Countdown to the 2018 World Champion of Champions
The countdown is on for two international representatives to achieve bowls immortality in Australia when the sport crowns this year’s Men’s and Women’s World Singles Champion of Champions.
In 10 days, a stellar field of 54 contenders hailing from 32 countries will set their sights on the ultimate honour at Sydney’s palatial St Johns Park Bowls Club, in the 16th edition of the prized event.
Commencing on Monday, October 29 for seven days of competition, the event features 28 men and 26 women in action on the pristine greens at St Johns Park.
Qualifying rounds will be conducted continuously over the first five days, with semi finals on Saturday, November 3, followed by the Men’s and Women’s world finals on Sunday, November 4.
This annual championship, first conducted in Australia at Moama in 2003, offers the ultimate ‘rags to riches’ fairytale story – fact is, any club singles winner, anywhere in the world, can progress through at regional, state and national level to win a shot at a world title – a place in this competition is won out on the green without the necessity to curry favour with national selectors.
This year’s field will no doubt comprise several players who fall under the ‘previously unheralded’ category, while it also carries a spate of the sport’s heavy hitters.
The hot favourite in the women’s division is Jo Edwards from New Zealand, who won this title in 2011 in Hong Kong.
More recently Edwards has won the past two Commonwealth Games singles gold medals.
Similarly, fellow New Zealander Shannon McIlroy, the reigning world bowls singles champion, will be the man to beat in the men’s event.
However, there is plenty of talent in both line-ups to spoil the possibility of a ‘black wash’ by the aforementioned Kiwi stars
Keep an eye out for Ireland’s Mark Wilson, American Charlie Herbert, Guernsey’s Todd Priaulx and South African champion Wayne Rittmuller in the men’s, while Norfolk Island’s dual world singles gold medalist Carmen Anderson, Kirsty Richards from England, America’s top lady Anne Nunes and Judith Wason from Wales will push hard for women’s honours.
A special heads-up to follow the fortunes of rising Malaysian star Nurul Alyani Jamil, who claimed under-25 singles and mixed pairs gold at the Asian championships in China at Xinxiang last week.
The host nation Australia will be represented by competitors from two of its smallest bowling communities.
Darwin’s Colleen Orr creates history in the women’s event – being the first Northern Territorian to challenge for a world title – while Lee Schraner from Tasmania will start as one of the warm favourites in the men’s competition.
The recently announced sections for this year’s championships are:
Men
Section 1 – Ralph Goodlife (Argentina), Jerome Kirby (Canada), Surend Prasad (Fiji), Todd Priaulx (Guernsey), Tony Cheung (Hong Kong China), Mark Wilson (Ireland), Clive McGreal (Isle of Man), Noam Yehudai (Israel), Hank Satoh (Japan), Will Esterhuizen (Namibia), Shannon McIlroy (New Zealand), Wattana Kadkhunthod (Thailand), Ozkan Akar (Turkey)
Section 2 – Aaron Chilundo (Zimbabwe), Teddy Evans (Norfolk Island), Charlie Herbert (USA), Roger Jones (Wales), Su Hong Lam (Macao China), Joseph Nthobelang (Botswana), Zoltan Pavelka (Hungary), Zulhilmie Redzuan (Malaysia), Martyn Rice (Scotland), Kevin Riddiford (Zambia), Wayne Rittmuller (Sth Africa), Brian Robertson (Spain), Avala Savanlinaea (Samoa), Lee Schraner (Australia), Thomas Schneiter (Switzerland)
Women
Section 1 – Alicia Olaverria (Argentina), Colleen Orr (Australia), Deliwe Kitsiso (Botswana), Mary Wright (Canada), Kirsty Richards (England), Shirley Ko (Hong Kong China), Jean Holmes (Jersey), Jo Edwards MNZM (New Zealand), Dee Hoggan (Scotland), Tammy Tham (Singapore), Leone Du Rand (South Africa), Rahsan Akar (Turkey)
Section 2 – Carmen Anderson OAM (Norfolk Island), Hazel Bagshaw (Cyprus), Sue Bryant (Thailand), Hilda Fong (Macao China), Ruthy Gilor (Israel), Ursula Gripper (Zimbabwe), Nurul Alyani Jamil (Malaysia), Caroline Lehmann (Switzerland), Anne Nunes (USA), Janice Pilling (Isle of Man), Litia Tikoisuva (Fiji), Marietjie van den Bergh (Namibia), Judith Wason (Wales), Alicia Weir (Ireland)
