One of Europe’s biggest bowling tournaments announced the dates for the nextyear's edition. The Storm Lucky Larsen Masters, the sole PBA Tourevent outside the U.S., will once again bring international stars and risingtalents together at Olympia Bowling in Helsingborg, Sweden.Sponsored by the event’s main partners, Storm Bowling and Bowltech, the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters has become a highlight on the bowling calendar, attracting strong fields and large audiences each year.The 2026 edition of the Storm LuckyLarsen Masters will be held from August 21 to August 31, 2026. August 21 to August 31, 2026 For 2026, organizers are planning to make the experience even better for bothplayers and fans. The event will span eleven days of competition, filled withqualifying rounds, match play, and high-level atmosphere that has defined theStorm Lucky Larsen Masters since its beginning. A key change in 2026 will be the finals schedule. The Final 4,including semifinals and championship match, will take place on Monday,instead of Sunday, offering a fresh format designed to put more focus on thetop contenders and create a stronger show on the closing day. "After many discussions and evaluations, we have decided to take the next step in our journey with SLLM. We’ve realized that our tournament needs better opportunities to make the final days as strong as possible," Said Patrick Backe, one of tournament organizers. "Therefore, in 2026, we will improve the Sunday final day, and then maximize everything for the top four, who will instead compete on Monday evening." Our goal with this change is to maximize the exposure for our four step-finalists and to create the best possible TV production." More updates about the format, registration, and broadcast details will beannounced as the tournament approaches, so make sure to follow SLLM's socials- Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.This year, PBA Hall of Famer Sean Rash took his 18th career title in Helsingborg, marking his first PBA Tour title in four years since his 2021 PBAChesapeake Open win. Facebook YouTube PBA Hall of Famer Sean Rash took his 18th career title in Helsingborg , marking his first PBA Tour title in four years since his 2021 PBAChesapeake Open win.

The 2025 World Seniors Championships concluded on Wednesday at the NationalBowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada, with the Masters Finals marking the final dayof competition. Over six days, bowlers from 37 countries competed acrossSingles, Doubles, Team, All-Events, and Masters divisions, with the finalmatches crowning this year’s individual champions. Singles, Doubles Team In the Senior Men’s Masters,John Janawicz of the UnitedStates captured his fourth gold medal of the tournament, defeating teammateChris Barnes 2–1 in ahigh-scoring final. Both players opened the match with long strings ofstrikes, but Janawicz prevailed in the deciding game 248–217 after Barnesstruggled with corner-pin carry. In the semifinals, Janawicz advanced pastAustralia’sMichael Muir (240–205, 232–257,226–219), while Barnes defeatedAdam Hayes of Australia 2–0(248–178, 213–195). Muir and Hayes earned bronze medals. Senior Men’s Masters John Janawicz Chris Barnes Michael Muir Adam Hayes Japan’s Eiko Suzuki claimed theSenior Women’s Masters titlewith a 2–0 victory over Germany’sMartina Beckel (198–168,188–158). Suzuki, who maintained strong form throughout the event, advancedfrom the semifinals by defeating Italy’sAlessandra Morra (192–190,225–208), while Beckel overcame the United States’Jodi Woessner 2–0 (190–177,208–153). Morra and Woessner took bronze. Eiko Suzuki Senior Women’s Masters Martina Beckel Alessandra Morra Jodi Woessner TheGrand Senior Men’s Mastersconcluded withArturo Hernández of Venezuelawinning gold after a strong 2–0 performance (185–178, 236–212) againstGermany’s Peter Knopp.Hernández reached the final by defeating England’sKim Johnson 2–1 (199–166,158–234, 222–193), while Knopp advanced past Australia’sDavid Farquharson 2–0 (178–207,212–189). Johnson and Farquharson earned bronze medals. Grand Senior Men’s Masters Arturo Hernández Peter Knopp Kim Johnson David Farquharson In theGrand Senior Women’s Masters,Angie Brown of England securedgold after a tight three-game final against Australia’sJulie Harrison. Brown openedwith a narrow 183–181 win and closed the series 2–1 after scores of 188–151and 187–150. In the semifinals, Brown defeated France’sPépitá Jacques (227–158,159–170, 179–153), while Harrison advanced past Mexico’sMaria Ruiz (183–183*, 151–172,150–159). Jacques and Ruiz took bronze medals. Grand Senior Women’s Masters Angie Brown Julie Harrison Pépitá Jacques Maria Ruiz Complete Medal Tally:

