POTTERS Holidays have this week extended their sponsorship of the World Indoor Bowls Championships. The two-year deal, with an option for a further three years, not only offers a record winner's prize, but also a potential commitment of more than �1m over the next five years.

POTTERS Holidays have this week extended their sponsorship of the World Indoor Bowls Championships.

The two-year deal, with an option for a further three years, not only offers a record winner's prize, but also a potential commitment of more than �1m over the next five years.

The new deal continues the association between Potters and the World Bowls Tour originally made 12 years ago, in 1998.

The 2011 Potters Holidays World Indoor Championships will take place for the 13th successive year at Potters Leisure Resort from January 7 to 23.

The internationally-renowned festival of world-class bowls will again feature four events - the World Indoor Pairs Championship, the Ladies World Matchplay Championship, the Mixed Pairs World Matchplay Championship and the flagship World Indoor Singles Championship.

The 2011 World Indoor Singles champion will win a record prize of �40,000 - the highest ever individual prize in world bowls.

There will be BBC TV coverage for seven days - and for the first time this will feature all four event finals.

The singles championship will feature a 32-player draw - featuring the top 16 bowlers in the WBT world rankings, plus 16 qualifiers from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel and New Zealand.

Potters Holidays managing director John Potter said: "The association between the Potter family and the sport of bwls stretches back many years and we are very proud to confirm our further �1m+ sponsorship commitment over the next five years to support this, the premier world event in bowls.”

WBT Director Richard Maddieson said: "The World Bowls Tour is delighted that Potters Leisure Resort has committed itself yet again to keeping bowls on television with this record agreement for the prestigious World Championships for the next five years.

"Together with the further news of the re-modelling of their indoor rinks and future investment in facilities for all bowlers at Potters Leisure, this shows the dedication that the Potter family and Potters Leisure Resort has given to bowls over the years.”