Why not give Indoor Bowls a Try?
Taster Sessions Available on Sunday 14 January
With the World Indoor Bowls Championships now being shown on on the World Bowls Tour's You Tube Channel and scheduled to be shown on BBC Television from mid-January, Stamford Indoor Bowls Club aims to reflect its popularity by offering newcomers a chance to try the sport at its Exeter Gardens stadium.
It will be hosting an open day on Sunday, January 14 from 11 am - 4pm when members and coaches will be on hand to offer free introductory sessions.
All equipment and instruction is complimentary but those who attend are asked to bring a pair of flat-soled shoes to wear on the six rink carpet.
Bowls is a year-round sport played by children as young as seven and adults aged 90 plus and indeed Stamford IBC already has national champions and young England internationals among its current membership.
For further information visit
www.stamfordindoorbowls.co.uk
or call 01780 756452 during opening hours ( from 10 am).
Mixed fortunes on the up!
Stamford’s mixed team surged into second place in the southern section of the Lincs League with an overwhelming defeat of nearest rivals Boston.
The 165-35 victory earned them a maximum 14 points with wins on each of the four rinks and featured a first appearance for Yvonne Monaghan.
She was also No.2 in the quartet of Mike Ramsden,Sue Moir and Neil Crees which claimed the 38-4 best rink win prize.
Elsewhere John and Shirley Suffling, Janet Lonslow and Chris Ballard led 16-0 before going on to win by 20 shots.
The team still trail league leaders Spalding by 20 shots with three away matches to play but hope to close the gap when they meet on February 18.
Lincs League (South) Stamford 165 (14 pts) Boston 35 (0). Stamford names only: M Ramsden, Y Monaghan, S Moir, N Crees won 38-4; J Sufffling, J Lonslow, S Suffling, C Ballard won 30-10; J Allen, R March, H Gordon, W Morris won 25-6; L Cave, P Jones, A March, D Cave won 25-16.
DEATH OF LANGTOFT BOWLS CLUB STALWART
Peter White, a former national bowls champion and founder member of the Langtoft Bowls Club, died on Tuesday, aged 82.
He personified the term ‘club stalwart’ having fulfilled every position in the club since he helped found it in 1992 when he contributed to converting it from an indoor carpet bowls club to an outdoor club with its own green in the village.
Also a member of Stamford Indoor Bowls Club, he was one of those responsible for helping steer Langtoft to compete in the Stamford and Peterborough Leagues and contest Northants Bowling Federation competitions.
An avid competitor, he won various county titles including the Senior mixed pairs with his wife Anne in 2017 - on the day of their 50th wedding anniversary - and the Senior pairs with Malcolm Cullingworth the following year.
But his greatest individual achievement came in 2010 when two years after winning the NBF champions of champions singles, he won the county Over 65 singles and went on to claim the national title at Skegness.
Commented Langtoft official Nolan Catterwell: “Peter was always the person we turned to whenever we wanted advice or information and he was a constant source of encouragement for our newer bowlers.
“Along with his devoted wife Anne, they were both awarded life membership of the club for their dedicated service.
“We are absolutely devastated at his sudden passing. He will be a great loss, not only to Langtoft Bowls Club but to the local bowls community.”
Will carpet stretch set up Stamford success?
Despite the club’s carpet playing surface being stretched this week to speed up its rolling pace, Stamford bowlers will still be hoping home advantage will serve them well when they host the Lincs IBA Sets Singles qualifiers on Sunday, January 21.
Five home players have qualified including Neil Wright, Chris Ballard and 14 year-old Ollie Jeapes facing Gary Morris (Skegness), Hannah Kitchen (Grantham) and Dan Stanley (Louth) respectively in the preliminary at 9 am.
Tony Barwell meets clubmate and England international Stephen Harris at 11 am, with Graham Patrickson matched against Graham Staples (Lincoln) at 1pm.
Jeapes, Harris, Ballard and Barwell also feature in the county singles at Lincoln on February 17, where Jeff Pitt and John Holroyd have also qualified.
On March 3 Boston will host the Over 60 and Under 18 singles qualifiers. County semi-finals and finals will both be staged at Louth on March 17 and April 20.
Federation results
Stamford-based bowlers dominate the quarter finals of the Northants Federation men’s singles with Stephen Harris meeting John Holroyd for a place in the semi-finals.
Adam Warrington beat Ollie Jeapes 21-15 and Paul Dalliday edged past Bob Warters 21-16 in a near two-hour battle.
John Suffling faces former winner Martyn Dolby for a place in the semis of the Senior singles after beating Ian Smith 21-14 at Peterborough.
In the women’s senior singles Elizabeth Wallace plays Yvonne Monaghan after respective wins over Shirley Suffling and Chris Ford respectively.
A & B in action
The Stamford IBC Men’s A and B teams return to action against Grantham (away) and Spalding (home) at the weekend in the Lincs League (South).
The ‘B’ team, bottom of the league but well capable of claiming valuable points against those above them kick off on Saturday against the league leaders.
Team: S Christie, J Hare, D Bruce, D Wilkinson; H Gordon, G Clarke, N Crees, P Smith; J Suffling, R Blake, C Jones, D Henshaw; P Linnell, M Owens, G Patrickson, M Hewitt. Res B Orme, K Rawlins, M Smith.
Stamford ‘A’, in second spot, trail Spalding by 12 points and will be looking to narrow the gap when they visit Grantham on Sunday, though it is never an easy place to adapt to a quicker, longer green.
Team: M Humphreys, W Morris, N Wright, A Warrington; W Aspinall, D Miller, O Aspinall, J Earl; T Barwell, M Ramsden, C Ballard, M Linnell; P Linnell, A McNaughton, B Warters, R Martin.
PRESIDENTS CHARITY EVENT
Stamford IBC presidents Ian Hall and Margaret King are to host a second Charity Triples Tournament in aid of The Evergreen Trust on Saturday March 2.
Cost of entry is £15 per team with four sessions of six-end matches guaranteed starting at 9.30am and 10.30 am. Two points are awarded for each win and one point for every end won.
Entry forms are available at the club as are meals which can be ordered in advance.