a real ‘see saw’ of a game.
Congratulations to all of the players for a wonderful display of bowling over the whole weekend.
This year the trophies were presented by Paul Brown, DBE Chairman.
A ‘big thank you’ to the Gedling IBC members who helped over the weekend, they were, as always, brilliant!
Margaret Smith, DBE Sec and tournament organiser.