Bowls: All eyes turn to deep south

The New Zealand club championship finals have been in progress in Invercargill this week. Whangarei's Dusty Reader and John Jamieson were in second place after day one. The Kensington Women's team begin play in the fours tomorrow and finish on Saturday.

Entries for the Northland Open Junior Pairs for Men and Women close today. Entries have been coming in steadily and section play will be held at the Kamo and Hikurangi greens on April 28, with finals days at Onerahi on April 29. The draw will be sent to all clubs next week.

The final event of the season will be the Regional Interclub 1-5 Year Sixes Tournament at the Hikurangi greens on May 5. Counties/Manukau, Auckland, North Harbour, Northland and Far North centres will be represented.

The centre and club open programme for next season has been distributed to all clubs. Any changes that are requested need to be in the hands of the centre match committee by April 23.

The Bowls Northland Centre awards night and prizegiving will be held at the Kamo Club on May 26. Contact the centre office for tickets. A guest speaker will be on hand.

Don't forget to forward your nominations for awards, including your club nomination for volunteer of the year. The criteria for all awards has been distributed to club secretaries.

Clubs and players are also reminded that they should now be returning centre trophies to the centre office.

The Northland Umpires Association's annual meeting is at the Whangarei club rooms on April 30, from 9.30am.

Classes for the tutoring of prospective umpires will start next month and anyone interested in becoming an umpire should contact the umpires association secretary and register. No fee is charged to sit this examination and you will learn a lot about the game.

The Northland Coaching Association is interested in attracting new coaches. Anyone interested in this side of our sport should ask their club to forward an application on their behalf to the centre secretary as soon as possible.

Tournaments around the clubs:

Bowls Kensington have an "any combination tournament" for 1-10 Year bowlers at their club on Sunday.

Kamo are also holding a men's triples tournament this Sunday, cancelled due to bad weather earlier. One Tree Point have a tournament rescheduled for Monday, Onerahi men's triples are on Tuesday, Kamo mixed triples on Anzac Day, with a 12.30pm start. Kensington mixed triples on April 26, Bowls Whangarei two-day men's fours on April 28-29.

Plenty to get your teeth into yet.