Kellie Bowles is a leading contributor to Western District success at regional and state level.
THE Western District Bowls Division is in the midst of its best season on the regional stage in years.
Six WDBD individuals and teams have claimed top honours in West Coast Bowls Region finals to progress to Bowls Victoria state championships.
The dominance started with Port Fairy’s Jim Lowe, who won the over 60s men’s singles in October.
A composite team of Neville Lynch, Colin Jensen, Phil Hawker (Warrnambool) and Bill Tory (City Memorial) was next, winning the men’s fours in December.
Another four WDBD teams added their names to the honour roll at the weekend.
Kellie Bowles and Pat Boyd (Warrnambool) won the women’s pairs, Bowles claimed the women’s singles and Barry Crimmin (Warrnambool) won the men’s singles.
Maureen Drennan (Dennington), Dorothy Gleeson and Val Hassell (City Memorial) also claimed the women’s triples.
There are 20 regional titles up for grabs during the summer season, with 15 completed.
WDBD bowlers are strong chances for success in the remaining five, which would take the WDBD haul to 11 — a possible record.
West Coast Bowls Region secretary Ron Horne said he was struggling to remember as successful a season at regional level.
“At the moment we’ve completed 15 events and we (WDBD) have had region champions in six of them,” he said.
“If we didn’t win, in the majority of events being played we were runners-up.
“We’ve won six and we’ve been runners-up in every other one of them other than the over 60 women’s singles.
“As a division we’re excelling this year. Last year we had seven winners go off to state competition.
“This year we’ve got six and events still to complete. We’re going pretty well.”
Bowles, one of Warrnambool’s finest lawn bowls exponents, is enjoying one of her best seasons on the green.
She already has two regional titles to her name and can add a third in the women’s fours on February 14.
Bowles is also in contention for the division champion of champions singles title, which wraps up this weekend.
“Kellie Bowles could potentially play in the champion of champions singles, the fours, the singles and the pairs at state level,” Horne said.
“Barry Crimmin is the same. He’s a chance to be in the singles and the champion of champions singles.”