Chief exec. vows to fight on

GARRY COLLINS has flown to Portugal where he is managing Guernsey's small European Champion-ships team, vowing to fight on as the sport's chief executive. Collins, 25, faces a vote of no confidence at next month's Bowls Guernsey annual meeting, but appeared happy enough as he prepared to fly out to Vilamoura for the week-long event.

He said he was not feeling any pressure and has no intention of simply moving aside, without being voted out of office.

'I do what I do because I like doing it. I hope the members will support me.'

Collins' opponents have passed to him a list of people prepared to fill the key roles in a new-look Bowls Guernsey committee should they oust him at the AGM.

But the busiest man in bowls administration says he can count on strong backing and has been touched by the support he has had via phone calls, texts and emails in recent weeks.

'It's quite nice to know people are on my side.

'All 12 at the council meeting on Monday said they were right behind me.'

His work, he says, is unfinished.

'I've only just begun to get bowls where I want it to go.'

For the next week he will be concentrating his efforts on managing the Guernsey squad at the Europeans which are staged every two years.

The event involves playing singles and mixed pairs in the round-robin stages and with Alison Merrien playing singles and mixed pairs with husband Ian, Collins is confident of success.

Also travelling are Matt Le Ber, one half of the current British isles championship-winning pairing, and the experienced Wilma Le Feuvre.

In addition to Jersey and the four home countries, the tournament features players from Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Malta and Cyprus.

Play gets under way tomorrow.