Bowls: Bowlers vie for trip to England

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Defending champions Kerry Chapman and Marlene Castle will start as warm favourites to retain their Superbowls titles today.

The event, which has moved from Dunedin's indoor stadium to a new complex at Pukekohe, has attracted some the country's best bowlers, and the winners are guaranteed places in next year's world indoor championships in England.

A win for Chapman in the first round against fellow Aucklander Mike Reid would book him a second-round clash with the winner of the match between young Aucklander Danny Delany and former international Philip Skoglund.

Former Superbowls winner and past New Zealand representative Sid Giddy and former international Ken Walker, who could meet in the second round, appear the strongest contenders in the bottom half of the 14-strong field.

Experienced Millie Khan and Winnie McLelland meet in the best of the two first-round clashes in the women's tournament.

Castle, who has won the Superbowls crown seven times and is the world indoor champion, has a bye into the second round where she will meet Pauline Tall, of Hawkes Bay.