CEO REPORT with BQ’s Brett Wilkie

District Sides Championships

This event will be played on the Sunshine Coast from Wednesday 3 to Saturday 6 May. Thank you to host clubs Coolum Beach, Club Maroochy, Club Kawana, The Waves Caloundra and Tewantin Noosa Bowls Clubs.

Well done to all selected players on representing their respective districts. This event is the highlight of the year for many bowlers, where they represent their local district, catch up with old friends and meet new ones. Thank you to the Sunshine Coast Council and Australian Secure Capital Fund (ASCF) for sponsoring these Championships. ASCF is a Brisbane-based fund manager operating three pooled mortgage investment funds, which each offer different rates of return to investors. ASCF is also a new advertiser in the QLD Bowler Magazine (see page 7 alongside).

QLD State Championships

This event including Singles, Pairs, Mixed Pairs, Triples and Fours will run from Monday 8 to Sunday 21 May at various clubs in the Sunshine Coast District, with all finals held at the Coolum Beach Bowls Club. Thank you to the Sunshine Coast Council and Coolum Beach BC for their support of these championships. Winners of all events, except the Over 60 Pairs, will advance to the Australian Championships in Perth during October.

Thank you to our State Championship event sponsors, who all have returned this year after sponsoring last year’s events:

• Henselite: Men’s & Women’s Singles & Fours Henselite are long term supporters of bowls in Queensland and return to sponsor these events. Henselite is also sponsoring the State Champion of Champion Singles this year (2023).

• Nic Fisher/Harcourts Nundah: Men’s & Women’s Triples & Mixed Pairs

Nic returns for his third year sponsoring these events after recently joining forces with Harcourts Real Estate. Although based in Nundah, Nic is regularly on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts where he has many clients.

• Identified Services: Open & Over 60 Men’s & Women’s Pairs

Identified Services is a cleaning and maintenance service for hospitality venues and schools throughout Southeast QLD, including the

Broadbeach Bowls Club. It is managed by ex QLD Origin Rugby League star, Kevin Campion.

Live Streaming

Every day of the State District Sides and State Championships will be live streamed on the Bowls QLD Website, Facebook and YouTube.

Bowls QLD Committees

Expressions of interest to nominate for the following Bowls QLD Committees are open:

• Coaching

• Match

• Selection

• Umpire Committees

Nominations close on June 9. The term for these roles will be one year commencing on July 1. Thank you to our current committee members for their contribution to bowls in QLD.

ANZAC Test

Congratulations to our BQ President’s XII who defeated the Australian Defence Force Bowls Team in this series. This event was once again played in great spirits. Thank you to Capalaba Sports Club for hosting and the ADF Bowlers for another hard fought series.

QLD Representative Team Trials

This trial went well in April with players being considered for the Open, Under 25, 40-59 and Over 60 age groups to represent QLD in 2023. Thank you to Club Tweed for their support of this event.

QLD Junior Training Camp

Sixteen juniors were invited to attend a QLD training camp in April at the Hamilton Bowls Club. Well done to all juniors on the way they committed themselves. Thank you to Christina Pavlov, Alan Thorp and Lynsey Clarke for facilitating this camp, also to those who assisted and Hamilton for hosting.

Australian Indoor Singles Qualifying

The men’s qualifying will be held on May 27-28 and the women’s event will be held on June 3-4. This event will be held at Tweed Heads and Paradise Point Bowls Clubs.

World Bowls Championships and National Pathways Event

Well done to all selected to be involved in these events on the Gold Coast, especially our QLD stars.

Brett Wilkie