Former Canterbury representative Kerry Becks will try to retain the Dunedin Festival Fours title he won two years ago.
In 2010, the Kaikorai team of Steve Wilson, Jim Mahuru, Brian Buchanan and Becks beat Bobby Johnson, John Cross, Brendon Hollander and Regan Larkin (Andersons Bay) 20-6 in the final at the Westpac Indoor Bowls Stadium.
The final was played indoors because heavy rain had flooded the green at the Kaikorai Club's headquarters green.
The annual event, organised by the Kaituna Bowling Club for 50 years, was first held in 1953.
The Kaikorai club took charge of the event after the Kaituna club went into recess eight years ago.
It was not held last year because of the Kaikorai club's centenary celebrations.
Becks (45), a prison officer in Milton, was an invitation player in the Kaikorai team two years ago but he is now a full member of the club.
He shifted to Dunedin four months ago with his wife, Sue, because of the Christchurch earthquakes.
Becks has played bowls for 27 years and won seven Canterbury titles. He was a member of the Canterbury team that won the national intercentre title at Palmerston North five years ago.
He is a brother-in-law of Kaikorai greenkeeper Brian Buchanan, who was in the winning team with him two years ago and also won the title in 2006. Buchanan was also runner-up in 2009.
But Becks' team will not have everything its own way, because there are other strong teams in the 30-strong field.
The Kaikorai combination of Justin Collins, Warren Thompson, Andy Callander and Mike Kernaghan is a possible winner.
It is skipped by Kernaghan, the former international who won a bronze medal in the singles at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. He won back-to-back national singles titles in 2001 and 2002.
Other contenders include 2010 runner-up Regan Larkin and Joko Susilo from Andersons Bay, and Dave Thomas and Mitchell Will, of North East Valley.
Teams from outside Dunedin competing this year include Bruce Kelly (Oamaru), Tony Cockerill (Gore), Richie Kerr (Kia Toa, Timaru), Wynston McLachlan (Clinton) and John Munro (Te Rangi, Invercargill).
The first two days will consist of round-robin section play, with games restricted to 2hr 15min or 18 ends. The top 10 teams will qualify for the main event, the next 10 for the plate and the bottom 10 for the consolation event. It means everyone is guaranteed three days of bowls.
Three clubs will host the Festival Fours, with the headquarters green at Kaikorai. The other clubs being used are Wakari and Green Island.
Three games of section play will be held today and tomorrow.
The final will start at 2.30pm on Sunday at the Kaikorai green. It is still possible for other teams to enter the event.
