El Cid Bowls Club
Benidoleig
Latest News
VCL - GREAT START FOR EL CID
22nd April - The summer season is now well underway! El Cid welcoming Bonalba for the first round of the Valencian Champions League. What a great result with El Cid taking all 12 points! Both our singles players Tony Bishop and Jill Glastonbury had to fight for their results but pulled away to win in the end. Same applies for our Trips team of Selma Blight, Jimmy Paveling and Yvonne Briden actually going behind late in the game but turning the result around to win. Clear wins for Paul Trunchion and Stewart Beattie in the Pairs and for Jean McLaughlin, Dave Hall, Chris Salter and Alan Phillips in the rinks. Next week sees the return leg at Bonalba on the 29th. Come on El Cid!
Other recent events saw a win for Jill Glastonbury win a fun competition where entrants had a thorough examination of their drawing (bowls!)skills. The competition set up by Paul Trunchion to help celebrate his 65th birthday along with the 70th birthday of Per Deckel! 25 took part in the competition and then including guests 35 moved on to the restaurant for a one course meal. Happy to report one of the better ones we have had recently! Many thanks to Max, Dima,Valeria and Alina for their preparations and service.
The first round of the Singles League organised by Alan Phillips has ended with the top division won by Greg Sperring, the second division won by Alan Phillips and the third by Adrian Cowdrey. With even more members entering the second round of matches we now have 4 divisions for the new round.
Next major event is of course the J and J 2 Wood Pairs taking place on the 4th and 5th May. The entries are full but we could do with some reserves! If interested please contact Stewart Beattie (now Club President!) on telephone. 687055033
NORTH V SOUTH PLAY OFF
31st March - In a repeat of last years final it was El Cid ,the Northern League Champions v Greenlands the Southern League Champions and again our hosts were Bonalba. This year the authorities agreed the match format would be 4 Triples(5 Triples last year). This still an increase of one over the normal 3 triples games played each week during the season. With 5 of the Champions Knights team away including their Captain Stewart Beattie the Templars and Cavaliers came to the rescue. Sadly it was a case of so near so far for the El Cid team. Some fantastic matches and even down to the 18th end of one match the overall result still in doubt! A fantastic 20-10 win for Jean McLaughlin, Bernard Power and Chris Salter. Paul Trunchion, Jeff Stevens, Dave Hall although picking up 8 shots in the last 5 ends still losing by 3. Once again a tough draw for Greg Sperring this time playing with Christina Harris and Tania Rivers. As in the recent Premier 20 final (which El Cid WON!!)he was drawn against Peter Bonsor. There was only 2 shots in it after 11 ends but sadly they dropped away to lose 20-11. That left it to Selma Blight, Tony Bishop and Yvonne Briden to try and take the match to a sudden death play off as overall shots not involved. They went into the last end 3 behind and despite a fantastic shot to kill the end from Yvonne they could only then pick up a single shot and lose 17-15. CONGRATULATIONS TO GREENLANDS - OVERALL LEAGUE CHAMPÌONS 2026. Trophy presented to their Captain Carol Stobbart by Knights Vice Captain Paul Trunchion and Roil Bell from Bonalba. It was great to see a number of supporters travel down from El Cid and most stayed for lunch as well! That said the food all day was free! With Christina and Paul sponsoring the bacon rolls and the club paying for the lunch!
Once again a massive thank you to everyone at Bonalba. Every member of the El Cid team enjoying bacon rolls before the game and soup and sandwich afterwards. Not to mention those evilly delicious cakes were available again! We love playing at Bonalba!!
Next up it will be the Valencian Champions League and of course our J and J Open 2 Wood Pairs on the 4th and 5th May. Fantastic news in that Vives Pons have just agreed to sponsor this competition. The entry is now full!
EL CID PREMIER 20 CHAMPIONS
El Cid travelled to Bonalba Bowls Club to take on Greenlands in the Premier 20 Final, a repeat of last years Final, which we lost! The weather was sunny and our hosts, Bonalba, were wonderful as ever.
The first 2 matches to finish were the Singles, with Paul winning 21-14 and Alan losing 21-14, so honours even.
Our Rinks teams, Skipped by Yvonne Briden and Dave Hall, led for most of their matches and both ended with comfortable wins.
The shot difference was always fairly close across the board, so eyes were on the Pairs and Triples matches. It looked like Stewart and Richard were going to win but the opposition Skip took the Jack into the ditch on the last end and picked up 5 shots to gain a draw. The other Pairs team saw Chris and Jean battle to the end but sadly lose.
The Triples saw Jack’s team drop 5 on the first end but they battled well and although they lost, the difference was just a solitary shot, a really great effort. We were now leading and just needed Greg, Jeff and Christina to hold on to their slender lead on the last end, which they did!
The final match score was 9-7 and El Cid were Champions. Well done to everyone who contributed to another success for our Club and a massive thank you to our supporters who came to watch.
CLUB CHAMPIONS 2026
CONGRATULATIONS to all this years CHAMPIONS!
CLUB CHAMPION - TONY BISHOP
GENTS SINGLES - TONY BISHOP
LADIES SINGLES - VELIA WOOD
DRAWN MIXED SINGLES - PAUL TRUNCHION
RINKS - JEAN MCLAUGHLIN, VELIA WOOD, TREFOR EVANS, CHRIS SALTER
TRIPLES - RICHARD WARRILOW, JILL GLASTONBURY,STEWART BEATTIE
GENTS PAIRS - TREFOR EVANS AND JACK WARDROP
LADIES PAIRS - HAZEL BROWN AND YVONNE BRIDEN
AUSTRALIAN PAIRS - TREFOR EVANS AND CHRIS SALTER
MIXED PAIRS - CHRISTINA HARRIS AND GREG SPERRING
This year the trophy for Most Improved Player chosen by the Club Captain Stewart Beattie went to TANIA RIVERS
The presentations took place in the restaurant at El Cid after the Singles finals on Saturday afternoon. A fantastic turn out of members to support the finals and presentations which included tapas and a drink! Thanks given to Alan and Jan Phillips for their excellent running of the Championships . Photos of all winners are now on this website in the section headed "Championship Winners!"
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