Local umpire bound for Commonwealth Games

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Local umpire bound for Commonwealth Games

INVERLOCH Bowls Club’s Lorraine Dowson will be jet setting to the Gold Coast in April to umpire the Commonwealth Games.
Lorraine is an international umpire, which qualified her to apply for the Games. She was the only Gippsland umpire selected.
Five selectors chose the umpiring panel based on previous work and international experience. Lorraine has umpired the Australian Open for six years and the Victorian Open for five years. She has also worked for World Bowls.
Locally, she bowled with the Inverloch Bowls Club and recently umpired the midweek pennant finals.
The Commonwealth Games is the pinnacle for bowls umpires, and Lorraine is looking forward to the challenges it will present.
“It will be completely different to what I’m used to. Usually, bowls competitions are open and spectators have the opportunity to sit close to watch. It will be a secure facility at the Games; it will be a different atmosphere with spectators up in the stands,” she said.
“I am looking forward to the standard of bowling. It will be a cut above anything I’ve ever been to.”
Bowls will take place at Broadbeach Bowls Club during the Games.
Lorraine was previously a golfer, but when she discovered bowls she never looked back.
Her personal achievements on the bowling green include winning Club Championships and Mixed Pairs Championships at the Inverloch Bowls Club.
She puts her hand up for all events and is also on the board at Bowls Victoria.
“I love the skill involved and I like the companionship at bowls. We see it all the time with Corporate Bowls and Barefoot Bowls; people give it a go and have a whale of a time. It really is an enjoyable atmosphere,” she said.
Lorraine said she is somewhere in between nervous and excited to umpire the games. Play gets underway on Thursday, April 5.

Top honours: Lorraine Dowson will be umpiring lawn bowls at the Commonwealth Games in April. She was the only Gippsland umpire selected.

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Posted by on Mar 14 2018. Filed under Sport. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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