Rain Washes Out Bowls Event

 Aberdeen City, Sport  No Responses »
Aug 312012
 

With thanks to Dave Macdermid

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The weather was the only winner at the Scottish Disability Sport Lawn Bowls Championships at Westburn Park.
Supported by Sport Aberdeen and Aberdeen Disability Sport, the event has been coming to Aberdeen for over 20 years, with all of the 70 entrants having qualified for the National Championships via regional championships over the summer and travelling from all over Scotland to take part.

Although not a Paralympic sport, bowls will be part of the Para Sport programme at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and many of the hopefuls for the Scottish team were present to make the most of top class play.

During the first session there were some outstanding matches and the teams from Lothian, Fife and Aberdeen were looking especially strong.  Players were competing in sections for wheelchair users, visually impaired bowlers, ambulant bowlers with a physical disability and bowlers with a learning disability and, as the competition reached the quarter final stages, a long torrential downpour stopped play for the day.

Disappointingly, the rain kept falling and the games could not resume, resulting in the 2011 Championship Winners retaining their titles for another year until the bowlers convene in Aberdeen for the 2013 Scottish Disability Sport National Championships.

Organisers would like to thank the 25 local bowlers who volunteered their time to act as markers and umpires at the Championship.

Image credit:  Wikimedia Commons. Licence info: File:Bowls%26Kitty.JPG

 

Busy Sporting Weekend Ahead At Westburn

 Aberdeen City, Sport  No Responses »
Aug 232012
 

London 2012 Paralympic Games fever comes to Aberdeen this weekend, with some top class sporting action in prospect in the centre of Aberdeen. With thanks to Dave Macdermid.

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On Saturday Westburn Park Bowling Centre hosts the Scottish Disability Sport Lawn Bowls Championships.

It is supported by Aberdeen Disability Sport and Sport Aberdeen, with the top 70 bowlers from around the country competing for their respective national titles. Players include members of the Scottish National Squad, ranked second in the world.

Play takes place throughout the day with the finals scheduled for 3.50 p.m. and presentation of prizes at 4.35 p.m.

Westburn’s Indoor Tennis Centre takes centre stage the following day, Sunday, with the inaugural Sport Aberdeen Wheelchair Tennis Tournament, part of the Tennis Foundation Wheelchair Tennis Series.

Four players will play a round robin singles event followed by an exhibition doubles. They are Neil Duncan from Kintore, Richard Craig from Inverurie, David Hogg from Midlothian, and last year’s UK Development Series Champion Keith Thom from Dumfries, who plays at the Winning Wheels Club in Edinburgh.

Andrinne Craig, Disability Sport Regional Manager, believes anyone going along on either day is in for a treat.

“The standard in both the bowling and tennis is extremely high and there are some fantastic games in prospect.

“While bowls is not a Paralympic Sport, it is a para sport at the Commonwealth Games and many of those playing will undoubtedly be at Glasgow 2014. We are also very grateful for the support of 30 local bowlers who volunteer at the event.

“Wheelchair Tennis is a Paralympic sport and Helensburgh’s Gordon Reid will take part in the men’s singles in the Paralympic Games at London 2012, starting on 29th August. Anyone local who is interested can get involved in the weekly coaching at Westburn, every Wednesday between 11 a.m. and noon.”

Entry for spectators at both events is free.

For further information contact Dave Macdermid, dave.macdermid@bigpartnership.co.uk  telephone 07805 436988

Image credit:  Wikimedia Commons. Licence info: File:Bowls%26Kitty.JPG

Users Vote Disability Sports Hub A Success

 Aberdeen City, Sport  No Responses »
Jul 062012
 

Scotland’s first ever Disability Sports Hub, launched in the spring at Aberdeen Sports Village, is proving to be a great success with extremely positive feedback from organisers and users. With thanks to Dave Macdermid.

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The community initiative, run and organised by Scottish Disability Sport (SDS), Sport Aberdeen and Aberdeen Sports Village, supports sportscotland’s contribution to the Scottish Government’s 2014 legacy plan, in creating exciting and innovative approaches to the development of local sporting clubs across Scotland.

The SDS vision is to lead the development of sport and physical recreation for disabled people in Scotland and contribute to UK and international initiatives.

SDS annually organises national events in bowls, athletics, football, swimming, boccia, wheelchair curling and cross country and association branches organise complementary qualifying events.

Andrinne Craig, Scottish Disability Sport’s Regional Manager in Grampian, commented,

“Although it’s still early days, we have been extremely heartened by the feedback from everyone involved, including participants, parents and coaches. Inclusive athletics sessions have been up and running for several weeks, on Wednesday afternoons, and the numbers attending are encouraging.”

These programmes are geared towards developing new and existing sports and helping athlete members to realise their full potential through sport. SDS has a particular commitment to children and young people and to ensuring that it demonstrates best practice in relation to equality.

The Disability Sports Hub offers people with disabilities, and their families and friends, opportunities to participate in a range of recreational activities, tailored to suit all ages and abilities. It will provide a home for a number of inclusive sports clubs and will be a place where participants can attend, try out and get involved in these activities.