Bowlers gear up for Accumulo

The 2016 Accumulo Bowls Festival was recently launched at the Bedfordview Country Club.

Participants from across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia have been invited to participate in the challenge and festival.

The competition field incorporates all bowlers of all standards from league or social players, to provincial and national Protea bowlers.

The Accumulo Rainbow Trips also includes bowlers in wheelchairs, sighted or visually impaired, able-bodied or physically disabled, young, adult, senior of any race or gender.

All will come together in August 2016 to compete in one of the three Bowls Challenges to be run over three consecutive weekends. More than 380 competitors will take part in this prestigious lawn bowls festival.

The competition raises funds for cancer (both breast – Pink Drive and testicular – More Balls Than Most) as well as for disability sport and various other services.

This year, the competition consists of three different events, namely:

r The Accumulo Holland Qualifier from August 13 to August 14.

r The Accumulo Challenge from August 19 to August 21.

r The Accumulo Rainbow Trips from August 27 to August 28.

The Accumulo Challenge initiative started about six years ago and, over the years, it was expanded to incorporate The Accumulo Holland 10s.

An integral part of the challenge is to promote greater awareness around male and female cancers, by driving a fundraiser challenge that runs in parallel to the tournaments.

Last year, these two competitions raised over R500 000 for the Pink Drive and More Balls Than Most.

The Rainbow Trips aims to promote transformation in the sport.

Transformation in this respect is that of colour, combination and competence, all competing on an equal footing in a seeded format of sections.

This year, the New Look Festival will prove to be very exciting.

Accumulo, aided by Mr Fonny Meyeridricks and Ms Desiree Levin of Lombardy East Bowling Club, has incorporated the Lombardy East Rainbow Trips now known as The Accumulo Rainbow Trips.

Teams will consist of an able-bodied bowler, a visually-impaired or physically disabled bowler and a young bowler.

The number of invited entries has doubled and the transformation participation has increased to almost 60 percent.

In addition, the prize money has been doubled. The combined target for this year’s Accumulo Fundraiser Challenges has been set at R700 000.

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