The 2018 Fife Carpet Bowls Championships organised by Disability Sport Fife(DSF) and supported by Fife Sports and Leisure Trust were held at the Michael Woods Sports & Leisure Centre on Wednesday 21st November. The championships bring to an end the DSF calendar of events for the year and involved 54 adults with a physical, sensory or learning disability in 83 ties for one of nine singles titles.
16 local volunteer markers from bowling clubs in central Fife, coordinated by Math Thomson from Beveridge Park BC, officiated for four hours plus to determine the 2018 Fife champions. DSF will select the Fife team for the Scottish Championships, organised by Scottish Disability Sport Saturday 2nd February, from the results at the Fife championships.
The section for wheelchair users resulted in an all Central Fife CSS final with Jim Donaldson defeating Willie Harrison 8-6. The open men’s final for bowlers with a physical impairment brought together two members of the Scottish Para bowls squad and Billy Allan (Cowdenbeath BC) defeated Glen Livingston (Abbeyview BC) 6 -2 to lift the title. Central Fife CSS friends and rivals Kenny Dow and Neil Laughlin met in the final of the restricted section with Neil ending out on top by 9 shots to 6.
Craig Donaldson from Central Fife CSS is a past Scottish champion and a regular winner of the Fife title. This year he met newcomer Steven Anderson from Dovecot BC in the final and was a convincing winner. Craig Houston from East Fife CSS similarly was a convincing winner of the B section over Wayne Sammut from West Fife CSS. George Goodsir from East Fife CSS won the men’s C section with a victory over Fergus Wilson from West Fife CSS by 7 shots to 3. Newcomer
Connor Mitchell from West Fife CSS won the D section title by defeating Craig Hunter from East Fife CSS 8 – 1.
Tanis Murphy from East Fife CSS won her first ladies open title for bowlers with a learning disability by defeating past Scottish champion Michelle Wallace from Central Fife CSS 6-2. On route to the final she defeated the 2017 champion Julie Allan and promising newcomer Nikki Baxter. Newcomer Carrie Ann Smith from West Fife CSS won the ladies B section title by defeating Roberta Buchan from Central Fife CSS .
DSF is happy to report an increased adult entry for this year’s championships and a definite improvement in the standard of play. DSF is confident it will field a strong team for the Scottish Championships in February. Team Fife will be announced shortly and best wishes to all Fife representatives.
Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife