The Palermaa family celebrated a special moment as both Emma Palermaa and ToniPalermaa were recognized with awards from the Finnish Bowling Association. Emma Palermaa was named Youth Player of the Year 2025 by the association’syouth and education committee. The 15-year-old had a strong seasonthat included five medals at the European Youth Bowling Championships. InFinland, Emma claimed the women’s Finnish national championship title. She also won gold at the European Championship of Champions in Vienna. She also won gold at the European Championship of Champions in Vienna Earlier in the season, she secured the Finnish youth championship title ingirls' division. She also added a doubles gold medal. In the women’s national championships, Emma earned two bronze medals indoubles alongside and took team silver medal. Emma's father, Toni Palermaa, received the Coach of the Year 2025 award. Throughout the year, he worked closely with Emma. In addition to coaching hisdaughter, Toni contributed to the development of Finland’s youth nationalteam. He supported young players beyond official training camps and played arole in the ongoing progress of the national program. The honors were presented during the Finnish Championship League finals.

The future of European bowling is heading to Thillois this spring. On May 2 and May 3, 2026, the Bowling Plaza Reims Thillois will host the BowlingGP 4Teams Youth 2026. This team event has one of the most unique formats in Europe and promises two days of high-energy competition for players under the age of 25. Register Your Team! A Fair Fight for Every Athlete What makes BowlingGP 4Teams Youth event special is how it brings different ages together. The competition is designed for teams of 4 players, allowing for a mix of talents across the squad. The tournament is open to U14, U17, U21, and U25 categories. To make sure every team has a fair chance, the rules include specific handicaps: U14 players receive 45 bonus pins per game.U17 players receive 20 bonus pins per game.U21 players receive 10 bonus pins per game.Women receive a handicap of 8 pins per game. U14 players receive 45 bonus pins per game. U17 players receive 20 bonus pins per game. U21 players receive 10 bonus pins per game. Women receive a handicap of 8 pins per game. This system allows teams with different ages and genders to compete on the same level, meaning any team can win! Look Back at the 2025 Success Last year, the BowlingGP 4 Teams Youth brought together youth bowlers from across Europe. It was a weekend full of strikes, splits, pressure moments, and celebrations - a true showcase of Europe's next generation of bowling stars. Last year, the BowlingGP 4 Teams Youth brought together youth bowlers from across Europe Two Days of Non-Stop Action The weekend is packed with different formats to test every skill: Saturday: Teams start with the 4Teams qualification series followed by two rounds of Doubles competition.Sunday: The action continues with 4Teams qualifications.The Finals: The top four teams move into a Final4 to play Baker format to decide the winner. Saturday: Teams start with the 4Teams qualification series followed by two rounds of Doubles competition. Saturday: Sunday: The action continues with 4Teams qualifications. Sunday: The Finals: The top four teams move into a Final4 to play Baker format to decide the winner. The Finals: Compete for Big Rewards The stakes are high at this year's BowlingGP. The tournament offers a prize fund of 5,500 Euro in trophies and prizes. 1st Place: Trophy and prizes worth 1,000 Euro.2nd Place: Trophy and prizes worth 750 Euro.3rd and 4th Place: Trophy and prizes worth 500 Euro each.Perfect Game: A special 125 Euro prize is awarded for any 300 game bowled. 1st Place: Trophy and prizes worth 1,000 Euro. 1st Place: 2nd Place: Trophy and prizes worth 750 Euro. 2nd Place: 3rd and 4th Place: Trophy and prizes worth 500 Euro each. 3rd and 4th Place: Perfect Game: A special 125 Euro prize is awarded for any 300 game bowled. Perfect Game: Register Now to Secure Your Spot Space is very limited - only 22 teams can participate, and spots are filling fast! The registration fee is 360 Euro per team of four (90 Euro per player). If you want to experience the team spirit and professional atmosphere of the BowlingGP 4Teams Youth, gather your teammates and sign up today. Join the next generation of stars in France this May! Register to BowlingGP 4Teams Youth! Don't miss a single strike or update from the tour! Follow BowlingGP on social media to see live results, behind-the-scenes content, and photos from the event! BowlingGP Facebook BowlingGP Instagram Facebook Instagram