Singapore has officially announced its men’s and women’s national teams forthe2025 IBF World Championships, set to take place from November 24 to December 5 at Top Bowl inside Kai TakSports Park in Kowloon, Hong Kong. 2025 IBF World Championships The men’s team will featureBasil Ng, Cheah Ray Han, Darren Ong, Jaris Goh,Joel Tan, and Xavier Teo.This year, Darren Ong made history at the World Series of Bowling XVI, becoming the first player from Singapore to win a PBA Tour title. Basil Ng, Cheah Ray Han, Darren Ong, Jaris Goh,Joel Tan, and Xavier Teo. Basil Ng Cheah Ray Han Darren Ong Jaris Goh Joel Tan Xavier Teo This year, Darren Ong made history at the World Series of Bowling XVI, becoming the first player from Singapore to win a PBA Tour title . On the women’s side, Singapore will be represented byBernice Lim, Cherie Tan, Daphne Tan,New Hui Fen, Ning Tay, and Shayna Ng.New Hui Fen had a blast in the recent PWBA Tour season, winning three titles, including a major at the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open, where she climbed from the No. 5 seed to win all four stepladder matches, averaging over 256. Meanwhile, Shayna Ng also made a powerful return to the top of the podium, capturing her third PWBA career title — and first in six years — by winning the 2025 PWBA Go Bowling Topeka Open. Bernice Lim, Cherie Tan, Daphne Tan,New Hui Fen, Ning Tay, and Shayna Ng. Bernice Lim Cherie Tan Daphne Tan New Hui Fen Ning Tay Shayna Ng New Hui Fen had a blast in the recent PWBA Tour season, winning three titles, including a major at the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open , where she climbed from the No. 5 seed to win all four stepladder matches, averaging over 256. Meanwhile, Shayna Ng also made a powerful return to the top of the podium, capturing her third PWBA career title — and first in six years — by winning the 2025 PWBA Go Bowling Topeka Open. Both teams will represent Singapore in singles, doubles, trios, and team offive events throughout the 12-day championship. The IBF World Championships will bring together top bowlers from around theworld, with at least 28 federations in men's division and 23 federations inwomen's division are expected to delegate their athletes to compete. Theopening ceremony will take place on November 24, followed by qualification andmedal rounds through early December. Other countries, including theUnited States,Sweden, andFinland, have already revealed their national teams ahead of the tournament. United States Sweden Finland

The 2025 World Seniors Championships continued at the National Bowling Stadiumin Reno, Nevada, where Monday’s competition decided the Team Event championsacross all four divisions. The day began with the final qualifying blocks andconcluded with the Baker-format semifinals and gold medal matches for Seniorand Grand Senior Men’s and Women’s divisions. In the Senior Men’s Team event, the United States claimed gold after animpressive display throughout the round. The American quartet of Chris Barnes,Parker Bohn III, Tom Hess, and John Janawicz dominated qualifying andcontinued their form in the finals. They defeated Belgium 2–0 (234–202,235–182) in the semifinals before sweeping the Netherlands 2–0 (229–190,217–191) in the championship match. The Netherlands earned silver, whileGermany and Belgium took bronze. The Senior Women’s Team final brought another victory for the United States.The team of Lynda Barnes, Dana Ausec, Rina Sabo, and Jodi Woessner earned goldafter a thrilling three-game final against Australia. The Americans overcameGermany in the semifinals 2–1 (236–136, 206–220, 181–167) and then outlastedAustralia 2–1 (186–179, 175–225, 226–222) in the final. Australia took silver,while Germany and Canada finished with bronze. In the Grand Senior Men’s Team division, Mexico captured gold after a dominantfinals performance. The team of Alfonso