2026 Hong Kong Classic: Scotland Team and Event Information
Bowls Scotland is delighted to announce that Alison Lamont, Jess Weir, Darren Gualtieri and Gary Prunty will represent Scotland at the 2026 Hong Kong International Bowls Classic.
All four players return as defending pairs champions following Scotland’s memorable double triumph at last year’s event.
Taking place from Saturday 7th – Sunday 15th November, the competition will be staged at Craigengower Cricket Club, Hong Kong Football Club and Indian Recreation Club. The Scottish quartet will compete in both the singles and pairs disciplines.
Defending champions return
Alison Lamont and Jess Weir secured the women’s pairs title in 2025 after defeating Hong Kong China’s Cheryl Chan and Helen Cheung in a closely contested final. The Scots held their nerve to win the deciding tie-break 4-2 against the then newly crowned World Cup women’s pairs champions.
Darren Gualtieri and Gary Prunty completed the Scottish double with a straight-sets victory over England’s Harry Goodwin and Dominic McVittie. Their victory capped an unbeaten campaign in which they won all 14 of their matches.
Scotland became only the second nation to win both pairs titles in the same year, following the Philippines in 2014. Both partnerships will now return hoping to build on that success.
Bowls Scotland Head of High Performance, Kareena Cuthbert, said:
“We’re delighted that Darren Gualtieri, Gary Prunty, Alison Lamont and Jess Weir will return to the Hong Kong Classic International Bowls Tournament to defend the pairs titles that they won so impressively last year.
“All four players will also compete in the singles events, providing another fantastic opportunity to showcase the strength and depth of Scottish bowls on the international stage.
“Everyone at Bowls Scotland wishes Darren, Gary, Alison and Jess the very best of luck and every success both individually and as pairs throughout the tournament.”
First held in 1981 to give local bowlers the opportunity to compete against leading international players, the Hong Kong Classic has become an established fixture in the international bowls calendar. Originally a men’s event, it expanded to include a women’s competition in 2008.
Scotland team
Women
- Alison Lamont (Northfield BC)
- Jess Weir (Cardonald BC)
Men
- Darren Gualtieri (Hyndland BC)
- Gary Prunty (Airdrie Central BC)
Event information
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Details
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Dates
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Saturday 7–Sunday 15 November 2026
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Venues
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Craigengower Cricket Club, Hong Kong Football Club and Indian Recreation Club
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Disciplines
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Men’s and women’s singles and pairs
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Time difference
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Hong Kong is eight hours ahead of the UK during the event
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Competition format
The singles events are played in a knockout format, with draws of up to 64 players. Overseas entrants compete alongside local champions and players who have progressed through qualifying.
Each pairs competition features 24 teams divided into two groups of 12. Teams play each opponent in their group once, with the top four from each group advancing to the quarter-finals.
Singles draw
The singles competition begins on Saturday 7 November.
Darren Gualtieri will face Alan Yuen in his opening match at Hong Kong Football Club, while Gary Prunty begins against Tom Choy at Indian Recreation Club.
View the singles draw and results.
Pairs draw and fixtures
The pairs competition begins on Monday 9 November, with both Scottish partnerships playing 11 group matches.
Men’s pairs – Group B
Darren Gualtieri and Gary Prunty will face England, Ireland, Hong Kong China, South Africa, Thailand, Singapore and five Hong Kong teams.
They begin their title defence against Club de Recreio at Craigengower Cricket Club on Monday 9 November, followed by GLBC later that day.
Women’s pairs – Group C
Alison Lamont and Jess Weir will face Wales, England, Thailand, Malaysia, India and six Hong Kong teams.
Their opening matches are against England and India on Monday 9 November, both at Hong Kong Football Club.
View the full pairs group fixtures.
Live streaming
Live-streaming arrangements for the 2026 event are still to be confirmed.
Coverage of previous editions has been available on the Lawn Bowls Association of Hong Kong, China’s YouTube channel. We will update this page with confirmed coverage details and viewing links when available.
Visit the association’s YouTube channel.
Results and updates
Follow Scotland’s progress through the Bowls Scotland website and social media channels throughout the competition. This page will be updated with reports and confirmed coverage information as the event progresses.
Visit the official event page for draws, results and tournament information.