2025 Czech Championships - Pairs

On October 11–12, 2025, ten pairs gathered at the Liboc bowling greens, all sharing one thing in common—they were in no hurry to end the bowls season. The bowls section of TJ Sokol Liboc therefore organized the ninth Czech Republic Doubles Championship, and the bowls grounds were instantly transformed into a small battlefield of calm, concentration, and some pretty sharp take-outs. The doubles tournament has long been established as one of the highlights of the season: interest is high, lanes are scarce, so anyone serious about bowls had to set aside the entire weekend for the “grand finale of the year.”

Ten pairs were drawn into two groups of five, and from the very first ends, it was clear that no one was going to give anything away for free. Group A was dominated by the top-seeded pair and defending champions—Jan Létal and Jaroslav Novák. They racked up victory after victory, and only once did their opponents pull an unexpected draw out of their hat. Group B, meanwhile, was taken over by the pair of Craig Hurry and Ivo Hadrava, who also didn’t leave their opponents much room for heroic feats. Joining these top favorites in the knockout rounds were the surprising but well-deserved duo of Helena Fulínová and Jaroslav Vrátný, as well as last year’s “silver medalists” Marek Sedlák and Petr Žalud, proudly representing TJ Astra Zahradní Město.

In the semifinals, the group winners handled their opponents with relative ease—as if they were saving their nerves for the final showdown. All the more dramatic was the battle for bronze: the experienced pair Marek Sedlák and Petr Žalud were locked in a long tug-of-war with Helena Fulínová and Jaroslav Vrátný, until finally, after a closely contested match, experience prevailed and the bronze went to Astra. But Helena and Jarda certainly have no reason to hang their heads—they were a pleasant surprise of the championship, and their play showed that both are well on their way for the coming years.

And then there was the final, which many had been waiting for since the very first throws—a clash between the two best pairs of the tournament. After an excellent performance, where the bowls obediently landed exactly where they were meant to, the defending champions Jan Létal and Jaroslav Novák dominated the match. With their third consecutive triumph, they earned the unofficial title of “Libočice Kings of Doubles” and wrote themselves in bold letters into the annals of Czech bowls. Craig Hurry and Ivo Hadrava took silver, but their confident and assured play was one of the highlights of the entire tournament.

The Liboc grounds, shrouded in a slightly melancholic autumnal atmosphere, were filled both days with loud cheering, focused silence before a throw, and joyful buzz after a successful end. And when the balls weren’t doing the talking, people were discussing tactics, the season, and—over refreshments—everything under the sun. The atmosphere was, as always, relaxed, even though the weather occasionally played tricks on us. This made the “kitchen’s” performance stand out all the more—the refreshments were once again top-notch. Ladies, hats off to you, and a big thank you to some of the gentlemen as well!

A huge thank you also goes to the organizers, who prepared the entire tournament with a level of care that would hold its own even in Ford races—everything ran smoothly, the lanes were ready, and the program ran like a well-oiled machine. Congratulations to the three-time champions and all the medalists—and we’re already looking forward to seeing what chapter of the bowls story Liboc will write for us next year.