$12,000 Blue Diamond Pairs attracts world class feild
The $12,000 Blue Diamond Pairs at Broadbeach Bowls Club has attracted over 50 international bowlers to compete in the days leading into the Australian Open If you are on the Gold Coast in the days leading up to the Australian Open we know where you can find quality bowls to watch.
Broadbeach Bowling Club will hold their second $12,000 Blue Diamond Pairs event on June 8 and 9 and there is no doubting this year’s field has surpassed last year with over 50 past and present international bowlers set to take to the greens in preparation for the world’s biggest bowls festival, the $250,000 Australian Open.
With a full field of 56 teams, Broadbeach’s four greens will be bustling with world class bowlers getting a taste of what can be expected during the Australian Open which will commence with men’s singles sectional play on Saturday June 11.
The two day tournament will follow on from the Australia verse Scotland Test Series taking place on June 5-7, with all 20 Scottish internationals extending their trip down under to take part in the Blue Diamond Pairs.
With selection for the 2016 World Bowls Championships on the line, Scotland have named strong combinations which includes undoubtedly the best pairs team in the world, Alex Marshall MBE and Paul Foster.
Australian selectors have also taken the opportunity to enter teams into a quality tournament and we will see young stars Ellen Ryan (NSW) and Krsitina Krstic (WA) combining for the women whilst three men’s teams are in it to win it.
Australian Jackaroos newcomers Max Kleinig (SA) and Aaron Teys (NSW), Victorian duo Barrie Lester and Aaron Wilson and the most experienced of the three teams World Champions Wayne Ruediger (SA) and Brett Wilkie (QLD) will be hoping to take advantage of the extra opportunity to impress selectors and win their slice of the prize pool.
Ryan Bester, a current Canadian representative and Australia’s number one ranked bowler, and Gary Lawson, a former New Zealand representative and World Champion, have proven to be a strong pairs combination in their own right having claimed the 2008 Australian Open Pairs and will have the tough task of defending their Blue Diamond Pairs title after going through last year’s event undefeated.
Bester, a member of the Broadbeach Bowling Club and the organizer of the event is honoured to have assembled such a quality field.
“With names like Alex Marshall MBE, Paul Foster and Peter Belliss (NZ) who are legends of the game, boosts the credibility of the field for the other players and spectators,” said Bester.
“We have 53 people who have played for their country in this year’s event; last year we had two teams go through undefeated and this year I reckon their will only be one or maybe even none to win all six games due to the high quality field.
“The Blue Diamond Pairs will be a great lead up to the $250,000 Australian Open and a great way to show off our newly refurbished club house.”
Picking a winner in any event is difficult, but perhaps the Blue Diamond Pairs will give us a better indication of teams which are in form and contenders for the 2016 Australian Open.
Here is a full list of entries for the 2016 Blue Diamond Pairs.
1. Ryan Bester/Gary Lawson
2. Chloe Stewart/Ryan Burnett
3. Stewart Anderson/Darren Burnett
4. Paul Foster/Alex Marshall
5. Kevin Anderson/Ian McLean
6. Ronnie Duncan/Colin Walker
7. Tommy Mann/Neil Speirs
8. Stacey McDougall/Claire Johnstone
9. Becky Craig/Susan Murray
10. Lesley Doig/Lauren Baillie
11. Laura Welsh/Lorraine Malloy
12. Julie Forrest/Lorna Smith
13. Ellen Ryan/Kristina Krstic
14. Max Kleinig/Aaron Teys
15. Barrie Lester/Aaron Wilson
16. Wayne Ruediger/Brett Wilkie
17. Scott DeJongh/Mar Waitai
18. Neil Burkett/Kepler Wessells
19. Jeremy Henry/TBA
20. Pat Bird/Steven Santana
21. Shannon Gittoes/Trevor Gittoes
22. Scott Thulborn/Sean Ingham
23. Ian Schuback/Corey Wedlock
24. Robbie Allan/Geoff Lanham
25. Peter Belliss/Colin Lowery
26. Ray Pickard/Geoff Hawken
27. Neville Jenkins/Nigel Smith
28. Sandra Keith/Serena Matthews
29. Troy Somerville/Craig Billington
30. Jamie Smith/Luke Day
31. Bob McCaulay/David Archer
32. Ali Forsyth/Kelly McKerihan
33. Steve Srhoy/Louie Beurteaux
34. Nathan Pederson/Steve Dennis
35. Robbie Wild/Alex Murtagh
36. Julie Keegan/Emma Brown
37. Mel Larcombe/B Millerick
38. Dee Robertson, C Millerick
39. Christina Pavlov/S McKenzie
40. Matt Flapper/Wes Falconer
41. Gail Waitai/ Cheryl Heaps
42. Kurt Brown/Ben Twist
43. Clinton Bailey/Brendan Hoey
44. Michael Clarke/Mason Lewis
45. N Noronha/ S Noronha
46. Sam White/Eric Copeland
47. Shane Leonard/Steve Halmai
48. P Staggard/A Law
49. Justin Goodwin/Kevin Robinson
50. Mike Carroll/ Scott Roddick
51. Ian Law/Gary Pearson
52. Dean McWhinney/Graeme Shillington
53. Tom Nathan/Kenta Treacher
54. Sanje Prasad/ K Hart
55. Jesse Noronha/Nathan Wise
56. Paul Jopson/Delane Berryman
The Queensland Government is proud to support the Australian Open through Tourism and Events Queensland as part of the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar, showcasing Australia’s best live events in Australia’s best destinations.
