Below is everything you need to know for your visit to the Aviva National Finals. From start times to transport, we’ve got you covered.
We’re pleased to announce that all 18 days of the Aviva National Finals (10 – 27 August) will be streamed online, and available for everyone to view free of charge. Thanks to principal partner, Aviva, streaming will take place across the entire event, with one match from every session made available to watch online. Over 40 matches will be available to watch, with the stream including live commentary and interviews from an array of players. Matches played on A green will be streamed, and fans can stay up-to-date with the action across the venue by utilising our updated live streaming platform.
Victoria Park is in the heart of Royal Leamington Spa making it easily accessible both by car and public transport methods. If you’re coming by car, follow signage for Victoria Park. For those using a sat-nav, the postcode for the park is CV31 3PH. However, those travelling North bound on the M40 and exit on Junction 13, entering Leamington Spa via the A452 Europa Way, roadworks are forecast from 31.07.23 to 11.08.23. Click here for more information and how to avoid the road works. If you plan on coming by train, Leamington Spa Railway Station is a 12-minute (0.6 mile) walk away from Victoria Park. If you’re travelling via bus, Royal Leamington Spa has a number of bus routes that stop within walking distance of Victoria Park.
Parking is available at the event from 7:30am to 1 hour after play. The fee of car parking is £5 per day . The entrance to the car park is situated off the roundabout under the railway bridge between Princes Drive (CV31 3PH) and Park Drive. To avoid any penalties please ensure your vehicle has been removed by one hour after the close of play. There is limited amount of parking for Blue Badge holders in the event car park, drop-off facility is offered on Archery Road. Strictly no parking allowed on Archery Road for non-residents.
Entry into the event will open from 8am. Gates will not be open before this time as the staff and volunteers have to prepare the venue. Gates will close 30 mins after the close of play. A daily schedule will be released in due course. Please ensure you have your tickets ready before entering the venue and printed or digital tickets will be accepted upon entry. Ticket holders are welcome to exit and return to the event throughout the day. Once exited, entry will be back around at the main gates of the event.
There will be a number of food and drink outlets for spectators within the Fan Zone, with vegetarian and vegan options available. The food and drink outlets will be open from 8am through to early evening. We are delighted to welcome Farmers Fayre this year who will be providing locally sourced food and drink produce. We will also see a return of Mister V this year. You can bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks into the venue and there will be water coolers available to use on site.
We will be running dedicated sessions for club volunteers each day at the Aviva National Finals featuring topics such as club funding, recruitment, coaching, umpiring and greens maintenance presented by a number of specialist speakers. Spaces are limited, so click here to book your slot and avoid disappointment. We also have our retail village where you can browse a range of merchandise, and visit our partners – pop to see Riviera Travel for the chance to win a River Cruise! Packed with exclusive interviews, draws, event information and more, our event programme is the perfect souvenir. Programmes can be purchased from the dedicated programme stands for just £5.
We recommend buying your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment and make great savings. However, tickets will be available on the gate but expect long queues and increased ticket prices. For the first time ever, we are offering a VIP package. Want to know what is included? Click here. Please note, tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable. See below for ticket prices at the Aviva National Final 2023.
Get ready for a thrilling two weeks of bowls action at the Aviva National Finals! The competition promises to deliver exciting match-ups and moments of high drama. From the mixed pairs to the junior singles, with everything in between, the competition will be fierce and the excitement will be electric. Below is a rundown of everything you can expect from each day at the Aviva National Finals.
Thursday 10th August | Day One – The Nationals Start Right Here!
The 2023 National Finals begin with some singles and fours action! Both the Men’s Singles and Women’s Fours qualifiers begin their journey towards what – they hope – is glory! Edward Morris (Essex County BC, Essex) was the Men’s Singles Champions in 2022, whilst Carters Park BC in Lincolnshire claimed the Women’s Fours title.
Friday 11th August | Day Two – Family Fortunes!
The second day of action sees the Family Pairs get underway. Men’s Singles & Women’s Fours continue ahead of the Finals over the weekend. Clubs also begin play in the Men’s Club Two Fours and Tony Allcock Trophy.
Saturday 12th August | Day Three – Super Saturday I
Our first Super Saturday of the Finals and it’s a cracker! Seven sensational finals take place, the winners of the Men’s Singles and Women’s Fours will be decided. The finals of the Men’s Club Two Fours, Tony Allcock Trophy and Family Pairs take place. The Juniors enter the fray with the finals of the White Rose Trophy and the Amy Rose Bowl. Finally, we are delighted to host the Disability Bowls England North v South challenge with the winner claiming the Maggie Smith MBE shield to round off an incredible day of sport in Leamington.
Sunday 13th August | Day Four – Take Two… maybe Three!
Sunday will see the Men’s Pairs and Women’s Triples commence. Who will follow in the title-winning footsteps of Lewis Baker and Nick Brett (Brampton BC, Huntingdonshire) in the Men’s Pairs and Denise Hodd, Rachel Mackriell & Nina Allbut (Polegrove BC, Sussex) in the Women’s Triples.
Monday 14th August | Day Five – Pairs’ Paradise
Monday arrives and another packed day of action begins! The Men’s Pairs and Women’s Triples continues where it left off on Sunday, and elsewhere the Men’s & Women’s Junior Pairs will see some of the future stars of the sport competing for a national title.
