An Isle of Man short mat bowls team will compete at the World Championships in Belfast next week.

Representing the island in the triples is a full house of Marown Bowling Club members: father and son duo Colin and Tom Kelly, plus Paul Dunn.

Colin is a well-known face as a local postman and also on the crown green circuit, having won plenty of titles on and off-island. He now has all the equipment at home to engrave trophies, as it was costing too much to get all of his done at the local engravers.

Colin’s son Tom is also known to reach a few finals at crown green bowls and since he has started playing short mat he has also added those to his finals list, he just recently won the Morton Hall singles league.

Tom will keep the lads on the right track as he knows where he’s heading. His days are spent teaching geography at QEII so hopefully they won’t get lost in Belfast.

Skipping this triples is Dunn in what will be his first World Championships, but he isn’t a newcomer to playing bowls at a top level.

Along with singles player Neil Withers, these two took home nearly all the pairs trophies last season at local crown green competitions.

Dunn’s partner Tash and puppy Denzil the rottie spend most weekends supporting him around the greens and, if dogs were allowed, I’m sure they both would have been in Belfast supporting too.

The Isle of Man’s other triples team consists of two newcomers to the game this season, Richard Bregazzi and Steven Rough, along with skip Jayne Smith.

Although new to the game of short mat bowls, Rough and Bregazzi are keen crown green bowlers at Marown and can be found in their free time on the green.

Rough also spends a lot of his free time on the other green surface as he’s a keen golfer, while Bregazzi prefers the faster more adrenaline-paced sport cycling, where he is currently riding out on the roads abroad.

Skipping this triples is Smith who is the president of the Manx Short Mat Bowls Association. She has had a busy season setting up a new short mat club in Douglas where they have been playing on a Friday afternoon at the new Roundhouse centre in Braddan and on a Sunday at the NSC.

When not bowling, Smith is usually found in a field tending to her horses, goats and chickens or helping out at Onchan Raceway stockcars where her son, daughter-in-law and grandson all race.

Manx Short Mat Bowls Association wish all the players the best competing in the 2024 World Championships in Belfast from March 15-17.