Following the recent decision by the International Bowling Federation (IBF)and the European Bowling Federation (EBF) regarding the hardness of urethanebowling balls, the Finnish Bowling Association has also taken the decision howthe new ruling should be implemented in national competition. The Board of Directors took the decision at its meeting on March 11 tointroduce the 78D urethane hardness rule in stages across its competitions. In Finland, the new urethane rule will take effect on July 1, 2026. From the 2026–2027 season, the regulation will apply to Finnish Championshipcompetitions at all levels, the Finnish Championship league for men and women,the Finnish Bowling Tour, and the Finnish Youth Ranking. In the following seasons, the Finnish Bowling Association plans to expand theurethane rule step by step to cover all competitions held in Finland. The Board has assigned the Competition and Series Committee to prepare moredetailed rules for the staged implementation and to define how compliance willbe monitored. In February 2026, the IBF confirmed that only urethane balls manufactured with a minimum hardness of 78D and approved by the USBC will be allowed in its major competitions. Days after, the EBF has also confirmed that the same urethane rule will apply to all EBF events starting April 6, after the 2026European Youth Bowling Championships. IBF confirmed that only urethane balls manufactured with a minimum hardness of 78D and approved by the USBC will be allowed in its major competitions EBF has also confirmed that the same urethane rule will apply to all EBF events However, there will be no changes to the ongoing 2026 European Bowling Tourseason, and current events will continue under existing regulations.

The Austrian Bowling Federation has informed its members about new urethaneequipment regulations. The Austrian Bowling Federation has decided to fully align with EBF and IBFdecision to permit only urethane bowling balls that are manufactured with aminimum hardness of 78D. Beginning April 6, 2026, the new urwthane ball use regulation will apply toAustrian national championships in the STM Trio and Team categories. The rule will not apply to Mixed Doubles, Mixed Trio, or youth competitions. Regional associations in Austria may suspend the regulation at state leveluntil August 31, 2026. However, from the 2026–27 season onward, the rule willapply across all national competitions organized by the Austrian federationand its regional bodies. The federation also confirmed that random hardness checks will be carried outduring championships starting with the 2026–27 season. Balls that do not meet the required standard will be declared non compliantand removed from competition. Any final game played with a non compliant ballmay be scored as zero.

Anna Andersson captured the title at the 2026 Merci Ladies Open in Sweden after closing out the tournament with a 2-0 victory over Finland’s Eliisa Hiltunen in the championship match. The opening game was decided by just two pins, 226–224. In the second game, Andersson took control and secured the win 248–203. Although she won both the qualification and the title, her road to the podium was not easy. Her first two attempts in qualifying were unsuccessful, but on her third attempt she found her rhythm and recorded 1455, the highest qualifying total among the 44 participants. "After watching one of my team mates bowl, I came up with a new game plan, that I didn’t have much faith in considering how bad the carry had been until this point, shot 1455 out of the blue and suddenly I was leading the tournament," Anna Andersson said after the win on her socials. socials From that point, everything was clicking into place. During Final Step 1, Andersson recorded a 300 game and finished second in the round to advance to match play. In the quarterfinals, she defeated Amanda Gadd 2-0. She then won her semifinal 2-1 against Ottilia Gunnarsson to reach the final and later secure the title.For her win, Anna Andersson received 12.000 SEK (approx. $1.300). In the third-place match, Ottilia Gunnarsson defeated Anneli Blomqvist, who finished fourth. The HCP division was won by Linda Johansson, who defeated Doris Lundsten 2-0 in the final. Johlina Winkler finished third and Madeleine Andersson placed fourth.

The British Tenpin Bowling Association has confirmed that it will not make anychanges to its current urethane equipment regulations. The BTBA Executive Council decided to keep its existing rules in place afterreviewing the recent equipment updates issued by the European BowlingFederation and the International Bowling Federation. International Bowling Federation In its announcement on March 6, the BTBA stated that all bowling balls listedon the United States Bowling Congress Approved Ball List remain legal for usein BTBA-sanctioned leagues and tournaments. The only exception would be if a tournament manager sets specific equipmentrules for their event. According to the BTBA, the recent urethane rule updates from the EBF and IBFapply only to official EBF championships and IBF events. These changes do notaffect domestic competition under its authority. recent urethane rule updates For athletes selected to represent England in international events, nationalteam coaches and staff will work directly with players to ensure they meet theequipment standards required for those championships. On February 27, the International Bowling Federation announced new regulationsfor the use of urethane bowling balls in its events. Soon after, the EuropeanBowling Federation confirmed that it would apply the same rules in itscompetitions.

