Atlantic Senior Fours 2027
Controlling Body: Bowls Cyprus
Event: Atlantic Senior Fours 2027
Dates: 1st to 15th December 2027
Venue: Athena Beach Hotel, Paphos, Cyprus
Key Personnel
- Tournament Director: Gary Smith
- Chief Technical Official: Allan Thornhill
- Organising Committee:
- Chairman: Martin McMillan (Bowls Cyprus)
- Event Manager: Ann Allman (Bowls Cyprus/CBH)
- Chief National Technical Officer: Jane Hewitt (Bowls Cyprus)
- Sponsorship/Merchandising Manager: Maria Simmans (Bowls Cyprus)
- Web Manager: Jim Ridgway(Bowls Cyprus)
- Media Manager: Chris Fitzpatrick(Bowls Cyprus)
- Event Coordinators Trevor Allman (CBH),
- Volunteers Coordinator: Valerie Nicholls (Bowls Cyprus)
- Commentators: Dom Picksley & Ciaran Leaden
Approved by: World Bowls
1. ENTRY CONDITIONS
1.1 All Member National Authorities as defined by World Bowls can enter teams in this event.
1.1 All players must be affiliated with their National Authority that is a member of World Bowls (MNA).
1.2 All players must be aged 55 or over as of 1st April 2027.
2. FORMAT OF PLAY
2.1 This is a Fours Competition to include 4 gents, 4 ladies and mixed teams of 2 gents and 2 ladies, each player playing 2 bowls. Each MNA can enter a maximum of two gent’s teams, two ladies teams and four mixed teams. Mixed teams must include at least 1 Lady who has played in the Ladies event and at least one Gent who has played in the Gents event. Each game will be 15 ends with a time limit of 2 hours and 30 minutes excluding trial ends. Should a game be stopped due to extreme weather, the time limit will be extended by the equivalent amount of the time for the delay. The time limit will not apply in the finals.
2.2 Each discipline will commence with sectional play with teams divided into a number of sections subject to the number of entries in each discipline. No MNA will have two teams in the same section. The Knockout rounds draw will be dependent on the number of sections in each discipline.
2.3 Any team arriving after the official starting time will lose the right to play trial ends. Any team arriving at the green more than 15 minutes after the official starting time will forfeit the game and the points for that game or not progress through to the next round.
2.4 A signal will be given five minutes before the time fixed for starting each session. Any team arriving after the official starting time will lose the right to play trial ends. Any team arriving at the green more than 15 minutes after the official starting time will forfeit the game and the points for that game or not progress through to the next round.
2.5 The names that appear on the scorecard of the first game will be regarded as the team and will remain throughout the entire competition. There can be no sideways movement of players between gent’s teams, ladies teams or mixed teams from the same MNA.
2.6 During the competition, changes in the player positions will be permitted before the commencement of each game. The Umpire on duty should be notified as a matter of courtesy.
3. MEDALS
3.1 In each competition, gold medals will be presented to the winners, silver medals to the runners up and bronze medals to the losing semi-finalists.
4. PROCEDURE FOR APPLYING TIME LIMITS
4.1 Start of Play – Play will commence with the appointed official signalling the start time by a bell or horn.
4.2 End of Play – At the completion of the allocated time, the appointed official will signal the end time of play by a bell or horn. At this time players will complete the current end they are playing. (The start of an end is determined by the delivery of the jack by the first player in that end).
5. SCORING
5.1 Sectional play
a) The team with the greatest number of games won is the winner of the section. All other teams will be ranked accordingly;
b) If games won are equal, then the team with the highest number of points will be ranked higher (three points will be awarded for a win, one point for a draw);
c) If games won and points are equal, then the team with the highest net total of shots (‘shots for’ minus ‘shots against’) will be ranked higher;
d) If games won, points, and net total of shots are all equal, then the team with the lowest number of ‘shots against’ will be ranked higher;
e) If there is still equality having applied the criteria described in points a) to d) above, then the team that won the game between the teams that are equal will be ranked higher;
f) If the game between the teams that are equal is drawn, then the first team in the drawn game to win an end will be ranked higher.
6. ALTERATIONS TO THE FORMAT & LENGTH OF GAMES
6.1 The Controlling Body reserves the right to alter the format, times of play and greens to suit local unforeseen circumstances, giving as much notice as practical.
6.2 Where a programme is interrupted or cannot be completed due to inclement weather or local conditions, the Controlling Body may amend the format and length of games to achieve a result or postpone the event where an outcome cannot be achieved.
6.3 If in the event of inclement weather any game that cannot be completed will be considered a result if 8 or more ends have been completed.
7. ARRANGEMENT FOR PRACTICE
7.1 No player or substitute may practice on outdoor or indoor rinks during the Atlantic Senior Fours, Ladies and Gents disciplines in accordance with the Laws of the Sport of Bowls, Law 4.
