Free Open morning for newcomers on Saturday, January 10

Post date: Jan 7, 2015 6:08:49 AM

WITH ITS repaired roof and refurbished £30,000 bar area, Stamford indoor bowls club is set to celebrate the New Year with a fresh intake of bowlers at its Exeter Gardens Stadium on Saturday (Jan 10) with a Free Open morning for newcomers to try the sport and inspect its excellent facilities.

The club recently hosted a visit from triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ellen Falkner, who was impressed by the club's facelift now that it had received a £50,000 grant from Sport England to plug a 20 year leak in its roof and installed a new bar to entertain members and visitors.

Said the 35-year-old winner of the triples gold in Glasgow: "The improvements made since I last visited and the enthusiasm of the members at a time when many bowls clubs are struggling is very impressive. Stamford is a very progressive club that is looking to the future and deserves much success."

With that in mind the club is hosting this open morning for new bowlers when its coaches and several experienced players will be on hand to offer basic instruction, with free equipment to use.

Says press officer Bob Warters: "Ellen's visit gave the club a great boost and encouraged us keep promoting the game as an opportunity not only to maintain a competitive level after playing football, rugby, tennis, cricket and hockey, for example but in providing a great facility for regular exercise and companionship for all ages.

Members are encouraged to bring family and friends to take advantage of this opportunity for an introduction to the sport.

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Stamford bowlers are involved in regional finals of three national competitions, the latest of which is the Over 60s pairs, in which Martyn Dolby and Bob Warters will play combinations from either Lincoln or Scunthorpe later this month. They earned their place with a 26-7 defeat of clubmates Alan Romaine and Keith Rippin.

On Monday rinks from Stamford play Boston in the area final of the English Over 60s Double rink (10am at Stamford, 12 at Boston) and on Tuesday at Stamford (6.30pm) Dolby, Warters, Roger Martin and Peter Edwards play Scunthorpe at a similar stage in the Over 60s fours.

Stephen Harris narrowly failed to reach the last 16 of the English Under 18 singles, losing on a tie-break to his Spalding rival Jordan Philpott - a fellow student at Stamford College.

Harris took the first 9-end set comfortably 12-4 and held three shots to draw the second set and win the tie, until Philpott drew in for second shot to take the match to a shoot-out, which he won 2-0.

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Stamford IBC scored a valuable win against Boston in the first division of the Lincs Mixed League to keep their hopes of staying in the division alive after a rocky start to the season.

The 14 points they earned from a 111-73 victory took them into third place with 44 points after five matches but others around them have games in hand and it will need a big effort to secure points at Lincoln tomorrow (Saturday).

With comfortable wins for rinks skipped by Dolby and Warters, the quartet of Mike Ramsden, Louise Harris, Christine Ford and Keith Rippin snatched vital points with a late flourish of scoring to win 16-15 after trailing 9-15 with four ends to play.

Result (Stamford names only):

Lincs Mixed League, Division One: Stamford 111(14pts), Boston 73 (4). J Robinson, P Barton, S Harris, M Dolby won 37-11; J Brennan, M Andrews, D Ford, J Little lost 13-20; C Barnes, M Bloxham, A Barnes, C Watson lost 19-20; D Hudson, C Warters, S Moir, B Warters won 26-7; M Ramsden, L Harris, C Ford, K Rippin won 16-15.

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Four Stamford IBC bowlers will represent Northants Federation when it entertains Lincolnshire Bowling Federation in the second series of 4-rink matches for the Derbyshire Trophy on Sunday at Stamford IBC (10am).

John Holroyd, who recently lost to World No.1 Nicky Brett in the Spalding Open, and Bob Warters will join James Harford (Peterborough) in the two-bowl triples format, while Martyn Dolby and Roger Martin will team up with Nick Wilkie. The other all- Peterborough rinks are: Howard Shipp, Andrew Thurston, Simon Law; Brian Martin, Joe Randall, Jeff Newson.