17th December 2013 TO: ALL BOARD MEMBERS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS, LIFE MEMBERS, CENTRE SECRETARIES, UMPIRES COMMITTEE, DISTRICT UMPIRES SECRETARIES, SELECTORS, JUDICIAL COMMITTEE AND REGIONAL JUDICIAL COMMITTEES. BOWLS NZ BOARD MINUTES Please find below the link to the Board Minutes dated 19 November 2013. https://12234- console.memberconnex.com/Folder?Action=View%20File&Folder_id=185&File=Board%20Meeting%20Minutes%2019%20November%202 013.pdf NZ SPORTS TURF INSTITUTE Please find below the link to two reports from the NZ Sports Turf Institute: Bowls Fact Sheet – Mowing Bowling Greens - Spring 2013 Bowls Fact Sheet – Managing Heat Stress - Summer 2013 http://www.bowlsnz.co.nz/Category?Action=View&Category_id=1185 SUSPENSION Bowls Kapiti Coast has advised that Ross Kemp has been suspended from all bowls effective from 9th December 2013 until 2nd February 2014. NATIONAL OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS At the Annual General Meeting of Bowls New Zealand a Notice of Motion from Bowls Manawatu was passed which recommended that the timetable and the format of the National Open Championships be changed. This was recommended to the Bowls NZ Board for consideration and the Board are now asking for feedback on the proposal from the wider bowling Community. The following is the proposal and a comparison with the current format. Feedback from Centres and Clubs would be appreciated by 31st January 2014. Background The NZ National Championships currently start on 28th December each year with singles and pairs qualifying. Those disciplines run through to completion on 4th January every year and then the Fours start on 5th January and run through to completion. The current format is –singles 21 shots up, no time limit, 4 qualifying games on one day - 3 and 4 winners qualify. Pairs -18 ends, no time limit, 6 qualifying games over 2 days – 4, 5 and 6 winners qualify. Fours 18 ends, no time limit, 6 qualifying games over 2 days -4, 5 and 6 winners qualify. Proposed Format – singles 21 shots up. Time limit 2 hours, 4 qualifying games on one day -3 and 4 winners qualify. Pairs – 18 ends, 2 hour 40 minute time limit. 6 qualifying games over 2 days – 4, 5 and 6 winners qualify. Fours – 25 ends, 4 hour time limit, 6 qualifying games over 3 days – 4, 5 and 6 winners qualify. Post section for Pairs and Singles to run through to- day 5 with finals still to be played. Fours qualifying starts on day 6 and runs through to Day 8, Final of Singles and Pairs on Day 9 and then Fours post section from day 10 to finish on day 12. Do you favour new format Yes/No J:\CIRCULAR\2013\Circular 16 December 2013.doc 1 GOLD STAR AWARDS Background Bowls NZ Gold Stars are currently awarded to the winners of the NZ National Open Championships and the NZ National Club Singles, Pairs, Triples and Fours Championship. The Bowls NZ Board has received a number of submissions requesting that the NZ Gold Star be restricted to winners of the NZ National Open Championship titles only and that a new award (different name) be available to players who win 5 or more other National titles. National events that would count towards the new award would be the National Club Singles, pairs, triples and Fours; National Mixed Pairs; National Interclub (Division 1); National Intercentre. All current Gold Star winners will retain their current status and if a new award is agreed it will be applicable to events starting in the 2014/2015 season. Survey Do you favour the Bowls NZ Gold star being available to NZ National Open Championship title winners only? Yes/no Do you favour the introduction of a new award for winners of five or more titles from other Bowls NZ designated events? Yes/no If a new award is agreed should it be retrospective back to the commencement of Bowls NZ in 1997? Yes/No Responses required by 31st January 2014. Please use the link below, http://www.bowlsnz.co.nz/Category?Action=View&Category_id=2528 Para Sport Nominations for Commonwealth Games Glasgow, 2014 The following players have been put forward for nomination as part of the Bowls NZ National team; Barry Wynks, Lynda Bennett, Mark Noble, Sue Curran with Christine Foster as Director and David Stallard with Peter Blick as Director. Confirmation of players’ classifications will be undertaken by Sheila Corcoran, Chief Classifier, International Bowls Development in February 2014. Once this process is complete, the final selection will then be made by the New Zealand Olympic Committee. World Cup 2014 Jo Edwards as defending Champion will defend the Women’s title. The selectors have named the other NZ representatives as – Women – Val Smith and Men – Shannon McIlroy Regulation 3 – Draws and Byes The above regulation has been amended by the addition of the Two Life Butterfly draw – please find the link below. https://12234- console.memberconnex.com/Folder?Action=View%20File&Folder_id=185&File=3%203%20Draws%20%20Byes%20- %20161013.pdf J:\CIRCULAR\2013\Circular 16 December 2013.doc 2 Grants Corner to Corner This seasons Grants Whisky Corner to Corner promotion returns bigger and better than ever before. Starting the week commencing the 3rd February 120 clubs nationally will run a five week promotion to find their club’s Corner to Corner champion. This year the competition is being run in conjunction with “Mates in Bowls” so two winners per club will then qualify for one of 8 regional finals throughout the country. These will be held on the 16th March and will again see the top 2 qualifiers travelling to Auckland to compete in the Grand Final on 6th April. Prizes are currently being confirmed but amongst other things the National Champion will win $3000 for their club and $1000 for themselves! For more information contact your local CDO. “TRY A DIFFERENT ANGLE.GRANTS.” Season’s Greetings and Close-down for Christmas/New Year The National Office will close at 5.00pm on Friday 20th December and will re-open at 8.30am on Monday 13th January 2014. Best wishes to you all for a very happy holiday season. Yours sincerely, Kerry Clark OBE CHIEF EXECUTIVE J:\CIRCULAR\2013\Circular 16 December 2013.doc 3 .