The Isle of Man Short Mat Bowls team compete at the World Championships in Belfast next weekend. Representing the Island in the triples is a full house of Marown BC members. Father and son duo Colin and Tom Kelly and Paul Dunn. Colin is a well known face as a local postman and also on the crown green circuit, having won plenty of titles on and off island. He now has all the equipment at home to engrave trophies, as it was costing too much to get all of his done at the local engravers. Colin’s son Tom is also known to reach a few finals at crown green bowls and since he has started playing short mat he has also added those to his finals list, he just recently won the Morton Hall singles league. Tom will keep the lads on the right track as he knows where he’s heading. His days are spent teaching Geography at QEII so hopefully they won’t get lost in Belfast. Skipping this triples is Paul, better known as Dunner. This will be Dunners first World Championships. But he isn’t a newcomer to playing bowls at a top level. I’m pretty sure this guy was born with a bowl in his hand. Along with our singles player Nev, these two took home nearly all the pairs trophies last season at the crown green competitions. In fact I’ve just heard he’s buying a new house as he needs a bigger trophy room. Dunners partner Tash and puppy Denzil the rottie spend most weekends supporting him around the greens and if dogs were allowed I’m sure they both would have been in Belfast supporting too. 

Our other Triples team consists of two newcomers to the game this season Richard Bregazzi and Steven Rough along with skip Jayne Smith. Although new to the game of short mat bowls Rough and Bregazzi are keen crown green bowlers at Marown BC and can be found in their free time on the green. Rough also spends a lot of his free time on the other green surface as he’s a keen golfer. Whilst Bregazzi prefers the faster more adrenaline paced sport cycling, where he is currently riding out on the roads abroad. Skipping this triples is Smith, who’s the President of the Manx Short Mat Bowls Association. Smith has had a busy season setting up a new short mat club in Douglas, where they have been playing on a Friday afternoon at the New Roundhouse Sport Centre in Braddan and on a Sunday at the NSC. When not bowling Smith is usually found in a field tending to her Horses, Goats and Chickens or helping out at Onchan Raceway Stock Cars where her son, daughter in law and grandson all race. 

We wish all our player the best competing in next weeks 2024 World Championships in Belfast.