Tuesday 15th August | Day Six – Champions’ Welcome
We’ll be in the presence of Champions at Victoria Park as the Men’s and Women’s Champion of Champions competitions begin. Participants in the Women’s Triples, Men’s and Women’s Junior Pairs continue their push for titles. The Women’s Pairs starts while the Men’s Pairs champions will be decided!
Wednesday 16th August | Day Seven – Winners’ Wednesday
What. A. Day.
Winners’ Wednesday has everything – five finals spread across the schedule, and the promise of some incredible bowls action. Most notably, the Men’s and Women’s Champion of Champions titles, won by Harry Goodwin (Appleyard BC, Kent) and Julie Leake (Poole Park BC, Dorset) in 2022, will be awarded – as well as the Women’s Triples and Junior Pairs for both Men and Women. Elsewhere the Women’s Pairs continues and Mixed Pairs get underway.
Thursday 17th August | Day Eight – A Mixed Bag
Two of our Mixed competitions take place as the Mixed Pairs reaches its climax and the Mixed Fours begins! Elsewhere at Victoria Park, Women’s Pairs and Men’s Triples action hots up as we near their respective finals.
Friday 18th August | Day Nine – Time To Pair Up!
We finish the first full week of the National Finals with three Pairs competitions on show! Sophie Tolchard and Harriet Stevens from Kings BC, Devon won the Women’s Pairs last year and a number of hopefuls will believe they can claim the title this time round. Elsewhere, Men’s and Women’s Senior Pairs qualifiers begin their bid for the titles. Men’s Triples and Mixed Fours rounds continue too.
Saturday 19th August | Day 10 – Super Saturday II
Six scintillating finals will be on display on our second jam-packed Saturday in Royal Leamington Spa! 2022 John’s Trophy champions Lincolnshire will be vying to lift the title once again as we’ll have the semi-finals and final. We’ll also have the Men’s Triples final which was claimed by trio Kevin Harrison, Mark Irwin and Stuart Irwin (Aspatria BC, Cumbria) last year. The Disability Bowls England (DBE) Singles final will see the finalists look to claim the same glory as Sally-Ann Lewis-Wall (Leicestershire) last year. Champions will also be decided in the Men’s and Women’s Senior Pairs plus Mixed Fours. The Men’s Fours begins in earnest, culminating on Tuesday.
Sunday 20th August | Day 11 – The Battle of Balcomb
Four qualified Counties will battle it out to decide the winners of the Balcomb Trophy. Essex overcame Yorkshire in last year’s final. The Men’s Fours continues and Women’s Singles starts. The DBE Pairs Final and Mixed Ability Triples event takes place!
Monday 21st August | Day 12 – More Fours
Into the final week of our National Finals and expect to see great action in the Women’s Singles and Men’s Fours as rounds progress ahead of finals on Tuesday. We’ll also see Men’s and Women’s Senior Fours competitions get underway.
Tuesday 22nd August | Day 13 – Two Title Tuesday
Two captivating competitions reach their end on this great day of lawn bowls. The Women’s Singles is a big highlight, can 2022 England Rising Star Rebecca Moorbey retain the prestigious title she memorably won in 2022? Elsewhere, the Men’s Fours comes to a climax, won in style by Ean Morton, Simon Law, Stuart Popple & Tristan Morton (Parkway BC, Huntingdonshire) last year. Senior Fours action continues and Men’s Junior Singles preliminary rounds take place.
Wednesday 23rd August | Day 14 – Junior Senior
We’ll witness Junior and Senior competitions action as Men’s Junior Singles, Men’s Senior Fours and Women’s Senior Fours rounds progress. Alongside that, the Women’s Junior Singles begins.
Thursday 24th August | Day 15 – Triumph Thursday
Who will triumph in the four finals gracing Victoria Park on the final Thursday of the National Finals? Could we see current champions Daniel Ellicott (Avenue Leamington BC, Warwickshire) and Rebecca Moorbey (Parkway BC, Huntingdonshire) in the mix for the Junior Singles titles? You can also catch champions crowned in the Men’s and Women’s Senior Fours final with Berkshire and Suffolk hoping to retain titles. Elsewhere, Two Bowl Singles qualifiers begin their bid for the titles.
Friday 25th August | Day 16 – Two Can Play That Game
There will be no shortage of contenders who will have their eyes on the Men’s Two Bowls Singles title, currently held by Devon’s Sam Tolchard. Could Sam win it for a third consecutive year? The Women’s Two Bowl Singles was famously won by Hertfordshire’s own rising star, Rhianna Russell, could we see her win again in 2023? Elsewhere at the Finals, qualifiers in the Men’s and Women’s Top Club step foot to start quests for the trophies.
Saturday 26th August | Day 17 – Super Saturday III
Two more winners will be crowned on the third Super Saturday of the National Finals. We will discover the Top Club Champions for 2023, could we see Kings BC, Devon break their own, current record and claim a fifth straight Women’s Top Club title? Last year we saw Cheltenham BC, Gloucestershire burst into elation as they sealed the Men’s Top Club title, them amongst many other clubs will be hoping for the same this year. Elsewhere, the Men’s and Women’s Senior Singles commence.
Sunday 27th August | Day 18 – Showdown Sunday
On the final day, we’re only dealing in trophies! Four competitions being played, and we’ll know the winners of each by the end of proceedings. The magnificent Middleton Cup, the wonderful Walker Cup and the superb Senior Men’s and Women’s Singles all have the honour of closing out the 18 day National Finals.
Click below for a complete breakdown of schedule of play.
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