BOWLS
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Corrimal bowls co-ordinator Brett Pieper is chasing an historic third straight Illawarra singles title with the blue-ribbon championship event beginning on Saturday.
In a big weekend for zone 16, bowlers aged over 60 will compete for the Illawarra senior singles crown, while a big field of grade five to grade seven pennant players are chasing the president's reserve singles title.
In the open singles, Towradgi, Thirroul, Wiseman Park, Dapto Citizens and Windang bowling clubs will host opening round matches on Saturday, with Towradgi the headquarters and host for the July 12 final.
Defending champion Pieper faces a tough first round match against the 2000 singles champion, Oak Flats' Paul Woods at Windang BC.
The winner takes on either Adam Rodgers (Kiama) or Robbie Glenn (Warilla) in round two. A year ago Pieper became the first zone 16 player since Alan Horsfall in 1976 and 1977 to claim consecutive Illawarra Singles titles after beating David Wakeling (Towradgi Park) in the final at Dapto Citizens BC.
Pieper, along with Fred Lewis - who won five Illawarra Singles titles for Austinmer from 1959-69 - and three-time winner Horsfall are the only back-to-back singles victors in 60 years of the championship.
Most of the biggest names in Illawarra bowls have entered the open singles in a bid to represent zone 16 at the state finals at Ettalong Memorial BC in October.
Former Scottish international Graeme Archer (Figgy Bowlo) will play in his first Illawarra singles and takes on Fairy Meadow's Peter Grubb in round one.
Warilla's Jeremy Henry was the standout player in zone 16 championships last year and has a bye in round one before taking on David Robinson (Windang) in round two at Wiseman Park BC.
Top first round match-ups are James Jones (Thirroul) against Glen Beckford (Figgy Bowlo), Danyon Christie (Fairy Meadow) v Shane Garvey (Wiseman Park) and Damien Lateo (Towradgi) v Greg Jeans (Warilla). In round two, Towradgi's Wes Falconer takes on his Illawarra representative teammate Steve Haines (Wiseman Park) and Corrimal's Reagan Marmont faces Warilla's Jared Hamilton in a stand-out match.
Rounds three and four are on Sunday at Warilla, Albion Park and Dapto Citizens bowling clubs.
Warilla's defending champion Geoff McGillivray is the man to beat in the senior singles which begins at Woonona, Bellambi, Fairy Meadow, Figgy Bowlo, Dapto and Woonona bowling club this weekend.
McGillivray takes on Towradgi's Greg Jones in the opening round at Dapto BC on Saturday morning.
In other top first round matches, Towradgi's Les Reese meets club-mate Brian Purdie, Ted Clarke (Warilla) faces Stuart Ellem (Dapto Citizens) and former state singles champion Rick Malley (Windang) meets Jeff Berthaly (Dapto) in round one. The final is at Corrimal BC on July 11.
Meanwhile, in club news, Australian Indoor champion David Holt and Graeme Archer are holding a Henselite demo day at Figgy Bowlo next Wednesday at noon.
Holt is Australia's top-ranked player, while Archer has made a great impression since joining Figgy Bowlo as their bowls co-ordinator.