7.2 Official practice times will be advertised prior to the event.
8. TRIAL ENDS
8.1 One trial end in each direction will be allowed for all games in accordance with Law 5.1. In trial ends players can use any combination of bowls taken from different sets so long as all bowls carry a registered World Bowls stamp of either the current year or a future year.
8.2 Trial ends will commence fifteen minutes prior to the official starting time.
9. RE-SPOTTING THE JACK
9.1 If a jack in motion passes completely outside the boundaries of the rink of play, comes to rest in any hollow in the face of the bank, or rebounds to a distance of less than 20 metres from the mat line, the end should not be declared dead. Instead, the jack should be placed with the nearest point of the jack to the mat line at the central 2 metre “T” position.
9.2 If the “T” is partly or completely covered by a bowl, the jack should be placed as close as possible to the covered “T”, in line with that “T” and the corresponding “T” at the opposite end of the rink, without touching a bowl (Law 56.5.4. refers).
10. RESTRICTING MOVEMENT OF PLAYERS DURING PLAY
10.1 Prior to the start of each end, the leads and seconds will take their position at the mat-end of the green. The thirds, however, may elect to take their position either at the mat end or alongside the skip at the head.
10.2 Players will only be allowed to walk up to the head under the following circumstances:-
a) the leads – after the second player in their team has delivered their second bowl;
b) the seconds – after delivery of their second bowl;
c) the thirds – after delivery of their second bowl; and
d) the skips – after delivery of each of their bowls.
10.3 In exceptional and limited circumstances, a skip can ask that a player walks up to the head earlier than described above.
10.4 When a player at the head walks up to the mat to deliver their first bowl, their direct opponent can remain at the head until that bowl has come to rest before walking up the mat to deliver their own first bowl. If a player does not meet the terms of this law, Law 13 will apply.
11. DELAYING (SLOW) PLAY
11.1 The Controlling Body is empowered to invoke regulations for dealing with slow play as it considers appropriate.
11.2 Players are required to play without undue delay and in a manner which does not prevent their opponents from being able to complete the requisite number of ends within the 2 hours and 30 minutes permitted.
11.3 If one of the skips or one of the coaches makes an appeal to the Umpire that, due to the actions of their opponents their team is being prevented from playing all their bowls within the 2 hours and 30 minutes permitted, the Umpire will tell the offending team that the time limit of the game will be extended to allow 15 ends to be played.
12. SUBSTITUTE PLAYERS
12.1 A substitute can be utilised in the following manner:-
a) The Coach (provided she/he is an eligible affiliated player) of the team shall herself/himself substitute or call upon an eligible affiliated player from her/his National Authority to substitute;
b) Each team may utilise a substitute but where an MNA has entered two gent’s or two ladies teams, the same substitute cannot be utilised for both teams;
c) In the mixed competition one and the same male and/or one and the same female player may be used as a substitute at any time, providing that they have not already played or entered the same competition. However, at least one of the original men and one of the original ladies shall play in every round;
d) Where no suitable substitute from a competing MNA is available, the host nation will provide a pool of three players of each gender who can act as substitute. The Coach or skip from the team requiring the substitute will draw from the pool;
e) It will be understood, however, that a substitute in terms of the foregoing, may only be utilised if the Tournament Director is satisfied that the player to be substituted is genuinely unable to play. The substitute will not be permitted to play in the position of skip;
f) A substitute can remain in the team up to and including the final if necessary, however after the first game when the substitution was made, the said substitute will become a replacement player and Condition e) above regarding not being permitted to skip will no longer apply;
g) Substituted players can return to their team in any following game in the sectional play or if the team progresses to the quarter finals or beyond if the reason for the substitution is overcome.
13. COACHES
13.1 A maximum of two Coaches per MNA will be permitted.
13.2 Only one Coach will be permitted on each rink in accordance with Law 44.
14. FOOTWEAR AND ATTIRE
14.1 As per the Laws of the Sport of Bowls Crystal Mark, 4th Edition.
15. STAMP ON BOWLS
15.1 All bowls used during the event must carry a legible registered World Bowls stamp of either the current year or of a future year.
15.2 All bowls will be randomly checked for compliance by ITOs/NTOs prior to or during the trial ends.
16. MARKING TOUCHERS
16.1 Spray chalk is the preferred method of marking touchers in all games.
17. DRUG TESTING
17.1 Drug testing may take place in accordance with the Republic of Cyprus and World Bowls Anti-Doping Regulations.
18. OTHER LAWS, REGULATIONS & POLICIES
18.1 All other Laws, Regulations & Policies other than stated above shall conform to the Laws of the Sport of Bowls Crystal Mark Fourth Edition as approved by World Bowls in August 2022 and amended by World Bowls memorandum dated 25th May 2023.
August 2025