Rodriguez, David Eskenazi, MarioGarcia, and Raul Mendez advanced through a tough semifinal against Australia,winning 2–1 (217–181, 176–197, 232–198), before sweeping Puerto Rico 2–0(211–154, 241–156) in the final. Puerto Rico earned silver, while Japan andAustralia secured bronze medals after reaching the semifinals. In the Grand Senior Women’s Team final, Australia claimed gold in a confidentperformance over France. The team of Heather Robertson, Julie Harrison, RobynBull, and Robyn Flynn advanced from the semifinals by defeating Czech Republic2–0 (185–149, 162–150), while France overcame Iceland 2–1 (162–215, 200–191,188–155). In the final, Australia maintained steady control, winning 194–181and 200–187 to close out the series 2–0. France earned silver, and CzechRepublic and Iceland shared bronze. With all Team Events now completed, the tournament now moves into the Mastersstages, where individual head-to-head match play will decide the finalchampions of the 2025 World Seniors Championships. Updated Medal Tally (after Team Events): Remaining Schedule of the 2025 World Seniors Championships (local time,Reno): Tuesday, October 2110:00–11:00 – Masters (Step 1) Senior Men11:00–12:00 – Masters (Step 1) Senior Women12:00–12:30 – Lane Maintenance12:30–13:30 – Masters (Step 1) Grand Senior Men13:30–14:30 – Masters (Step 1) Grand Senior Women14:30–15:00 – Lane Maintenance15:00–16:00 – Masters (Step 2) Senior Men & Senior Women16:00–17:00 – Masters (Step 2) Grand Senior Men & Grand Senior Women17:00 – Medal Presentation (All Events) Tuesday, October 21 Wednesday, October 2209:00–10:00 – Masters (Step 3 Quarterfinals) Senior Men & Senior Women10:00–11:00 – Masters (Step 3 Quarterfinals) Grand Senior Men & GrandSenior Women11:00–11:30 – Lane Maintenance11:30–12:30 – Masters (Step 4 Semifinals, all divisions)12:30–13:30 – Masters Finals Senior Women13:30–14:30 – Masters Finals Senior Men14:30–15:30 – Masters Finals Grand Senior Men15:30–16:30 – Masters Finals Grand Senior Women Wednesday, October 22

The 2025 World Seniors Championships continued in Reno, Nevada, with the firstmedals awarded in Singles and Doubles. The competition, held at the NationalBowling Stadium, gathered senior and grand senior bowlers from around theworld to compete across four divisions – Senior Men, Senior Women, GrandSenior Men, and Grand Senior Women. The Singles and Doubles qualification rounds took place on Friday andSaturday, followed by Sunday’s medal rounds. The day also marked the start ofthe team event, with the opening three-game block for both Senior Men andSenior Women. Senior Singles In Senior Men’s Singles,John Janawicz of the UnitedStates captured the gold medal after defeatingAdam Hayes of Australia 241–181in the final. Janawicz advanced to the title match by defeating teammateTom Hess 236–226 in thesemifinals, while Hayes overcameGery Verbruggen of Belgium244–196. Hess and Verbruggen both received bronze medals. John Janawicz Adam Hayes Tom Hess Gery Verbruggen The Senior Women’s Singles title went toManuela Oing of Germany, whobeat Alicia Marcano ofVenezuela 201–190 in the final. In the semifinals, Oing rolled a strong278–226 victory againstEiko Suzuki of Japan, whileMarcano advanced with a narrow 182–178 win over Germany’sMichaela Göbel-Janka. Suzukiand Göbel-Janka earned bronze. Manuela Oing Alicia Marcano Eiko Suzuki Michaela Göbel-Janka Senior Doubles In Senior Men’s Doubles, Germany’sBodo Konieczny andMichael Krämer won gold afterdefeating Italy’sMaurizio Celli andMarco Reviglio 380–369 in thefinal. Earlier, Konieczny and Krämer eliminated the American pairParker Bohn III andTom Hess 435–414, while Celliand Reviglio advanced by beatingChris Barnes andJohn Janawicz of the UnitedStates 439–382. The two U.S. teams shared bronze medals. Bodo Konieczny Michael Krämer Maurizio Celli Marco Reviglio Parker Bohn III Tom Hess Chris Barnes John Janawicz Senior Women’s Doubles produced an all-American gold medal match.Rina Sabo andJodi Woessner claimed goldafter defeating teammatesDana Ausec andLynda Barnes 462–436 in ahigh-scoring final. In the semifinals, Sabo and Woessner defeatedReija Lundén andJaana Taavitsainen of Finland450–393, while Ausec and Barnes overcame Germany’sMartina Beckel andMichaela Göbel-Janka 445–372.Finland and Germany each secured bronze medals. Rina Sabo Jodi Woessner Dana Ausec Lynda Barnes Reija Lundén Jaana Taavitsainen Martina Beckel Michaela Göbel-Janka Grand Senior Singles In the Grand Senior Singles divisions, Japan and Germany were the maincontenders on the men’s side. The semifinals featured three Japanese bowlersand one German, ensuring at least one Japanese finalist. Germany’sPeter Knopp, who recently became a champion in BowlingGP France Senior tournament, advanced to the championshipmatch after defeatingSatoshi Matsubara 192–181, whileToru Kawashima of Japan beatHisanori Umeda 233–168. In thefinal, Kawashima secured the goldmedal for Japan with a 179–151 win overKnopp, leaving Germany withsilver and Matsubara and Umeda earning bronze. Peter Knopp, who recently became a champion in BowlingGP France Senior tournament , Satoshi Matsubara Toru Kawashima Hisanori Umeda Kawashima Knopp In the Grand Senior Women’s Singles, Australia and France dominated thesemifinal stage.Julie Harrison defeatedRobyn Flynn 199–188 in anall-Australian match, whileJacqueline Faure (Boissiere) ofFrance overcamePepita Jacques (Estruch) 175–169.In the final, Faure delivered adecisive 199–181 victory overHarrison to claim gold forFrance, with Flynn and Jacques taking bronze. Julie Harrison Robyn Flynn Jacqueline Faure (Boissiere) Pepita Jacques (Estruch) Faure Harrison Grand Senior Doubles In Grand Senior Women’s Doubles, Angie Brown and Diane Johnson captured goldafter defeating Robyn Flynn and Julie Harrison of Australia 382–361. Brown andJohnson reached the final by defeating fellow English duo Sandra Simmonds andLynn Squibb 403–338, while Flynn and Harrison advanced with a 419–347 win overJapan’s Honami Yanagawa and Yumiko Yoshida. The English and Japanese pairsreceived bronze.In Grand Senior Men’s Doubles,Gary Baker andKim Johnson of England tookgold after a 418–363 victory againstYvan Augustin andSerge Frouvelle of France.Baker and Johnson moved through the semifinals by beatingRalf Gr We andPeter Knopp of Germany 394–321,while the French pair narrowly defeatedMario Garcia andAlfonso Rodriguez of Mexico355–352. Germany and Mexico earned bronze medals. Gary Baker Kim Johnson Yvan Augustin Serge Frouvelle Ralf Gr We Peter Knopp Mario Garcia Alfonso Rodriguez England’s strong showing in the Grand Senior division came despite earlychallenges. The team lost two players early in the week, asKim Oakley suffered a fracturedfoot and Lol Ellis experienceda stroke, preventing them from competing further. Kim Oakley Lol Ellis What's Next? With Singles and Doubles completed, attention now shifts to the team events. The first three games of Senior Men’s and Senior Women’s team qualifying werecontested on Sunday evening, with the United States leading the Senior Men’sstandings and Canada narrowly in front among Senior Women after Day 1. Current Medal Tally (after Singles and Doubles): 1. United States – 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze2. Germany – 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze3. England – 2 Gold, 0 Silver, 2 Bronze4. France – 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze5. Japan – 1 Gold, 0 Silver, 2 Bronze6. Australia – 0 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze7. Italy – 0 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze8. Venezuela – 0 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze9. Finland – 0 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze10. Belgium – 0 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze11. Mexico – 0 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze 1. United States – 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze 2. Germany – 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze 3. England – 2 Gold, 0 Silver, 2 Bronze 4. France – 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze 5. Japan – 1 Gold, 0 Silver, 2 Bronze 6. Australia – 0 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze 7. Italy – 0 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze 8. Venezuela – 0 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze 9. Finland – 0 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze 10. Belgium – 0 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze 11. Mexico – 0 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze Remaining Schedule