August in Finland is a special time of year. The days are still warm, andpeople enjoy the last stretch of summer by the lakes or along the sandyseaside. For bowlers, though, there is another reason to look forward to it,as August is the month of the International Hammer Challenge. From August 14 to 23, 2026, the tournament will once again take over Tali Bowlin Helsinki. Registration for the Hammer Challenge 2026 opened on Friday, March 6, at 12:00and players are now able to secure their squads through theofficial entry system. official entry system The total prize fund for this year’s Hammer Challenge is €52,380, with €7,000awarded to the winner. Players who reach the B-final will receive a gift card to the 2027 BrunswickBallmaster Open. In 2025, International Hammer Challenge gathered 286 participants, making itone of the largest bowling tournaments in Finland. Last year,Petteri Salonen advanced to the main field from the seniors qualificationand continued through the final rounds to win the title. In the championship match, he defeated Alex Joki, who also began his runfrom the B-final. Petteri Salonen advanced to the main field from the seniors qualificationand continued through the final rounds to win the title In addition to the main competition, the event will feature the 300eXtra,250eXtra, and No250eXtra challenges. These side events provide extraopportunities to win prizes during the tournament week. More details about squads, formats, and tournament information can be foundhere. here

The European Bowling Federation has issued an official statement regarding therecent urethane bowling ball regulation announced by the International BowlingFederation. The statement also addresses how the decision will affect EBF competitions andclarifies the eligibility of russian and belarusian youth athletes in EBForganized tournaments. Regarding athlete eligibility, the EBF confirmed that it will follow therecommendations of the International Olympic Committee and the IBF concerningyouth athletes holding russian or belarusian passports. These athletes will be allowed to compete in EBF and IBF youth events,provided their national federation is in good standing and all standard IBFprotocols and regulations are followed. The decision not to allow any russian or belarusian athletes to participate inEBF events was made in 2022. The brutal war caused by russia has resulted insignificant loss of life. According to official data, more than 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have beenkilled on the battlefield. Other Ukrainian sources, cross-referenced by theBBC, suggest the number could be as high as 200,000. The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reports that15,168 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and 41,534 wounded during fouryears of full-scale war, including 3,018 child casualties. The war is considered Europe’s largest armed conflict since World War II. In 2022, Russian Bowling Federation president Sergey Lisitsyn took part in apro-war rally in Moscow on March 18, where he openly supported Putin and theso-called "special military operation" in Ukraine. During that rally, he madestatements justifying Russia’s actions and accusing the West of spreadingRussophobia. "We see that the special operation being carried out today on Ukrainian soilallows us to achieve our goals with minimal losses for our fraternalpeoples," Lisitsyn said, per Inside the Games "Given the unprecedented external pressure from the West, which for eightyears condoned the flourishing of Nazism in Ukraine, today we clearlyunderstand that the special operation was just an excuse to replicateRussophobic sentiments and escalate the situation around Russia and everythingRussian." Lisitsyn said, per Inside the Games Urethane Use The EBF has issued an official statement regarding the recent urethane bowlingball regulationannounced by the International Bowling Federation. The EBF has also confirmed that it will apply the same urethane bowlingball regulation announced by the International Bowling Federation. The newurethane ball hardness requirement will come into effect for EBF EuropeanChampionships starting from 6 April 2026, after the European YouthChampionships 2026 in Berlin, Germany. announced by the International Bowling Federation According to the EBF, it will also conduct random hardness checks during itsEuropean Championships. Any ball found below the permitted hardness level willbe declared non compliant and removed from competition.Theofficial USBC list of non eligible bowling balls is availablehere here No Change on EBT The EBF also clarified that no changes will apply to the ongoing EBT Tour for2026. All current events will continue under the existing equipment rules.Athletes competing in the 2026 tour do not need to make immediate changes totheir bowling balls.

Tenpin Ireland has announced new restrictions on urethane bowling balls fornational competition. According to a notice published on January 23, the National Governing Body forTenpin Bowling in Ireland will introduce new rules starting May 1, 2026. Theregulations apply to all National Championship events and National RankingEvents sanctioned by Tenpin Ireland. The decision follows a review of global equipment trends, consultations withinternational federations, and research conducted by the United States BowlingCongress. Under the new rules, all urethanes must meet a minimum 78D hardness. Inaddition, any slow-absorbing ball manufactured before August 1, 2022, will notbe allowed in national tournaments, regardless of its current hardness level. Tenpin Ireland clarified that the regulation applies only to equipment with ahigh-performance core that takes more than 90 minutes to absorb lane oil.Entry-level polyester balls and reactive resin equipment are not affected bythese changes. The governing body stated that the policy aims to support athlete developmentand ensure fair competition. It noted that overuse of urethanes may limitversatility and that softer equipment can create disputes over legality andcompetitive balance. The new urethane regulations will apply to all Tenpin Ireland national events,sport development leagues, and ranking events. However, local leagues and casual play will not be affected unless individualleague officials decide otherwise. Tenpin Ireland’s decision follows similar actions taken by other federations in recent years. Norway introduced urethane restrictions in May last year. Malaysia and Hong Kong have also implemented regulations targeting slow oil-absorbing equipment. In the United States, the USBC announced stricter controls after a broad research. in May last year Malaysia Hong Kong USBC announced stricter controls after a broad research.

Sweden has announced its team for the 2026 IBF World Youth BowlingChampionships, which will take place from June 27 to July 7, 2026, in Kuching,Malaysia. Sweden’s team was selected by national team captain Mattias Melin. The squad consists of four girls and four boys. Four of the players haveprevious experience at a U21 world championship, while the other four willcompete at this level for the first time. On the girls’ side, Sweden will be represented by Maja Engberg, NicoleLayrisse, Stefanie Layrisse, and Kajsa Samuelsson. Maja Engberg and NicoleLayrisse competed at the 2024 U21 World Championship in South Korea.Meanwhile, Stefanie Layrisse and Kajsa Samuelsson will make their debut. The boys’ team includes Carl Eklund, Noel Haglund Torgersen, Robin Noberg, andEmil Svensson. Carl Eklund has competed at two previous U21 WorldChampionships and won multiple medals. Robin Noberg also has prior U21 worldchampionship experience. Noel Haglund Torgersen and Emil Svensson will maketheir first appearance at this level. More than 300 athletes under the age of 21 are expected to participate thisyear in Malaysia, representing countries from around the world. The Swedish squad will gather for a training camp in Helsingborg from June 5to June 7.

The Brunswick Euro Challenge is set to return to the European bowling calendarin August 2026, BowlingLife sources confirm. The Brunswick Euro Challenge has long been a highlight for the Europeanbowling. However, the tournament did not take place in 2025. In the past, theevent was held at Dream-Bowl Palace in Unterföhring, Germany - one of Europe’slargest bowling centers with 52 lanes. Now, it appears set for a new chapter. Sources tell Erikas Jansonas ofBowlingLife that the 2026 edition will relocate from Germany and be staged inDenmark. Moreover, The tournament will be backed by Brunswick Bowling Products in partnership with VBS Bowling AB as main sponsors. Brunswick Bowling Products Financially, the event is expected to rank among the biggest in Europe. While the full prize structure has yet to be officially disclosed, BowlingLifesources confirm that the winner’s check will reach €10,000. In 2024,Sweden’s Tobias Högdin captured the Brunswick Euro Challenge title, adding his name to a prestigious list of past champions. The 2022 editionwas won by Dominic Barrett, while Sweden’s Martin Larsen lifted the trophy in2019. Sweden’s Tobias Högdin captured the Brunswick Euro Challenge title

After 13 years of international competition, Pontus Andersson has announced that he is ending his bowling career. The 30-year-old bowler confirmed that he will step away from competitive bowlingand begin a new chapter in his life. In a message shared on social media, Pontus Andersson wrote that he has beenblessed to travel around the world and compete internationally, but it is nowtime for a change. social media From June 1, he plans to move to Doha, Qatar, where he will work with theQatar Youth Bowling Team. During his career, Pontus Andersson represented Sweden at both youth and men'schampionships. He collected 23 international medals, including seven golds,while wearing the Swedish national team colors. Among his latest results was a team gold medal at the 2025 European Men’sChampionships in Aalborg. Later that year, Pontus Andersson won three medalsat the 2025 IBF World Championships in Hong Kong, including two golds. 2025 IBF World Championships in Hong Kong In 2025, Pontus Andersson also won the inaugural PBA Sweden regional event,the PBA Sweden Chameleon Jönköping Open. The victory marked a historic momentas the first PBA Sweden regional title. PBA Sweden Chameleon Jönköping Open His announcement comes just months after James Blomgren also confirmed that heis stepping down from the Swedish National Bowling Team. stepping down from the Swedish National Bowling Team The article will be updated once we receive a comment from Pontus Andersson.