THE biggest event on the national bowls calendar is underway and competitors from Inverkeithing are aiming for another shot at glory.

Members of the town's club, based in Alma Street, have joined a number of others from across West Fife in Ayr to play in the Bowls Scotland National Championships, which got underway on Monday.

Gary Tate, who made history alongside skip David Junor and Mark Neil in 2015 when they landed a first national men's triples title for Inverkeithing, will team up with JJ Watson in the pairs, while Andy Clark, Jerry Moriarty, Gordon Bruce and Stevie Marshall will play in the senior fours.

The competition, which finishes on Saturday, brings the cream of the country's bowlers together after they district qualifiers.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, club secretary Stevie commented: "Qualifying for this is like getting through the football World Cup qualifiers in the bowls world.

"There are guys there who are playing for Scotland; Tattie Marshall (Commonwealth Games gold-medallist in 2014) and those type of guys. I hope we get an easier draw like what England got though!

"We know who we're playing first – East Lothian Co-op – and we're looking forward to getting down there and to give a good show.

"We're hoping to get past the first round and put on a good game. Our senior rink a couple of years ago were knocked out in the first round, so we hope to do better than that, although we know it's going to be tough."

The pairs were due to face Bellshill and Mossend late yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, while five more West Fife clubs are represented in the gents' draw.

Abbeyview's Connor Fulton and Dylan Robertson were due to play in the junior singles and singles respectively; Crossgates were up against Gordon in the fours; Valleyfield's Robert McLaughlan was in action in the over-55 singles; and Dalgety Bay were involved in the mixed pairs.

The ladies competition featured Townhill's Elly McFarlane, in the junior singles, and Lynn Lees, in the singles; Abbeyview in the pairs; Tulliallan and Townhill in the triples; and Dalgety Bay in the fours.