A major announcement from Sturt: the winners of the women's and men's categories of the Brightest Bowler Award for 2026 are now revealed.
Brightest Women winners
The Brightest Woman Award has resulted in a dead heat, with Janine Skurray and Jenny Johns inseparable in first place.
See Video of Announcement Here
Their campaign for the title began as early as 24 April, when they were paired against each other at Winter Bowls and appeared in matching green outfits.
And they never really let up.
Week after week, Janine and Jenny arrived in an impressive assortment of colourful outfits, leaving the judges with no alternative but to declare a tie.
Joanne Kirby takes third place, having lit up the greens throughout winter with her own impressive array of colours.
See Video Here of the three women's Award winners
Brightest Men winners
The Brightest Man Award for 2026 goes to Stew Allen, who demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the cause throughout the season.
Stew started Winter Bowls in April with a blast—and made his intentions clear from the outset.
See Video of Stewie: "I want to be the first"
Taking second place is Steve van der Veen, who mounted a sustained campaign involving an array of conventionally bright tops, supplemented by an impressive collection of rock-band T-shirts.
The honourable third place goes to Paul Teesdale, helped considerably by his spectacular 1997 Lord's cricket top.
Sadly, Paul might have finished higher had the weather been kinder. On Wednesday 22 July, he arrived at the club in an outfit capable of seriously challenging Stew's supremacy—only for rain to cause the cancellation of bowls before he could make it onto the green.
The outfit was therefore ruled ineligible.
Life's tough at the top.
See Teesa's ineligible outfit here
Stew, Steve and Paul are all to be congratulated for their willingness to put personal dignity aside in pursuit of one of Winter Bowls' most coveted honours.
See Video of the three men's Award winners
Unprecedented prizes
And there is one final shock.
For the first time in the history of the Brightest Bowler Award, there are actual prizes, generously donated by an appreciative mystery member.
Each of the six placegetters receives a $25 bar voucher, available for collection from the bar.
So ends another colourful chapter in Winter Bowls history.
There may have been winners and placegetters, but everyone who brightened our greens—and gave us something to smile about along the way—helped make this one of the most enjoyable aspects of this winter.
