World Short Mat Bowls Championship - Norway, 2026

 

Talented players from the Pembrokeshire  short-mat bowls community continue to compete well at the highest level and in March they made the long round-trip to Norway for the World Championships and once again returned with a gold and bronze, plus a last -eight place in the other competition they entered.
 
League chairman Rhydian Rees, himself a consistently first-class bowler, told PembrokeshireSport.co.uk how proud the short-mat bowls community was of their representatives and we could only agree that they certainly punch well above their weight!
 

Rinks Retain their World Title 

 
The Pembrokeshire Rink of Jonathan Gladstone (Hook), Alan Evans, Andrew Evans and Mikey John (Tavernspite) retained their Rinks World Title in the recent World Championship in Norway.
 
During the group stages, they won 7 of their 9 games, against England, Ireland, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Isle of Man and Canada, losing to Norway and Scotland. In the quarter-finals, they faced the other Welsh rink, winning in extra after being all square after 10 ends. In the semi-finals they beat England and in the final, they beat the Scotland team they had lost to in the group stages.
 
This was a third world title for Jonathan, Alan and Andrew and a second for Mikey, and PembrokeshireSport.co.uk would like to say congratulations to four smashing gentlemen of sport for flying the Pembrokeshire Flag with such distinction over a long period of time!
 

Singles Bronze Medal for Andrew 

 
Andrew Hudson (Hook) won the bronze medal in Norway to add another medal to his already-prestigious list at this highest level of the game. During the group stages, Andrew won 8 of his 9 games, beating England, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Netherlands, Isle of Man, Sweden and Canada, only losing the one game to Belgium. In the quarter-finals, Andrew defeated the Isle of Man, but narrowly losing to Ireland in the semi-finals. This meant a 3rd/4th playoff with Belgium, whom he gained revenge on by winning the bronze medal.
 
Well done Andrew – we had spoken to him prior to departure and he was as modest as ever – but what a bowler he has been for many years!
 

Quarter-finals for Sean in the Pairs

 
Sean Hughes (The Meads) played the pairs competition with his partner from Swansea. The pair won five of their group matches against  the Isle of Man, Canada, Cyprus, Sweden and Norway with defeats against Ireland, Scotland, England and Belgium. Sean played the quarter-finals against Ireland where his journey sadly came to an end.