Quebec lawn bowlers sweep Governor General’s and Rose Bowl events
Quebec lawn bowlers delivered a dominant performance in Almonte, Ontario, on September 5, sweeping the 96th annual Governor General’s and Rose Bowl competitions and bringing home every major trophy.
Front row from left: Wayne Sossin, Ben Paré, Steve Beckett, and Michael Strauss. Back row Robert Devine, Ryan Craig, David Smith, and Denis Kubat.
Front row from left: Denise Stodja, Voula Vassilounis, Johanne Ducap, and Suja Craig.
Back row Lesley Mohan, Pam Morris, Carolyn McGarr, Mo Cox, and Gail Routley.
Quebec lawn bowlers delivered a dominant performance in Almonte, Ontario, on September 5, sweeping the 96th annual Governor General’s and Rose Bowl competitions and bringing home every major trophy.
Eighteen of Quebec’s top players earned their spots through summer qualifying events and then completed the clean sweep against their Ontario counterparts.
In the women’s fours, both Quebec teams captured top honours in the Rose Bowl, with teams skipped by Pointe Claire’s Voula Vassilounis and Pointe Claire’s Johanne Ducap taking the titles. Carolyn McGarr (Pierrefonds), Denise Stodja (Pierrefonds) and Gail Routley (Pointe-Claire) won with Vassilounis while Ducap was joined by Mo Cox (Pierrefonds), Lesley Mohan (Westmount Lawn Bowling and Croquet Club) and Pam Morris (Pointe-Claire formally WLBCC) in hoisting the trophy.
The men matched that performance, with Quebec’s A and B teams winning the Willingdon Cup. Team A was Ryan Craig (Pierrefonds), David Smith (Pierrefonds), Ben Paré (Pointe-Claire) and Robert Devine (St-Lambert). Team B was comprised by all Westmount Lawn Bowling and Croquet Club members Michael Strauss, Denis Kubat, Wayne Sossin and Steve Beckett
Quebec also dominated the novice divisions. Suja Craig of Pierrefonds won the women’s novice singles, while André Landry of St-Lambert captured the men’s title.
The results were particularly meaningful for Westmount, with several championship-winning players either residents or members of the Westmount Lawn Bowling and Croquet Club.
The sweep highlights the growing strength of lawn bowling in Quebec in a sport where strategy, skill and camaraderie bring generations together. The achievement also sets the stage for an important milestone next summer, when the Westmount club celebrates its 125th anniversary, continuing its long tradition as a centre of sporting and social life in the community. n