of the 2025 World Seniors Championships (local time,Reno): Monday, October 2009:00–12:00 – Team Event (3 games) Senior Men & Grand Senior Men13:30–16:30 – Team Event (3 games) Senior Women & Grand Senior Women16:30–17:30 – Team Semifinals (all divisions)17:30–18:30 – Team Finals (all divisions)18:30–19:00 – Medal Presentation (Teams) Monday, October 20 Tuesday, October 2110:00–11:00 – Masters (Step 1) Senior Men11:00–12:00 – Masters (Step 1) Senior Women12:00–12:30 – Lane Maintenance12:30–13:30 – Masters (Step 1) Grand Senior Men13:30–14:30 – Masters (Step 1) Grand Senior Women14:30–15:00 – Lane Maintenance15:00–16:00 – Masters (Step 2) Senior Men & Senior Women16:00–17:00 – Masters (Step 2) Grand Senior Men & Grand Senior Women17:00 – Medal Presentation (All Events) Tuesday, October 21 Wednesday, October 2209:00–10:00 – Masters (Step 3 Quarterfinals) Senior Men & Senior Women10:00–11:00 – Masters (Step 3 Quarterfinals) Grand Senior Men & GrandSenior Women11:00–11:30 – Lane Maintenance11:30–12:30 – Masters (Step 4 Semifinals, all divisions)12:30–13:30 – Masters Finals Senior Women13:30–14:30 – Masters Finals Senior Men14:30–15:30 – Masters Finals Grand Senior Men15:30–16:30 – Masters Finals Grand Senior Women Wednesday, October 22

The International Bowling Federation (IBF) has officially announced an interimpolicy regarding the use of urethane bowling balls in IBF competitions.The decision follows the recent developments from the UnitedStates Bowling Congress (USBC) and comes shortly before two majorinternational events on the IBF calendar - the 2025 IBF World SeniorChampionships taking place from October 13 to 23 in Reno, Nevada, and the 2025IBF World Championships set for November 24 to December 5 in Hong Kong. According to the IBF statement, the IBF Technical Committee has completed apreliminary review and introduced an immediate measure that will remain inplace until further notice. Under this policy, all bowling ballsmanufactured on or after January 1, 1991, and listed on the official USBCApproved Ball List at the start of the tournament, are permitted for use inIBF competitions. Bowling balls produced before 1991 or not included on theUSBC Approved Ball Listare now prohibited in all IBF-sanctioned tournaments. The official list isavailable on the USBC website and will be accessible at all IBF events toverify eligibility. This means that many of the most popularurethane bowling balls, such as theHammer Purple Pearl UrethaneandStorm IQ Tour 78/U, remain approved for use in IBF competitions. USBC Approved Ball List Hammer Purple Pearl Urethane Storm IQ Tour 78/U The IBF emphasized that this step ensures fairness, clarity, and consistencyacross global competitions while maintaining alignment with USBC standards. The Technical Committee will continue its assessment and issue further updateswhen the review process concludes. This ruling was released after the USBC finalized its own policy changesregarding urethane bowling balls.

Andrew Anderson won the 2025 PBA LBC National Championships Clash, securingThe Duke trophy and the $25,000 top prize.The event took place onSeptember 27 and featured eight finalists representing different divisions ofthe LBC National Championships. The finalists first bowled a four-game seeding round to decide the order forthe one-ball eliminator finals. In this format, each player delivered a singleshot, with the lowest pinfall leading to elimination after each round. Connor Chen, representing Boys Junior Handicap, was the first player out,followed by PBA Hall of Famer Chris Barnes. Anderson then survived a roll-offagainst Robert Morris, winning 7–6 to continue in the competition. OliviaRogers, Karla Alsgood, and Stephanie Zavala were next eliminated as the fieldnarrowed. In the championship round, Anderson met Westyn Griffin from the Open Classicdivision. Both opened with a nine count, but Anderson followed with a strikewhile Griffin knocked down six. That final shot gave Anderson the victory andsecured his place among the Clash champions. The Clash has been held annually since 2023. Tom Daugherty won the inaugural event, while Gianna Brandolino claimed thetitle in 2024. The 2025 edition awarded $53,000 in total prize money, with $25,000 for firstplace, $10,000 for second, and $3,000 for all other finalists.

The Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) has reached an agreement with theInternational Bowling Federation (IBF) to host the 2026 World YouthChampionships in Malaysia. The event will be staged at Megalanes Sarawak in Kuching, bringing the world’stop youth bowlers to the venue. This will be the first world bowling event held in Sarawak, and it also marksthe return of a world championship to Malaysian soil after 22 years. Malaysiahosted the World Bowling Championships in Kuala Lumpur back in 2003. The signing ceremony was held at Megalanes Sarawak, attended by YB Datuk AhmadIbrahim and officiated by Dato Najeeb Abdullah for MTBC, Mr. Sunny Si for theAmateur Bowling Association of Sarawak (ABAS), and Mr. Mike Seymour, CEO ofthe IBF. The World Youth Championships is one of the most important events on theinternational bowling calendar, providing young athletes a global stage tocompete at the highest level. The last World Youth Championships took place at theFiesta Bowling Center in Incheon, Korea, in 2024. Fiesta Bowling Center in Incheon, Korea, in 2024

Hammer Bowling has released an open letter to the bowling community followingthe United States Bowling Congress (USBC) decision to impose new restrictions on urethane bowling balls. open letter decision to impose new restrictions on urethane bowling balls On September 4th, USBC announced that slow oil-absorbing high-performancebowling balls (urethane) with absorption times over 90 minutes must meet aminimum 78D hardness requirement starting December 31, 2025, to remainapproved for sale in the United States. Beginning January 1, 2026, several national tournaments will see outright banson these balls, while others will allow them only under specific conditions.However, these balls will still be legal in leagues and local tournaments,unless an event organizer decides otherwise. Hammer expressed strong concern with the decision, stating that the new rulescould create confusion across the sport and limit a piece of equipment thathas long been trusted by bowlers. The company emphasized that urethane has been an important part of bowling fordecades and that restrictions risk upsetting loyal players. Below is the full open letter from Hammer Bowling to bowlers around the world,published in its original form: An Open Letter from Hammer Bowling to Bowlers Around the World: The sport of bowling has always been built on innovation, tradition, and thepursuit of excellence. For more than forty years, urethane bowling balls havebeen a trusted tool and essential part of that story, providing bowlers with areliable tool to tackle challenging lane conditions and allowing bowlers tocompete at their highest level. Now, that legacy is being threatened. The USBC has announced sweeping restrictions on urethane balls for nationaltournaments, including outright bans in some cases. These changes represent aseismic shift in our sport, removing equipment that generations of bowlers,from grassroots leagues to the highest levels of professional play, haverelied upon, and we believe these new rules will create confusion and risksetting a troublesome precedent for leagues and tournaments to follow. At Hammer Bowling, we are deeply frustrated by USBC’s continued attention onbowling ball restrictions including this latest decision to target bowlingball materials. The focus on banning equipment options rather than growingparticipation is a misguided step that risks upsetting loyal bowlers andcausing irreparable harm to the sport we all love. Urethane has earned its place on the lanes - not just as another coverstock,but as a vital tool for controlling ball motion, navigating difficult oilpatterns, and allowing bowlers to compete at their highest level. In today’sgame, with higher rev rates and increasingly challenging lane patterns,urethane remains more important than ever. Eliminating it erases a criticalpart of our sport’s versatility and evolution, and to our knowledge, there hasnever been a ball so effective and so popular that rules were created torestrict its use, despite maintaining USBC-approval, passing numerous spotchecks, and continuing to meet all USBC specifications. Most importantly, we want to reassure bowlers that theHammer Purple Pearl Urethane remains USBC approvedfor use in leagues, local and state events, Junior Gold qualifying, andcollegiate qualifying tournaments. This legendary ball continues to deliverthe performance that bowlers have trusted for years, and it isn’t goinganywhere. Hammer Purple Pearl Urethane remains USBC approved Hammer Bowling stands with bowlers who are angry and disappointed by theseunnecessary restrictions, and we remain committed to fighting for theequipment that makes our sport competitive, enjoyable, and great. Sincerely, The Hammer Bowling Team

