Author: Carol Bucyk

Scorching temperatures and incredibly fast greens were the order of the day in Nanaimo  for this past weekend’s tournament.   This very popular mixed pairs event drew players from up and down the zone.  As stated, the speed of the green for this tournament as incredible and made for some challenging shot making.

In the end, it was our own Merry Danarti and Rick Dolley who took the honours for the event.  They went a perfect 4-0 , with 38 ends and a 38 shot differential.   Their names will be on the trophy for 2025.   Nanaimo’s Vern Hagstrom  and Linda Cooper came second, also with a 4-0 record but with 36 ends and a 33 shot differential.  Our  own Chris and Martin Fereday took third place with 10 points, 33 ends and a 25 shot differential.

A very big thank you goes out to the  sponsor for this event, Martin Velsen, of Martin Velsen Realty Nanaimo,  who  presented both  the trophy and cash prize to Rick and Merry.  Martin has been a strong and generous supporter of this event for a number of years now, and each year, he has  also brought a number of gift prizes as give-aways to many lucky people playing in this event.   Bottles of wine, prosseco, gift cards etc., were just some of the prizes donated by him.

A big thank you  also goes out to the kitchen crew,  grounds keepers, bar staff, umpires, games committee, the gallery and the players who gave it their all during this event.

The annual Men’s and Women’s Singles Tournament concluded on Sunday afternoon, August 17th.     The tournament began on Tuesday, August 12th but the  intense  smoke from the Mount Underwood and Wesley Ridge fires put a halt to the matches.  On Friday, our air quality was such that games were postponed  until conditions became  safer for all.   Play resumed on Sunday with the semifinals and finals happening  and much improved weather conditions.

As for the tournament,   it was Brian Bennett prevailing over Rick Dolley to win the title of Club Men’s Singles Champion for 2025.  It was a very hard fought game with some great play making involved.   On the women’s side, it was Carol Bucyk taking on Anne Holland for the title.  It was another hard fought game, with Bucyk reaching the 18 points first  and becoming the Club Women’s Singles Champion for 2025.

A very big thank you goes out to everyone involved in this event:  the kitchen and bar crew,  games committee, markers, grounds crew, umpires, our resident photographer, Chuck,   Sandi , who was busy filling in wherever and whenever needed, the gallery who came out to watch on Sunday afternoon, the players  and everyone else who made this event so successful.

Carol Bucyk

Parksville and Qualicum Lawn Bowling Clubs met on August 9th for their annual challenge and this time, Parksville came up the winner.  The challenge is set up  so that each club gets to visit each other’s green that day and play on each other’s greens.  This year, Martin Fereday received the trophy on behalf of the club, by Alan Brunskill,  president of the Qualicum club.

Carol Bucyk

It was a busy weekend for lawn bowling August 2nd and 3rd.  In Parksville, it was the novices and intermediates taking to the green, while in Courtenay it was the Berwick 2-4-2 Tournament drawing players from around the zone.  It was a smokey two days with the Wesley Ridge  fire raging and smoke from around Cameron Lake drifting upwards to Courtenay.

On the green, the winners of the event  and taking first place was the team of Vern Hagstom and Linda Cooper of Nanaimo who scored a red hot  12 points, 39 ends and a shot differential of 32.    Second went to our own Christian Massey and Rick Dolley with 12 points, 35 ends a 31 differential.    Leone King and Vern Greenhill of Courtenay placed third, again with 12 points, 33 ends and a 13 point differential.    John Kendall and Beth from Courtenay took fourth.  Rounding out the top five was our own team of Chris and Martin Fereday.

Many thanks go out to Berwick, the sponsors of this event, the games committee, kitchen crew, grounds keepers, players, umpire (thanks, Dean) and spectators who came out to watch.

Pictures will be coming shortly.

Carol Bucyk

August 2nd and 3rd saw our club novice and intermediate players  take to the green for two days of tournament play.  It was a weekend filled with very good, very close games and all the participants who took part enjoyed this experience.  The Novice Ladies Winner was Donna Roberts who scored 9 points and had a shot differential of 13.  She  edged out Darlene Pentland who took second with her score of 6 points and a differential of 10.  On the men’s side, it was Alan Watson scoring 12 points and  a differential of 20, beating out David Pentland who took second with 9 points and a shot differential of 20.

On the Intermediate side, the ladies winner was Debbie Taylor who earned 9 points with a short differential of 13.    Second place was earned by April Sloan with a score of 6 points and a shot differential of 5.    George Wallis took the men’s division with 12 points and a shot differential of 28  edging out Isaac Wood who had 9 points and 0 differential.

