World Champion of Champions draw confirmed
Anneke Scheepers and Wayne Roberts have been handed difficult draws ahead of the World Champion of Champions in New Zealand.
South Africa are part of the thirty-one nations from around the world that will be competing for a world title in the men’s and women’s singles at the 2024 World Champion of Champions.
The competition takes place from November 25-30 at Browns Bay Bowling Club in Auckland, New Zealand.
Thirty men and twenty-six women competing at one of the premier clubs in North Harbour which celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2023.
SA’s Anneke Scheepers will face a tough section which includes England, Malaysia, Malta and the defending champion USA’s Anne Nunes.
Scheepers is fresh of her African States Tournament gold medal performance.
Among the field of entrants is new World Bowls Series number one ranked male player Malaysia’s Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple. And as fate would have it, South Africa’s number one Wayne Roberts is in the same section.
All eyes will no double be on the 34-year-old Malaysian – can he win gold and emulate his success at the indoor event earlier this year when he was a silver medallist in the men’s singles?
He faces strong competition from British Isles Championships’ men’s singles winner Ross Owen, who will be looking to take the title back to Wales for the second year in a row following Daniel Salmon’s victory in 2023.
Like Scheepers, Roberts is not only the national champion but also the African States Tournament champion following his title defence last month.
In the women’s event, USA’s Anne Nunes, champion at this event 12 months ago in Australia, is back to defend her crown. Can she make history by becoming the first player since the event began in 2003 to retain one of the most sought-after world titles?
It should be noted that New Zealand’s legendary Jo Edwards has won the event twice – in 2011 and 2018.
One of the stars in the women’s line-up undoubtedly is the aforementioned Dzulkeple’s teammate Nor Farah Ain Abdullah.
As number two in the World Bowls Series rankings, she will be a tough opponent who will be looking to achieve a rare feat – being double indoor and outdoor World Bowls champion of champions gold medallist if successful.
Also bidding for glory will be Ireland’s British Isles Championship’s women’s singles gold medallist Sarah Kelly, England’s Stef Branfield, attending the event for a second time, and Malta’s Connie Rixon – a silver medallist in the indoor champion of champions in Guernsey just seven months ago.
It’s the sixth time New Zealand has hosted the prestigious tournament and this year’s hopes for local success lie with Aiden Takarua and Leeane Poulson, the latter fresh from success in the women’s pairs at Singapore’s Lion City Cup which saw her leap to 17th in the WBS rankings.
The Champion of Champions is one of the forthcoming WBS events and carries platinum points.
World Bowls CEO Neil Dalrymple said: “Thank you very much to the Browns Bay Bowling Club and Bowls New Zealand for hosting the 2024 event. Their support (and those of their staff and volunteers) enables these events to be staged in a professional manner and this is important for the players competing.
“I am looking forward to witnessing the competition and whilst a World title is up for grabs, World ranking points can also be gained as this event is a World Bowls Series (WBS) platinum event so maximum ranking points can be achieved.
“As we near the end of the calendar year, the WBS is gaining momentum and interest from players all over the world and this event could very much shape who will end up as our World No.1 female and male players at years end.”
