BOGNOR ARE CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN
Champions we are and our bowlers are claiming International status for winning the 1st FOUNDATION CUP and now Bognor Regis Bowls Tourists have the Won the 1st REGIS TROPHY at PEDRAS da RAINHA Bowling Club, in CABANAS, ALGARVE, PORTUGAL.
THE BOGNOR REGIS ALGARVE BOWLS TOUR SEPT 28TH to OCT 5TH 2010.
Having hired three mini buses every morning we loaded up and got on our way to the match of the day. We were very lucky and had three very able drivers who knew their way around in a very capable manner, (It pays to have a semi local on board in the form of Norman!) Every day was a delight, the weather was great with the sun shining and blue skies all the way. The greens were in very good condition except for one but we still managed to win the match overall, you just had to make sure that every wood was a straight wood!
Ronald Eastland who took his team to victory ealier this year in the 1st ever Foundation Cup match making it a double, by taking his team to become the first ever team to win the Regis Trophy at the Pedras Lawn Bowls Club.
Not only does he do the double but, he leads his team to another victory in the Pedras Open for the second year, winning £80 worth of Mark's & Spencer vouchers. Congratulations to Ron and his team.
We ventured into Spain to play at the prestigious Canela Lawn Bowls Club where the green looked and played like top grade Wilton or Axminster carpet. After the match which we won, our drivers very generously offered to take us to Monte Gardo for lunch and sight seeing. Some ladies were very happy to do the shops and some decided that a long lunch plus time on the esplanade soaking up the rays allowing the vino to do its business( catching 40 winks!) was a better option.
Jonathan, one of our drivers, very bravely offered to take nine ladies into Loule, after one of the matches, so that we could go and purchase some new bowling shoes which Jane and Rita had bought the year before. We only were allowed to put one hours parking on the meter and whilst Jonathan sat and had a quiet coffee, we ventured into the shoe shop. We left the shop with bags of different coloured shoes, and nearly £200 lighter between us , and the shop keeper a very happy lady.
We always managed to get back in time for a refreshing drink around the pool and discuss the merits of which restaurant to go to that night. Fortunately for the restaurants we decided to split up into small groups otherwise mayhem would have been the order of the night.
We had a very good Gala Dinner and Dance with about 150 people in attendance. The chef at Padras managed to feed all of us with a great four course dinner and as the wine flowed the conversation and laughter got very noisy. Some people didn't get back to their villas to 2am. Breakfast the next day was a quiet affair.