Battle fires up greens
Locals out to retain titles grip
GOLD Coast and Tweed bowlers are ready to defend their titles at the Australian Open bowls carnival which begins today.
Chloe Stewart (Tweed Heads) will be chasing a third straight title in the women’s fours when that event begins next week.
This year, Stewart will take a whole new team on to the green.
“One girl couldn’t do it again this year, so instead of replacing her we decided to go our separate ways,” she said.
Her four includes Jessica Srisamruaybai, Lisa Prideaux and Claire Turley.
Confident in her team, Stewart said as long as they played well on the day they had a chance at the title.
“You just never know with bowls, sometimes it’s the luck of the day,” she said.
Stewart said they would be up against high quality competition because the event was the pinnacle for bowlers across Australia.
Broadbeach bowler Julie Keegan, having played in a lead-up pairs tournament this week, is raring to get back on to the green with her partner from last year, Ellen Ryan. “I’m looking forward to playing with her again,” she said.
The pair will be up against stiff competition from the beginning, including Australian Commonwealth Games gold medallists.
“We’ve drawn a really tough section,” she said.
While this will be a challenge for the reigning champions, Keegan said the competition should be good. “The draw wasn’t kind but you’ve got to come up against them some time. I’m really looking forward to it,” she said.
The Australian Open begins today with sectional play in the men’s singles.
The 14-day carnival offers
$250,000 prizemoney across all divisions and will be played at 13 clubs from Paradise Point to Coolangatta.
More than 2000 bowlers will take part.
The respective men’s and women’s singles defending champions are Nathan Pedersen, 23, and Ellen Ryan, 21.