The World Short Mat Championships were held in Belfast between March 15th and 17th. A team of twenty bowlers represented Canada, six of them from our club.
Canada continues to improve every time we compete at the World Championships. In 2023 Canada recorded two wins. This year it was 15 wins and one tied game.
The stand out performance was by Peter Stuart-Sheppard playing with Gary Pickering of Niagara Falls. They won six of their ten games beating Belgium, India, Isle of Man, Ireland, Germany and Scotland. They finished fifth in their group.
Martin Foxhall and Bill McCollam were playing fours with Fred Wallbank and David Llewellyn from Port Credit and recorded wins against Belgium and Sweden. They came very close to beating England but lost 7-8.
The Cobourg triples team of Louisa Arthur, John MacKenzie and Bill Arthur did not fare as well and were not able to record a win. Their best performances came against the better teams and unfortunately their worst performances were against teams they should have been able to beat. They came very close to beating Sweden but lost by one point.
Once again it was a great experience to represent Canada on the world stage and to meet many nice people and play against some great bowlers. The Cobourg players were fine representatives of Canada and Cobourg and special congratulations go to Peter Stuart-Sheppard.
The next championships will be in Norway in 2026 and then in Canada in 2028.
Bill Arthur
Canada continues to improve every time we compete at the World Championships. In 2023 Canada recorded two wins. This year it was 15 wins and one tied game.
The stand out performance was by Peter Stuart-Sheppard playing with Gary Pickering of Niagara Falls. They won six of their ten games beating Belgium, India, Isle of Man, Ireland, Germany and Scotland. They finished fifth in their group.
Martin Foxhall and Bill McCollam were playing fours with Fred Wallbank and David Llewellyn from Port Credit and recorded wins against Belgium and Sweden. They came very close to beating England but lost 7-8.
The Cobourg triples team of Louisa Arthur, John MacKenzie and Bill Arthur did not fare as well and were not able to record a win. Their best performances came against the better teams and unfortunately their worst performances were against teams they should have been able to beat. They came very close to beating Sweden but lost by one point.
Once again it was a great experience to represent Canada on the world stage and to meet many nice people and play against some great bowlers. The Cobourg players were fine representatives of Canada and Cobourg and special congratulations go to Peter Stuart-Sheppard.
The next championships will be in Norway in 2026 and then in Canada in 2028.
Bill Arthur