Games golden girls heading for Victoria Park

This year’s championships promise to be extra special, with the event being held over the same 16-day period as the Olympic Games in London.

More than 1,000 competitors will participate and 14 national titles will be decided with all three of England’s gold medallists from the 2010 Commonwealth Games - Natalie Melmore, Ellen Falkner and Amy Gowshall - among those taking to the greens during the championships.

Tony Allcock MBE, Bowls England chief executive, said: “The next few weeks promise to be a tremendous celebration of sport in this country and although bowls is not currently recognised as an Olympic sport, despite the best efforts of ourselves and World Bowls, this does not mean we should not take this opportunity to celebrate all that our sport has to offer.

“Once again we expect thousands of players and spectators to come to the championships, and clearly would welcome those who may never have been before to come along and see our top players in action - and with free entry it’s a great day out, especially for those who may not have been able to secure a ticket for the Olympics.”

The opening ceremony for the championships will be held tomorrow at 9.30am and will be conducted by Bowls England president Stuart Lake and Warwick District Council chairman Cllr Michael Kinson.

One of those players involved will be Whitnash Bowling Club’s Maureen Tims, who will be partnering Lillington’s Di Thurlbeck in the National 55 and over pairs.

The duo take on Isle of Wight in the first round next Friday and Tims, a former National Pairs champion and winner of the two-wood singles in 2000, says the weather will have a massive impact on this year’s event.

A wet summer has affected the greens and made for a miserable campaign for the district’s players, with many games abandoned or played out in rain or drizzle.

However, this week’s warm, dry spell has already sped up the greens and Tims believes bowlers could be caught out by the contrasting conditions.

“With all the rain, it had been so heavy and straight at Victoria Park,” said Tims.

“But I played there on Monday and I’ve never known it so fast.

“It was swinging both ways.”

Play is scheduled every day from 9am to 6pm throughout the championships, with results and schedues available from www.bowlsengland.com