Podium Open Fours preview - Sunday 19th May
This weekend sees the next instalment of our Podium Opens take place with the Fours discipline being contested on Sunday 19th May.
44 teams will be taking part in the competition which will be played at four separate venues throughout Scotland. The 176 players competing will yet again be hoping to demonstrate their skills to impress Scotland’s international selectors.
Airdrie Central BC
16 talented fours will battle it out at Airdrie Central Bowling Club to be victorious, with a number of well recognised faces on show throughout the day.
Multiple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Paul Foster MBE will be in action as he teams up with Ross Gouldstone, Andrew Weir and Darren Weir respectively.
Former two-time Bowls Scotland Gents Singles champion Iain McLean will also be competing in North Lanarkshire alongside Dougie Weir, John Strachan and Gary Prunty.
The Glasgow based quartet of Kevin Bain, Darren Gualtieri, Ryan Gualtieri and Mark Kelsey will also take some beating.
John Meikle, Blair Davidson, Robert Lenza and John Fleming Jnr will provide tough competition for those teams competing in Group D. They can look forward to a tough encounter against Dawn Anderson, Michael Connolly, Paul Kane Jnr and Mark O’Hagan.
Current Bowls Scotland Gents Triples champion Dylan Robertson has teamed up with U25 internationalist Jamie Noon and the talented Astyn McKechnie and Ryan Turnbull to complete an exciting young team which will be worth looking out for.
Balgownie BC
Eight teams are set to face off at Balgownie Bowling Club this Sunday, with many of the North of Scotland’s most talented players taking part.
World Bowls Championships silver medallist Jason Banks and his team of Finlay Gowan, David Mitchell and Lee Trotter will certainly be one of the teams to beat.
Current European Open Pairs champions Andrew Reilly and Andrew Thomson are also competing as they team up with Kieran Ward and Lisa Thomson.
Finalists in last weekend's Podium Open Triples, Angela Banks, Carla Banks and Colin Banks have recruited Liam Thom from Kemnay Bowling Club to complete their impressive rink.
Haddington BC
Despite only having five teams involved, Sunday’s Podium Open Fours at Haddington Bowling Club will certainly not disappoint in terms of quality.
Scottish internationalists James Hogg and Andrew Caldwell have teamed up with two-time Bowls Scotland Gents Fours winner Daniel Gormley and former U25 internationalist Gavin Smith.
Bowls Scotland Gents Pairs winner from 2022 Sam Gray has joined forces with former Scotland U25 international Glenn Blair and reliable East Lothian county representatives Colin Dick and Adam Martin.
West Lothian also have strong representatives in this event as Ewan Shearer, Gary Orr, John McDermott and Andy Dunnett have combined together to form a potential winning lineup.
Fresh from qualifying in the Para Pairs event, Ross Noble has teamed up with fellow para internationalist Mary Wilson, women’s internationalist Megan Grantham and Gareth Robertson to form another talented team.
Tillicoultry BC
Another 15 teams will do battle at our final venue of week two of the Podium Opens.
European Open Pairs champions for 2022 Lyle Robertson and Daniel Martin have teamed up with Allan Ramsay and Logan Fraser to create a strong team from West Fife.
The all-Scottish international quartet of Chloe Thomson, Stephanie Wallace, Sophie McGrouther and Liam McKay will be looking to stake their claim for future international selection later this Summer.
On a high after winning last weekend’s Podium Open Triples qualifier at The Inverness Bowling Club, Blair Gourley, Mark Thompson and Mark Biondi have partnered up with the experienced Ann Milton.
Best of luck to all 44 fours taking part in this weekend’s Podium Open Fours event as part of our Drive to Success – Player Pathway. A full report of results will be provided next week.