Who can enter the national championships, and what are the formats?

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Accepted Answer

Eligibility (Regulations 50 and 52, 2026): Only members of clubs affiliated to Bowls England can enter. Junior (U24) events: under 24 on 1 April that year. Senior Fours: 55 or over on 1 April. You may not enter under an assumed name, or have your name submitted by more than one club, county or country in a year (Junior Pairs partners may come from different clubs in the same county). You represent one club in Inter-Club competitions and one county in Inter-County competitions, and may not enter another country's national championships. Each entry has one named entrant, who cannot then be a substitute in the same discipline. County-run championships leading to the National Finals: Event Players Bowls each Length Four-Bowl Singles 1 4 First to 21 shots Two-Bowl Singles 1 2 21 ends Pairs 2 4 18 ends Triples 3 3 18 ends Fours 4 2 18 ends U24 Singles 1 4 First to 21 shots U24 Pairs 2 3 18 ends Senior Fours 4 2 18 ends Games played over a set number of ends that finish level go to an extra end or ends. You enter these through your club and county association, which must send its entries and fees to Bowls England by 8 March. Every county gets at least one qualifier for the National Finals in each discipline, chosen by the county's own published procedure.

Event	Players	Bowls each	Length
Four-Bowl Singles	1	4	First to 21 shots
Two-Bowl Singles	1	2	21 ends
Pairs	2	4	18 ends
Triples	3	3	18 ends
Fours	4