Bendigo to witness the sport’s future
Victoria’s Bendigo Bowls Club will catch a glimpse of the sport’s future when it hosts bowls’ rising stars during the Australian Under-18 Championships later in the year.
Bendigo has today been confirmed as the host venue for the next instalment of the national junior event, which boasts teams of five girls and five boys from all states and territories.
The Championships will be played across three days, from October 2 to 4.
Bendigo BC is no stranger to hosting the sport’s marquee national events, having previously accommodated the Australian Sides Championships and Super 6 events in 2013, which saw 192 of the country’s premier players compete in the traditional state-versus-state/territory battle across six days.
Numerous world champions and Commonwealth Games gold medallists have cut their teeth and began their illustrious careers at the Australian Under-18 Championships over the years.
Bowls Australia CEO Neil Dalrymple said the club and region were well placed to stage a successful event.
“Bendigo is a thriving regional centre with a very strong bowls community and there is no doubt that the Bendigo Bowls Club will do a fine job in hosting some of the sport’s brightest young talents,” Dalrymple said.
“The Australian Under-18 Championships is a proven breeding ground for future international stars and we hope for yet another successful event full of colour and fanfare.”
Bendigo BC CEO Peter O’Neil said the club was eagerly anticipating the arrival of the juniors.
“We’ve had a number of successful events here in the path and we’re looking forward to hosting the Under-18s in October,” O’Neil said.
“Our greens are in top condition and we have no doubt they’ll remain that way over the next eight months until competition begins.
“We’re eagerly anticipating the carnival-like atmosphere of the event and hope for a repeat of last year’s outstanding standard of play on the greens.”
Victoria will enter the event as the reigning Overall and Boys’ champion, after winning the Robert Middleton Overall Trophy in last year’s event, while Queensland will look to defend the Girls’ silverware respectively.
Bowls Australia congratulates Bendigo Bowls Club on being awarded the hosting rights of the 2019 Australian Under-18 Championships.
