Podium Open Triples preview - Sunday 12th May
The second event in our blockbuster weekend of Podium Opens will see the Triples discipline played to a completion on Sunday 12th May.
68 teams are set to battle it out across five separate venues throughout the country. The 204 players involved will be looking to showcase their talents with a view to being selected for Scotland’s respective international teams.
Allandale BC
16 high class triples will play off at Allandale Bowling Club with Commonwealth Games and World Bowls Championships medallist Iain McLean in action alongside teammates Dougie Weir and fellow Scotland international Gary Prunty.
The trio will certainly be tough to overcome but a number of other talented triples will be standing in their way. 2022 European Championships gold medallists Blair Davidson, John Fleming Jnr and Connor Milne will also fancy their chances of being involved in the later stages.
Former Bowls Scotland Ladies National Fours winner Eilidh Weir joins forces with her Alloa East End clubmates Dean Jones, a former Scotland U25 internationalist, and Colin Craig.
Current Bowls Scotland Gents U25 Singles champion Daniel Martin is joined by fellow West Fife county teammates Lyle Robertson and Allan Ramsay in what is another strong lineup.
Balgay BC
Another 15 quality triples will compete at Balgay Bowling Club in the Podium Open Triples, marking a busy weekend for the club with them also hosting the Para Pairs event on Saturday 11th May.
Current European Open Pairs champions Andrew Reilly and Andrew Thomson team up with former World Indoor Singles runner-up Jason Banks to form a formidable triple.
A couple of unique all family affair triples have also entered the Balgay BC qualifier. The three Lees’ of Kara, brother Frazer and mum Lynn will be hoping to advance to the later stages along with Carla Banks, who is playing with her mum Angela and dad Colin.
Scotland para international teammates, Danny Porter, Garry Brown and Michael Simpson are dark horses for the event and certainly a team to look out for in Group C.
East Lothian Co-Op BC
The triples playdown taking place at East Lothian Co-Operative Bowling Club certainly doesn’t disappoint when it comes to talented players.
Multiple national title winner Andrew Caldwell joins forces with Craigentinny BC teammates Daniel Gormley and Aaron Betts in what certainly looks like a team capable of qualifying for the later stages.
The international trio of Gordon White, Ewan Shearer and Andy Dunnett will also be a force to be reckoned with throughout Sunday’s matches.
Chloe Thomson, Liam McKay and James Hogg will certainly cause a tough test for whoever they come up against will all three players having achieved full international honours.
Kilmarnock Portland BC
Another action-packed event is set to take place in the heart of Ayrshire this Sunday with 15 triples battling it out at Kilmarnock Portland BC.
The Hyndland BC trio of Kevin Bain, Darren Gualtieri and Ryan Gualtieri will certainly take some beating with all three players having national titles to their names.
World Bowls Championships silver medallist Emma McIntyre will line up alongside former Bowls Scotland Ladies Singles champion Laura Welsh and current Scottish internationalist Rebecca Houston.
Former Bowls Scotland Gents Singles winner Mark O’Hagan will also be in action as he teams up with Richard Thomson and Ian Bell.
Current Bowls Scotland Ladies Triples champions Emma Kennedy and Gail Notman join forces with Scottish Indoor Ladies Fours winner Christine McLellan in yet another extremely talented trio.
The Inverness BC
10 triples will take to the green at The Inverness Bowling Club in our most northernly Podium Open playdown of week one.
Amongst those triples is the team of Finlay Gowan, Robert Marshall and Mike Stephen, who will provide stern competition throughout the day.
Scotland U25 internationalist Lee Trotter has combined with David Mitchell and Kyle Ross to form another strong looking outfit.
2023 Bowls Scotland Youth Singles runner-up Blair Gourley will make the trip north to compete alongside Mark Thompson and Mark Biondi.
The experienced trio of Sandra Dean, Joe Sammons and Stuart Cruickshank will almost certainly be in the hunt to reach the later stages of the event too.
Best of luck to all 68 triples taking part in this weekend’s Podium Open Triples event as part of our Drive to Success – Player Pathway. A full report of results will be provided next week.