Big Country Lanes hosted the open trials for the BC North team, which could compete in the National Bowling championship in Gatineau, Que., in June. The bowling alley has only been opened for two years under the new ownership.
“We’re basically a brand new business,” said co-owner Sherree Bryan. “This is just our second full season of bowling here and to be given the opportunity to host the event is quite the honour.”
The open trials involved people from 100 Mile House, Williams Lake and Quesnel. Usually, the host centre is Hypertension Escape Lanes in Dawson Creek but instead of having people drive ten hours from the aforementioned three areas, Bowl BC decided on allowing the three communities to play what they call a telephone hook up.
On Jan. 20 hopeful players played eight games in Big Country Lanes and then go to Williams Lake the next day and play eight more. Bowlers from Dawson Creek, Terrace and Fort. St. John also played their own series during the same weekend.
After the open trials are complete, the top six men and top six women make the teams competing in the provincial tournament in Burnaby during the Easter weekend, giving them a chance to compete in the National Championship.
“Larry [Richet] and Kevin [McAlpine] made the team last year,” said Bryan “We did the provincials in Prince George, so all the centres in all of BC competed in Prince George that year and they won that and they went off to Sudbury, Ont., and they competed there for the national championship. They came in the fourth, I believe.”
Richet, the president of Big Country Lanes, made the men’s team this year and will be also competing in the singles division.