The Suva Bowling Club concluded the year 2025 on a high note, with vice president Ramesh Chand expressing his satisfaction with the achievements of the club.
As the club looks towards the new year, there is a sense of optimism and excitement for what lies ahead in 2026.
Reflecting on this year, Chand highlighted the successful completion of all games and tournaments on time.
He adds this was made possible through the support of generous sponsors who contributed to the success of each event.
“2025 has been a wonderful year for Suva Bowling Club, we were able to complete all our games on time,” said Chand.
“We had good sponsors for each tournament, we hosted five national tournaments, and we also had our club games.
“We are thankful and happy to all our sponsors that came on board, which had attracted all the best players around the country, and we also had some new players came in which is a boost for our club.”
One of the key achievements of the club in 2025 was the mixed results seen in competitions, indicating progress and development within the club.
Chand emphasised the importance of nurturing and developing players, with plans to encourage participation in business house leagues to further promote the sport.
“Our calendar for each year remains the same, we have the same tournaments and dates, so what we need to do is, probably start developing our players, we are looking at players to joins the business house, so that will build the sport and get more participants.
Despite the successes of the year, the club faced challenges primarily related to weather conditions.
“Our challenges we face through our 2025, is normally the weather, we need to choose the right date for the competition, cause if there is rain, we must stop playing for 4 to 5 hours, so that is a challenge we have faced.”
To address this issue, Chand mentioned discussions are underway with the Fiji Sports Council to potentially use the grass from the national stadium on the club’s greens.
“We are having talks with the Fiji Sports Council, for us to be also use the green grass from the national stadium to be used on our tuft number one or number two, and if we get that it will be much better for us, because it dry’s out much faster, and we will be able to hold our tournaments well.
“As we all now Bowling is all about enjoying the sport, when the tuft is all right then everybody can enjoy the sport and the day.”
Looking ahead to 2026, the club is focused on maintaining its calendar of events while also exploring opportunities to further enhance player development and participation.
With plans to attract more players and expand membership, the club is poised for growth and success in the coming year.
Chand mentioned the upcoming Commonwealth Games in 2026 present a unique opportunity for players to showcase their skills and compete at a high level, further motivating them to strive for excellence in their performance.
“We are having the Commonwealth Games in 2026, so we like to get our players the boost to reach their next year, it all starts with the dedications and our focus on the competitions that comes next year.
“In Suva Club we have over 100 players that are taking part in all competition, so it’s a good sign come next year, we will be looking at building and moving forward.”
Appreciation was expressed for the dedication and commitment of all club members throughout the year, acknowledging their contributions to the success of the club.
As the Suva Bowling Club prepares for a bigger and better 2026, there is a shared sense of enthusiasm and determination to continue building and growing the sport.
Suva Bowling Vice President Ramesh Chand at the Suva bowling club. Picture: SOPHIE RALULU
