National Bowling Arm Sides Championship Update:
Bowls Tasmania has today taken the disappointing decision to postpone the National Bowling Arm Sides Championship due to be held at the Devonport Country Club until a yet to be determined later date.
State Bowling Arm Coordinator, Ian Williams released a full statement earlier today.
See below:
As foreshadowed recently the organising committee for the upcoming Bowling Arm National Titles in Tasmania met at the Devonport Country Club this morning (15 July) to consider the ongoing arrangements for the event.
The stage of organising has been reached where the end of the month (30 July) is a critical deadline to finalise matters such as printing, ordering of tournament badges and medallions, commencement of certain capital works at the Country Club designed to enhance the experience of those taking part in the Titles, invitation of guests and VIPs, arrangements for live streaming and ceremony presenters, etc. A number of these actions will require not insignificant financial outlay.
While Tasmania has been Covid-19 free for some time, the Committee has been very aware of the pandemic developments on the mainland and has been closely monitoring the situation on a daily basis. Unsure how these developments will play out, the Committee has consciously delayed initiating the above actions.
As of last night, New South Wales has imposed a comprehensive two-week lockdown to help control the spread of the disease, with some suggesting that it there is a strong possibility that it will need to extend well beyond that; Covid-19 infections are occurring in Victoria and Queensland; Western Australia has imposed border entry restrictions (involving strict and costly quarantine provisions), as has Tasmania. Frankly, the Committee cannot foresee this situation improving much over the next couple of weeks and leading up to and beyond the Titles.
For this reason, and to minimise the inconvenience and costs to all that a later decision might entail, the Committee has decided that the Titles at Devonport should now be postponed until a later date. The Committee is of the view that, having regard to its duty of care, this is the right decision in the circumstances. We seek your understanding accordingly.
Given the detailed arrangements undertaken for the Titles ( which at this stage can be carried forward to a future date) Bowls Tasmania and the Devonport Country Club would be more than happy to host the Titles in September 2022, if Western Australia opted not to do so.
It is with extreme reluctance that I convey this development.
Regards,
Ian Williams
State Bowling Arm Co-ordinator
Tasmania
P.S., Since this advice was penned Victoria has gone into a State-wide lockdown, to which Tasmania has responded by closing its border to that State.
