21/02/2009 - Spanish National Championships Return To Malaga Province

For the last six years the Spanish National Championships have successfully been hosted by Clubs in North and South Alicante and Bowlers from this area have always supported them. I’m sure everyone will agree that a return to Malaga Province is long overdue but 2009 will see changes to the previously adopted format.

Malaga’s Provincial Committee has maintained that changes be made to the existing format and “championed” the need for Provincial qualification in each of the four disciplines i.e. Singles, Pairs, Triples and Fours.

Recent economic developments have further reinforced the need for change. Our Members are conscious of unnecessary expenditure and up to 14 nights in any Hotel or Apartment is now considered to be a luxury the majority can ill afford.

Tony Winterton and Murray Johns have, over the last few months, pressed the delegates from Almeria and Valencia who sit on the Federation’s National Executive Committee, to accept the concept of change. Finally, at the Meeting on 7 Nov, 2008 they achieved their objective and the Finals were awarded to Malaga and they will be held at Benavista and Superbowl from 8-19 Sept.

Qualification will be through Provincial Championships which, in Malaga, will be at Santa Maria Bowls Club from 9-23 May, 2009. Similar Championships will be held in the two other Provinces to identify their qualifiers.

The Semi-Finalists in each of the Single Sex disciplines will be eligible to participate in the Finals. Benavista will host the Gents games and Superbowl the Ladies. Both Clubs offer excellent Greens and support facilities and, in addition, the Competition Secretary has the “back up” of experienced Umpires and Markers at both locations.

A maximum of 12 finalists may participate in each discipline ( i.e. 4 from each of the three Provinces ) and those qualifying will be drawn into two groups with each Player / Team playing a “round-robin” against the others in their group. The group winners will then contest the Final to become Champions of Spain.

QUALIFICATION & REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRY

The conditions to qualify for the Provincial Championships remain unchanged from previous years and all Bowlers are welcome to enter as long as they satisfy the following criteria :-

- Entry is open to Spanish Nationals, and non-Nationals who have a current 

  Spanish Residents Permit or Certificate, hold a Spanish Social Security Work

  Permit or persons who have been resident in Spain for at least 6 months in total

  of the 12 months prior to the first day of the Championship Finals.

- Each Player must be a fully paid-up Member of a Club affiliated to the 

  Federacion Española de Bolos ( F.E.B. ).

- In Team Events, Players in a Team must, at the time of the entry, be Members

  of the same Club and have their Federation Membership with the same Club.

- The Controlling Body retains the right to refuse entry to the Competition,

  or to disqualify any Player from the Competition, for breaches of the Laws of 

  the Game or the Championship Rules and Conditions.

Clubs with Federated Members have already received Entry Forms together with the Rules and Conditions of Play. However, if any Bowler has not had access to an Entry Form, wishes to receive further details, or requires clarification on any matter, they are asked to contact the Competition Secretary directly :-

Tel : 952 93 02 42            e-Mail : bowlsmalaga@yahoo.co.uk

After a 6 year wait this is an ideal opportunity for ALL Federated Bowlers in the Province to have the honour, and privilege, of competing in the National Championships without having the inconvenience of travel and the expense of Hotel accommodation.

Maybe those Bowlers who travel back to compete in UK Competitions may think twice about returning this year now we have the Provincial Championships and the Summer Triples and Kings Cup League programmes to keep everyone active.

An important date for everyone’s Diary is THURSDAY, 19 MARCH which is the CLOSING DATE for entry to the Provincial Championships.

Everyone on the Provincial Committee hopes Members will take advantage of this local event. We have agreed a rotation policy for subsequent Championships which may mean a further 4 years before we host the event again on this Coast. 

Murray Johns ( Competition Secretary – Malaga Province )