Almost 50 bowlers with physical, sensory or learning disabilities registered for the 2019 Disability Sport Fife Lawn Bowls Championships held at the Beveridge Park Bowling Club in Kirkcaldy on Friday 14th June.
Club members officiated from 10 30, when the green was handed over to DSF by Club President Matt Thomson, through until 16 00 when the afternoon session presentations were completed.
Administration before, during and throughout the Championships was excellently coordinated by Norma Buchanan, administrator of Disability Sport Fife.
The Championships results determine the composition of the Fife Team for the Inter Area Championships to be held in Musselburgh on Friday June 28th and the SDS Scottish Lawn Bowls Championships scheduled for the Westburn Park in Aberdeen in September. DSF plans to enter two teams for the former and as always a strong team for the latter. Teams will be announced next week.
As always the mens open section for bowlers with a learning disability was keenly contested and produced a few surprises. Gary Handyside from Lumphinnans BC and Lloyd Simpson from Methil and Dovecot BC lost narrowly in the semi finals and were awarded joint third place trophies. Only one point separated Craig Donaldson Central Fife CSS and Steven Anderson Dovecot BC (8 – 7) in the final with the experienced Kirkcaldy man claiming back the title he has won many times before. Craig has been out of bowls recently through injury and he was welcomed back enthusiastically by his fellow players. Steven has made enormous progress this year under the coaching guidance of Mike Mowatt at Dovecot BC.
The mens B section was an all East Fife CSS affair with Jimmy Ramsay defeating Craig Bernard by 6 – 3 in the final. Allan Robertson from Dovecot BC and Craig Houston from East Fife CSS finished in joint third places. David Scott from Windygates BC won the mens C section by defeating Stuart Alcock from West Fife CSS and Headwell BC in the final 7 -2. Jamie Thomas and Tristen Rankine were in joint third place positions and like Stuart have progressed enormously this past year under the guidance of Chris Osborne and his colleagues at Headwell BC.
The women bowlers demonstrated the most progress overall at the 2019 Fife Championships. Fife’s leading bowlers Pamela Mitchell from Headwell BC and Wendy Thomson from St Andrews BC and East Fife CSS contested the women’s open for bowlers with a learning disability. In another close encounter Pamela won by 4 – 2 over five ends to win the title and continue her amazing run in competitions organised by DSF and SDS. Newcomer Mandy Robertson from Dovecot BC and Julie Allan from East Fife CSS and Windygates BC collected the third place trophies and claimed a place in Team Fife for Musselburgh and Aberdeen. The women’s B section was an all West Fife CSS/Headwell BC affair with Danielle Osborne defeating Carrie Anne Smith to lift the title.
Billy Allan from Cowdenbeath BC was in excellent form as always at the Fife Championships, winning the mixed open single hand title with wins over Brian Crombie Coalton of Balgonie BC and Mary Wilson from Edinburgh and DSF. Mary finished runner up and ladies open physically disabled champion.
Maria Spencer from Abbeyview BC and Eleanor Clark from Fair Isle BC contested the title for bowlers with a visual impairment with IBD world champion Maria winning the title. Wheelchair bowler Willie Harrison from Central Fife CSS played his best bowls to date at the Fife Championships and retained the Fife title. Newcomer Willie McQueen from Headwell BC finished runner up and Robbie Craig from Dovecot BC was in third place.
A number of leading Fife physically disabled bowlers were unavailable for different reasons but the standard throughout the day was very high. The teams for Musselburgh and Aberdeen will be announced next week and hopes are high for quality performances by all Fife bowlers at each event.
Richard Brickley OBE MBE – Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees