Suzi Cooper casts an eye over her tournament favourites
The 2024 Valencian Championships begin on 11th September. Games will be hosted by Bonalba, Greenlands, Quesada & San Miguel Bowls Clubs.
The competition starts with the Mixed Rinks Competition, the heats of which will be played exclusively at Bonalba Bowls Club. Lots of good teams entered and with the absence of last year’s champions from Country Bowls the disipline will see new champions with the irst round tie between the rinks of Graham Richardson & Pete Bonsor looking a good match to watch.
In the Mixed Triples my teams to follow are – the title holders from Greenlands, Peta Rhodes, Lisa Bonsor & Pete Bonsor, who get a bye through the preliminaries into round one, along with Gail Willshire, Mike Douglas & Fred Willshire, Sue Bosworth, Andy Miles & Dave Morrison, Mel Ward, Violet Campbell & Pete Morgan.
The Mixed Pairs has lots of established pairings but also quite a few new partnerships. With the absence of the holders, the husband and wife pairing of Russell and Sabrina Marks, it will be interesting to see how the matches progress as the tournament goes on.
For the Mens Pairs. Last years winners Dave Morrison & Pete Bonsor will play against Stuart Hemmings & Steve Cantley in the first round while last years losing finalists Mel Ward & Pete Morgan take on fellow Quesada bowlers Terry Morgan & Allen Bowen.
The Ladies pairs also has some good pairings. Peta Rhodes & Lisa Bonsor will take on fellow Greenlands bowlers Debby Perryman & Janet Jukes in the first round. Sabrina Marks & Mary Dyer will play Maggie Tobin & Maria Isaac. Gail Willshire & Lynn Greenland play Eve Bell & Belinda Archer while the holders, Sue Elvin and Jackie Fenty of the Emerald Isle, get their title defence off with a match against the Greenlnds pairing of Val Duchart and Lin Hammersley.
Only 16 Ladies contesting the singles but some past winners in there with Maggie Furness, Jane Hamill, Lisa Bonsor & Peta Rhodes, with Champion Peta opening up with a tie against her club collegue, Janet Jukes.
With 56 Men participating in the Singles, won last year by Pete Bonsor, the Men in the prelim round will need to win 6 games to become Champion. This is perhaps the most open singles we have seen in recent years with any one of a dozen or more in with a shout for the title. The preliminary rounds get underway at San Miguel and Greenlands next Saturday morning.
Further information on these in my next report.