The winners will move onto the District Novice and Intermediate Singles on August 30 and 31 in Nanaimo.

Thanks go out to all the people who made this event so successful:  Chuck for pictures, the kitchen and bar crew, games committee, grounds crew, markers, those who came out to support the players, the coaches,  and of course, the players themselves who put out their very best efforts into  this tournament.

Carol Bucyk   /Joey Merrell

It was another great weekend for lawn bowling July 26 & 27 in Parksville.  Once again, Ferguson Exteriors was our very generous sponsor for this event which drew players from around the zone.  Sixteen men’s teams and ten women’s teams played under sunny skies and light winds to a very appreciative gallery on both days.

On the men’s side, play was decided in a winner play winner format and  it was John Ayers, Erik Ewen and Brian Michell  from Qualicum Beach who took top honours and will get their names engraved on the plaque.  Runners up in each of their division were Brian Bennett, Ian McCaulay and Wayne Larocque From Parksville.  Other runner up teams included Ian Yewer’s team from Nanaimo and Geoff Holland, Tex Gooding and David Perry from Parksville.

On the women’s side it was the winning  Parksville team of Diane Cruickshank, Fay St. Marie and Kathleen Motley taking first and their names will be  engraved on the plaque for this year.    Second went another Parksville team that of Karen Perrin, Joey Merrell and Avril Adamson.  Rounding our third and making it a Parksville sweep was the team of Kate Wilson, Luise Norman and Carol Bucyk .

A very big thank you goes out to Chris from Ferguson Exteriors (our continued sponsors for this event), our kitchen crew  of Lynn and Marg who put out a wonderful spread both days,  Joey M.  and the games committee (Anne H. and Gerda), Chuck Benson,   grounds keepers, umpires (Mick and Colleen), Don U. who helped us with our computer program for this event, our bartenders who kept us hydrated, the spectators who came out and watched both days and the players who truly demonstrated what this sport is all about.

A very big thank you to Chuck Benson for the great photos.

Carol Bucyk

Clubs in our zone got together July 21 for the final game of the season for interclub.    This fun  evening started by Anne and Geoff Holland “years ago” is an opportunity for clubs in the zone to get together for an evening of lawn bowls and socializing during the summer months.  This year, Nanaimo  came out on top with  a total of 47 points and earned $432 for their club.  Ian Yewer accepted on behalf of his club.  Next up was a tie of 37 points between Qualicum Beach and Courtenay.  Parksville came up last with 21 points.

A very big thank you goes out to the  games people, kitchen and bar staff, grounds keepers and  the participants who took part in this year’s league.    As a reminder, if you are a novice or intermediate player, this interclub league is a great way to have fun, meet people and sharpen your skills as lead in a casual, positive setting.   The sign up  sheet is posted in the sun room early in the spring and you can sign up for two dates (your choice) and your position as lead.  We would love to see our novices and intermediate players come and join us.

Carol Bucyk

Once again,  Port Alberni Lawn Bowling Club,  the little club with the big heart,  came through with another  well run event.  The Ramsay Lampman Rhodes Mixed Triples Tournament was held on July 19 and 20th in Port with fourteen teams from around our district.

Winners of the plaque was the Parksville team of Sandi Mitchell, Merry Danarti and Rick Dolley.  Second place was earned by the Hal Gray team of Courtenay.  Keith Terlson, Carol Bucyk and Ken Bucyk of Parksville  finished in third place.  Winners of the random draw was the team of Martin Fereday, Chris Fereday and Peter Scott of Parksville.

A very big thank you goes out to the games committee, grounds crew, kitchen crew, the players and of course, our gracious sponsors, Ramsay Lampman Rhodes for their continued support of our sport in our district.

Pictures will be coming shortly.

Carol Bucyk

July 16 and 17 saw the wrap up of the pairs league and that of cut throat as well.  Winners of the pairs  league were Bob Allaby and Merry Danarti, who will go on to represent our club in the District Pairs Tournament to be held in Parksville  September 13 and 14.  Second place went to Bob Ashton and Miriam Gunn, while Chris and Martin Fereday earned third spot.   The summer session of cut throat saw David Perry emerge as the winner with Diane Cruickshank and Chris Fereday earning second and third place respectively.

A big thank you goes out to the games committee who got these two leagues up and going , as well to all those who came out to participate.  We had great weather, good competition and  a lot of fun on the green in these two leagues.  For novices and intermediate players, cut throat is a really great opportunity to sharpen your skills as a lead, by learning to read the green and analyzing the  play of your opponents….and have a lot of fun doing it, too.

Carol Bucyk