Central Otago will be inundated with bowlers from across the country from this weekend, as the district plays host to the Summerset National Fours and Mixed Pairs tournaments. 

There will be around 800 individual players involved in the three competitions; 416 players in the Men’s Fours, 240 players in the Women’s Fours and 408 players in the Mixed Pairs (around 140 of the Mixed Pairs players are not also competing in the Fours tournaments).

Bowls New Zealand Clubs & Community General Manager Chris Lander says the tournaments are signature events on the Bowls New Zealand Summer of Bowls Calendar. 

Held annually they attract players from across the country, and traditionally from overseas, to compete as a team of four (“Fours”: Men’s or Women’s teams) or two (“Pairs”: mixed male and female) with a view to winning a national championship title.

All Fours teams will play six games, of 18 ends per game, over two days (February 25/26).

The teams who win four or more of those six games will progress to post-section play, which is a knockout format, over the following two days culminating in the championship final on the afternoon of Sunday February 28.

All Mixed Pairs teams will play three games, or 16 ends per game, on March 1.

The teams who win two or three of those games progress to post-section play, which is a knockout format, over the following two days culminating in the championship final on the afternoon of Wednesday March 3.

Over 800 people will visit Central Otago during the week-long bowls competition. 

Alexandra Bowling Club is the headquarters for the tournament and will host games on all days including the finals on February 28 and March 3.

Other bowling clubs hosting games across the two events are include Alexandra RSA, Arrowtown, Bannockburn, Clyde, Hawea, Omakau, Patearoa, Roxburgh, Waipiata and Wanaka. 

The tournaments are two of four open events - with Singles and Pairs are the other two - which offer all registered club players in New Zealand the opportunity to win a national title. They are signature events on the annual calendar.

Bowlers from overseas are usually included, and will be in future years, but not 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and present border restrictions. 

Chris says he hopes the hundreds of bowlers can leave a positive impact on Central Otago and contribute to the local economy, but will leave it up to locals to judge the impact after the event. 

“But we would hope that the clubs, players and general population of Central Otago would see the event as a great opportunity to not only promote the game across the region, but also to promote the region to visitors, players and supporters,” Chris says.

“Bowls New Zealand are very excited about the opportunity to bring a major event to the Central Otago region and are certain the tournaments and the region will be enjoyed by participants and their families and supporters alike.” 

Details of the exact playing dates at each venue can be found on the bowls NZ website here.

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