Rotorua to host National Indoor Bowls Championships

The defending champions in both the Open Singles and Masters Singles have entered to defend their titles in the 70th Summerset National Indoor Bowls Championships which will be held in the Rotorua Energy Events Centre from June 8 to 15.

Gary Low, of Southland, and Mark Sheard, of Ashburton, will be joined by a host of other returning special prize winners.

Also entered are Waikato's Teri Anderson, who won the Truth Cup for the woman who progresses the farthest, North Taranaki's Alister Wilson, the Kath and Sen Smith Trophy for the player over 65 who goes the farthest and Jakeb White, of Counties, who won the Cliff Thompson Trophy for the best junior although he is out of the junior ranks this year.

In the pairs the defending Open champions, husband and wife combination Shelley and Mark Jacombs from Hutt Valley, are entered while the defending champion Masters skip Lyn Brittain, of Northland, has entered but with a new lead in Kia Ward who replaces Lyn's husband, Graham.

In the triples the defending Open champions Simon Thomas, Michael Lawson and Daniel French, of Ashburton, are defending their title. In the Masters event, Mark Sheard (skip), of Ashburton, has a new combination this year with Cecil Tubb and Chris Guy. Guy who is from the Bay of Plenty won the inaugural Masters Triples with Stewart and Jean Stratford from Southland in 2015.

The defending Fours Open champion team from Tauranga skipped by Mat Blacks captain Grant L'Ami with Mike and Lorraine Phipps has one change with Paul Midgley replacing Paul Smith as the three. They head the field while last year's Masters Fours champions, from Northland, Ton Kaan and Bryan and Bev Sobey have still to announce their fourth player.

Entries are up on last year in Ashburton. In the Open events there are 300 singles, 180 pairs, 120 triples and 100 fours. The Masters events have attracted 185 singles, 125 pairs, 65 triples and 45 fours.

Meanwhile, the 41st South Island Championships are being held this weekend at the Canterbury Indoor Bowls Hall and has attracted 80 pairs, 40 Fours and 50 Triples.

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