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Ryman behind a bowls revolution

Written by Michael Cummings
on March 14, 2019

March 8, 2019

A lawn bowls revolution is about to be launched with the Ultimate Bowls Championship – the richest bowls event in the world – beginning next month.

Twenty-four teams from Australia, New Zealand and Asia, comprising the world’s best bowlers, will compete in a new fast-paced, high-scoring format of the sport.

Retirement village and aged care provider Ryman Healthcare has gotten behind the new international competition, signing on as a key sponsor.

Ultimate Bowls Championship (UBC) CEO and director Mark Casey says the competition will have a total prize purse of $500,000, making it the most lucrative bowls competition in the world.

Teams will compete under modified rules that will allow players to score points from every bowl, and for both teams to accumulate points in the same end.

The result will be much faster, higher-scoring games.

UBC has secured a broadcasting partnership with the Seven Network which will see the new format of the sport televised on 7TWO, Fox Sports, Sky Sport NZ and Fox Sports Asia. 

“UBC will do for bowls what T20 did for cricket,” says Mark, a former bowls world champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

“It will take the best elements of our sport and package it in a way that makes it as exciting and as accessible as possible.

“It’s not designed to replace the traditional game, which is still hugely popular; it’s designed to introduce new people to the sport that hundreds of thousands of Australians have loved for generations.”

The championship will also provide a new, high-profile platform for the world’s best players to showcase their talents and be financially rewarded for their success, Mark says.

Ryman Healthcare regional sales manager Angela Barraclough says the company was excited to be backing a new initiative in a sport so many of its village residents are passionate about.

“We’re all about helping older people live healthy, active lives so getting behind the Ultimate Bowls Championship was a natural step for us,” Angela says.

“We’ve seen first-hand how the game of bowls helps grow our village communities, so we want to do whatever we can to help grow the game.”    

  • The championship will comprise three events, beginning at the Warilla Bowls & Recreation Club in Warilla, NSW, on April 4-5. The other events will be held at the Deer Park Club in Melbourne on August 15-16, and at the Moama Bowling Club in Moama, NSW, on December 12-13.

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