Priaulx’s busy week as part of world elite
TODD PRIAULX heads down under tomorrow in pursuit of a World Champion of Champions title.
Having won the Elliott Singles men’s island title for the third year running in 2018, he will begin his campaign as Guernsey’s representative out in Adelaide next Monday.
There will be 26 competitors in his event and Priaulx is set to contest 12 group matches in Section Two over a five-day span.
On day one, he faces the USA’s Charlie Herbert, Kevin James from Wales and Haydn Evans from Norfolk Islands.
He follows up on Tuesday against Kwok Fai Law from Singapore, Wayne Rittmuller of South Africa and Hirokazu Mori of Japan.
Wednesday sees him face Stephen Coleman from Ireland and Regent Reid from Botswana, then he is back to three matches as he faces Fiji’s Rajnesh Prasad, Turkey’s Ozkan Akar and then the host country’s Lee Schraner.
Finally, he will go up against Israel’s Boaz Marcus on Friday before having his bye the last session.
Bowls Guernsey secretary Garry Collins is hoping to see Priaulx ‘in the mix’ once again against world-class opposition.
‘With only the top three qualifying for the knockouts, every game is important,’ said Collins.
‘Todd finished 12th out of 27 last year and eighth in 2017 out of 28, so he has always been in the mix – last year one extra win would have been him in the top six, but instead the loss placed him 12th.’
Priaulx lost to Matt Le Ber 19-21 in the men’s Island semi-final this year, with Le Ber winning the final against Gary Pitschou.
Le Ber will receive the invite to the 2020 World Champion of Champions event, which will return to Adelaide, and he will likely be accompanied by women’s De Putron singles winner Lucy Beere.
