Rotorua will play host to some of the best indoor bowls competitors this weekend.
More than 1000 of the country's best bowlers will take to the greens for the 64th Lion Foundation National Indoor Bowls to be held at the Rotorua on Saturday.
It is the eighth time the event has been held in Rotorua, the last time in 1999. It will be held for the first time under one roof in the city, with the Energy Events Centre hosting the championships.
The event begins with singles section play and included in the field are 11 of the successful Mat Blacks who defeated Australia in the biannual transtasman international recently.
They include Rotorua's Gina Owen from the Westbrook Club along with Gary Low, Ashley Diamond, John Zittersteijn, Lois Randall, Grant l'Ami, Maureen Pruden, Linda McCurdy, Grant Rayner, Sheree Holmes and Tauranga's Fiona Wilson.
Also in the field are Paul Psaila, of Auckland, who holds seven national titles, as does l'Ami. Two other gold star holders competing are Rayner and Mike Phipps from Tauranga.
There are five players sitting on four titles who need just one more title to win their gold stars. They are Rod Fleming, Kevin Boothby, Hayden Warnes, Nigel Warnes and John Zittersteijn.
In total there are 635 competing in the singles division. Bay of Plenty's top contenders include Robin Porter, from Lake Taupo Club, who is in the North Island Academy team, as well as Keri Te Tamaki and Derek Owen from the Westbrook Club.
There are 395 entries in the pairs on Sunday with the defending champions, Steve Fisher and Pam Cohen from Auckland, entered.
Bay's strongest chances are with Paul Guest and Maureen Harris, Edgecumbe, Tony Reynolds and Lance Hansen, Ohope, Robin and Jacque Porter, Lake Taupo, Gavin Rennie and Christina Kingi, St Andrews, and Nathan Bryant and Keri Te Tamaki, Westbrook.
Among the 240 triples contesting next Wednesday are last year's champions, Grant l'Ami and Mike and Lorraine Phipps from Tauranga.
Local hopes lie with North Island representative Margurrite Gerrand who combines with Mike Teirney and Wayne Hitchens, Ngongotaha, Scott Mitchell, Brian Macdonald and Roger Andrew, Taupo Cossie, and Derek Owen, Robin Porter and Mike Bryant, Westbrook.
The fours will see 145 combinations take to the mats in the section play next Thursday with the defending champions David Archer, Maureen Pruden, Joy Archer and Candace Archer from Waikato in the field.
Rotorua hopes lie with Westbrook's Kristine East, Shane Taare, Kristina Tucker and Marlie Heretini and Derek Owen, Robin Porter, Mike Bryant and Jacque Porter. Another Westbrook team with star potential includes two former junior singles champions, Teri Anderson and Keri Te Tamaki, with Nathan and Sam Bryant.