Bowler aims for Guinness record
The Fish Hoek Bowling Club will be the starting point for a bowler attempting to set a new Guinness World Record for the most lawn bowls clubs played in 24 hours.
Jonathan Cochrane, 47, of Table View, will start his crack at the world record at 4am on Saturday.
His aim is to bowl over the current record of playing at eight clubs in the UK, by rolling into ten clubs across Cape Town – all while walking and making use of public transport only.
He can walk and use trains and MyCiTi, and Golden Arrow buses, but he can’t use a bicycle, taxi, or any e-hailing service.
The record attempt will see him play five ends (five rounds up and down the green) at each club, starting in the far south and making his way up the peninsula.
His journey will include stops at clubs in Bergvliet, Meadowridge, Plumstead, and the Western Province Cricket Club, before continuing to The Glen, Fresnaye, Sunningdale, Milnerton, and finally, Edgemead – his home club.
He said he had been granted approval by Guinness World Records in November last year, but it had taken almost a year of careful planning to coordinate the logistics and find a suitable date.
“I had to find a day where there weren’t too many club competitions or Western Province or Bowls SA games.”
As the big day approaches, he said he was nervous but “not admitting it to himself."
To prepare, he plans to go to bed early on Friday afternoon to be ready for his 2am wake-up call, ensuring he has enough time to pack and travel to Fish Hoek.
He said he had been a bowler for more than 10 years and was passionate about the sport, which he described as "the best-kept secret in sport".
His record attempt is part of a larger mission to dispel the misconception that lawn bowls is just a game for the elderly and to promote the sport to all ages.
“Bowling is for all ages. The sport accommodates everyone from the disabled to the blind, from a nine-year-old to a 91-year-old,” he said.
Setting the record comes with strict requirements and each game must have an umpire, a marker, two witnesses and an opponent.
Additionally, every game will be live-streamed for authenticity, and he is calling on the public to snap photos of him throughout his journey and tag him on social media.
He’ll also be wearing a GPS watch to track his route, heart rate, and movement speed.
After completing his first round at Fish Hoek, he will take the train to his next club in Bergvliet. The final stretch of his journey from Milnerton to Edgemead, he said, would likely be the most gruelling.
He said he would take a bus to Summer Greens near Century City. From there, he would walk to Bosmansdam Road, cross the highway, and turn into Edgemead Drive. The 3.3km walk, estimated to take 47 minutes, would be the most difficult part of the challenge, coming at the end of the day, he said.
Ian Forgan, chairman of the Fish Hoek Bowling Club, said they were thrilled that Mr Cochrane had chosen it to start his journey.
“It is the first time the club will be participating in something like this, and it is great exposure for the bowling community. We want people to know that bowls are for everyone,” he said.
To follow Mr Cochrane live on Saturday, visit his Facebook and Instagram accounts or scan below.
