Sparc helps Bowls NZ gear up for Melbourne '06

Sport and Recreation New Zealand (Sparc) is to invest $669,000 in Bowls New Zealand's high performance programme to June 2006, with a particular focus on the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in March next year.

Bowls New Zealand will also receive $378,000 over a two-year period for their sport development programme and a further $100,000 will go toward a Director of Coaching position at Bowls NZ over the same period.

Bowls New Zealand athletes and coaches will also have access to $178,900 this year through Prime Minister's athlete scholarships and performance enhancement grants. Carded athletes and coaches receive sport science and sport medicine support through the New Zealand Academy of Sport.

Sparc CEO Nick Hill said that Bowls New Zealand's consistently strong performance in recent years had been a major reason behind their increase in funding.

"We have high hopes for bowls at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games and we're confident they will win medals for New Zealand," said Hill.