‘We have a ball’: Provincial bowling championship rolls through Cape Breton for first time in 15 years

The 87th NS Ladies Provincial Candlepin Championship took place in Cape Breton over the weekend.

The athletes were loose on the Lanes in Membertou, N.S., over the long weekend even though a provincial bowling title was on the line.

“It’s a fun weekend. It’s tradition. This is our 87th year, I think,” said Roxanne Richard, a participant in the Nova Scotia Ladies Provincial Candlepin Championship which took place Saturday through Monday in Membertou First Nation on Cape Breton Island.

It’s the first time in fifteen years the event has been held in Cape Breton.

“About fifteen years ago, we did have a venue,” said Rosemary MacEachern, one of the tournament organizers. “It was at the Sydney Shopping Centre at the Heather Lanes and unfortunately, we lost that. Our two remaining lanes in Cape Breton are too small to host the tournament.”

When the Lanes in Membertou opened in 2018 it gave the tournament a chance to come back to the Island.

MacEachern said there’s “tons of room” at the new facility.

“Sixteen lanes. It has a food and beverage service. Excellent staff – they have gone above and beyond – and it’s a new venue.”

The camaraderie and creative team names like ‘Alley Cats’ and ‘Breaking Bad’ remind everyone not to take the event too seriously.

“We party. We throw some balls. We keep the bar in business but all in all it’s fun,” Richard said.

Patti Vance said her team was at the tournament for a good time.

“We’re a fun team,” Vance said. “We don’t feel like winning is everything, so we have a ball.”

MacEachern said some of the women who took part on the weekend have been participating in the provincial championship for 35 to 40 years.

“We’ve made long-term friendships bowling in this tournament and it’s always exciting to come together no matter where we are,” she said.

The location for next year hasn’t been determined but MacEachern said everyone is already looking forward to the 88th year for the provincial championship on the Victoria Day long weekend in May, 2026. She said she hopes the tournament returns to Membertou in the future.

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