Bowls: Wayward Devoy opens new season

Dame Susan Devoy officially opens the season at Rotorua East Bowling Club. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

New Zealand sports fans should be glad Dame Susan Devoy had a natural talent for squash.

The four-time world champion officially opened the bowls season at Rotorua East Bowling Club with a bowl that went off at such a wide angle it stopped in the neighbouring rink.

Dame Susan was the guest of honour at the Warwick Drive club on Sunday as her brother Brendon Devoy was a member until his death last year. She told the assembled members her parents had also been keen bowls players over the years.

"I think they enjoyed the after match function a bit more than the bowling," she said.

"It's great that people are active and enjoying sport, bowls is a great way to remain active."

The bowls club is in its 21st year. Club president Harold Hunt said it was getting harder to attract new members but they hoped this year they could draw more younger members in.

Also at the opening were representatives from Rotorua's other bowls clubs and Rotorua MP Todd McClay, who has two sons who play in the summer.