Atlantic event begins today

TEN Guernsey bowlers rolled up at the famous Ayr Northfield greens in Scotland yesterday in preparation for their opening games in the Atlantic bowls championships today. The championships, previously called the Atlantic Rim Games, were kickstarted in 1993 as an event exclusively for women, but the men looked on jealously and have joined the party this year for the first time.

Garry Collins and Matt Le Ber face Welsh duo Martin Selway and Robert Horgan this morning in the men's pairs, while the island triple of Paul Wakeham, Len Le Ber and Ian Merrien have a stiff draw against Scotland's Mark Kelsey, Iain McLean and the legendary Willie Wood.

In the women's event, Gwen de la Mare and Jackie Nicolle meet Jersey's Chris Grimes and Lindsey Greechan in the pairs, and Shirley Petit, Doreen Batiste and Wilma Le Feuvre play South Africa in the triples.

Later today, Guernsey have been lined up to play Spain in the men's and women's pairs, while the men's triple have been drawn against Jersey trio Jamie MacDonald, Alan Shaw and Thomas Greechan, and the women's triple were expecting to take on Wales.