FOUR of Guernsey’s top bowlers have left for the Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championships in Melbourne. Linda Robilliard, Mick Prigent, Derek Tomlin and Michelle Ward are to do battle with 17 other countries, including Australia, England, India, New Zealand and Jersey.

The Sarnian bowlers all qualified after making their way through two preliminary rounds and a final.

‘I think it’s going to be very good,’ said Ward prior to departure.

‘I’m looking forward to it very much. I’m looking forward to meeting the other competitors.’

Melbourne was the scene of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in March and this will be the third time that the tenpin-bowling equivalent has taken place. The biennial event first took place in Stirling, Scotland, in 2002 and the most recent one in 2004 was in Cyprus. Guernsey were involved in both competitions.

The 52-year-old Ward, who is this year’s island champion, represented Guernsey in the 2003 European Championships in Vienna.

‘The ones I’ve been to are very friendly,’ she said.

‘It’s a very good experience playing at these tournaments.’

The action kicks off on Sunday and goes on until 9 July. The Guernsey team will play up to six matches a day in the early stages.

The competition is taking place at the newly constructed Altona Oztenpin Bowl, 15 minutes from the heart of Melbourne.

The centre is state-of-the-art with the latest KEGEL lane-oiling technology, Brunswick Anvilane synthetic lanes, textured approaches, pins and GS-X machines. Ward believes these conditions will take some getting used to.

‘Hopefully, we will do OK. We’re going down there to do our best. It’s winter down there, so it’s not going to be too hot.’