Lawn bowlers in the region have been given a boost in their quest for state glory, with some qualifying rounds of the Victorian Championships moved to Shepparton.
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Usually a State Champions Week is held in Bendigo every year to decide the best of the best in all disciplines, but due to COVID-19 Bowls Victoria was forced to defer and split up the event.
Instead, three qualifying weekends will be held at venues with undercover facilities — starting with matches at East Shepparton and Shepparton Park from July 10-12 — before more than a dozen grand finals will be staged in a “Super Saturday” event at Deer Park Bowls Club on August 1.
City of Geelong, Dandenong, Sunbury and Warrnambool City will act as the other host clubs across the two weekends in between the Shepparton and Deer Park rounds.
Central Goulburn Murray Bowls Division representatives already know who they are facing in their first knockout clash in the championships.
Kyabram's Rob Sceney will take on Owen Giddings (Mildura Workers) and Rushworth's Jean Sprague faces Yackandandah's Mary Tragardh in the respective men's and women's over-60 singles on July 10.
Ray Emerson (Barooga) and Olivia Cartwright (Kyabram) tackle Jarred Hammond (Cohuna Golf) and Sheridan Barling (Dennington) in the men's and women's singles on July 11, while East Shepparton's Daniel Nichols and Sprague will take to the greens on July 12 in the men's and women's champion of champions singles.
Nichols faces Lilydale's John Snell and Sprague battles Jessica Wallace — also of Lilydale.
● The Goulburn Valley Devils are back in training post-lockdown.
The under-18 representative squad is always on the lookout for more bowlers to join its ranks.
Euroa, Hill Top, Stanhope and Kyabram are currently represented in the training group, while all bowlers are sporting new hoodies throughout the winter months.