Roll up! Roll up! for regional showdown

Port Alfred hosts Inter-Sub Districts Bowls tournament

The Port Alfred Bowling & Croquet Club will host the Inter-Sub Districts Bowls tournament from 15-17 August 2025.

“It is a long awaited opportunity for Port Alfred, and in particular, the Port Alfred Bowling & Croquet Club,” said ladies’ club captain Claire Bell. “Sixteen teams from seven districts will be competing and it promises to be a weekend filled with fierce competition and fun.”

The teams are PE and Districts, East London, Frontier, North-Eastern Districts, Ciskei, Eastern Areas, Midlands. Port Alfred, Kenton, Kowie, Albany and Grahamstown make up the Eastern Districts. The last time Eastern Districts hosted this tournament was 2017, in Makhanda.

“This is really huge and extremely important for Port Alfred and the bowling fraternity in general,” said Bell. “It is an annual event, and each district gets a turn to host the tournament.”

Eastern Areas won the tournament in 2022 and 2023. Last year, Port Elizabeth & District won.

During the tournament, the Border and Eastern Province selectors would be on the lookout during this tournament as they prepared to finalise their respective teams for the 2026 Inter-districts.

“The mini-districts, as we call it, is a vital tournament preparing teams for the Inter-districts.”

Members of the public are welcome.

“Bring your folding chairs and sun hats and enjoy watching some great bowls,” Bell said.
The three-day event starts with the opening ceremony on the greens at 1pm on Friday August 15, with the tournament beginning at 1.30pm.

Later on Friday, at 6.30pm the Inter Sub-District Tournament AGM will be held at the club.
The main sponsors of the tournament are Rosehill Superspar and Tops and Build It;
Christa von Gericke and her dedicated committee are the convenors of the event.

Some SA bowls history
Bowls started in South Africa in 1882 and the first green was laid and a club was founded at St Georges Park in Port Elizabeth. The sport quickly spread through the country. The South African Bowling Association was instituted in 1904 and became the official body for bowls in South Africa. The South African Women’s Bowling Association was formed in 1935, which controlled women’s bowls in South Africa. Today Bowls South Africa has over 23 000 registered members, and almost 513 clubs.