The United States has finalized its roster for the 2025 IBF World Championships, which will be held at Top Bowl inside Kai Tak Sports Park in Kowloon, Hong Kong, from November 24 to December 5. The women representing Team USA will be Julia Bond, Bryanna Coté, Breanna Clemmer, Jillian Martin, Shannon Pluhowsky, and Lauren Russo. On the men’s side, the lineup includes Andrew Anderson, Ryan Barnes, Packy Hanrahan, A.J. Johnson, Kristopher Prather, and Chris Via. The team will compete under the guidance of head coach Bryan O’Keefe, alongside assistant coach and USBC Hall of Famer Kelly Kulick. The 2025 IBF World Championships will bring together top athletes from across the globe. Currently, 23 countries are expected to field men’s teams, while 22 nations will send women’s squads. Competition will begin with the opening ceremony on November 24. Over the following 12 days, athletes will compete in singles, doubles, trios, and team of five events. Several federations have already confirmed their rosters ahead of the championships. Sweden officially named its squad earlier this week, and Finland announced its men’s and women’s teams earlier this summer. Sweden officially named its squad earlier this week Finland announced its men’s and women’s teams

The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) has finalized its decision onurethane bowling balls.Beginning January 1, 2026, urethane balls will face strict new limits at national tournaments. In someevents, they will be banned entirely; in others, only models manufactured at aminimum 78D hardness will be allowed.According to USBC officials, these changes should take positive stepstoward addressing the issues related to athlete development, lane patternintegrity and competition equity. The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) has finalized its decision onurethane bowling balls. January 1, 2026 78D hardness According to USBC officials, these changes should take positive stepstoward addressing the issues related to athlete development, lane patternintegrity and competition equity. USBC Lane Pattern Development Lead Nick Hoagland also shared his thoughts onthe growing challenges of creating equitable lane conditions in today’scompetitive bowling environment. According to Hoagland, urethanebowling balls add to the difficulty by quickly breaking down intended lane characteristics.His comments were featured in avideo released by USBC. lane characteristics video released by USBC Hoagland outlined several factors shaping the current situation. Lane surfacesare aging quickly, while bowling ball technology continues to advance at arapid pace. The maximum allowable oil volumes are already being applied tolanes, and higher revolution rates are increasingly common across the field. revolution rates "As an industry, we're nearing the limits of viable oil pattern tricks to achieve balance," Hoagland said. Over the past decade, USBC and other organizations have experimented withdifferent approaches to keep lane conditions challenging while preserving theintended pattern design. These include oil pattern adjustments such as oil speed bumps down the lane topreserve integrity, larger left-side offsets to improve left-right equity,wet-dry designs to discourage urethane use, and radical structures meant topromote fairness across styles. Tournament format changes have also been tested, including shorter blocks,eliminating burn squads, hardness rules, and in some cases restrictingurethane for strike shots. Despite these efforts, balancing competition between left- and right-handedplayers, as well as between one-handed and two-handed styles, continues topresent challenges. When asked how the game might change without urethanes, Hoagland pointed toseveral potential benefits. Shorter patterns could be used more often without losing design integrity, andpattern flexibility would improve at both elite and local levels. Players whobase their game on urethane would need to adapt, while left- and right-handedbowlers would be able to play lanes in a more similar manner. The ruling marks one of the most significant changes to bowling ballregulations in recent years. The full USBC Report on bowling ball hardnessgovernance can be found here. The ruling marks one of the most significant changes to bowling ballregulations in recent years. The full USBC Report on bowling ball hardnessgovernance can be found here .

Following the announcement of the new USBC urethane restriction at nationallyconducted events, 32-time PBA Tour champion Jason Belmonte has spoken outabout the rule changes. announcement of the new USBC urethane restriction USBC recently confirmed that beginning December 31, 2025, urethane bowlingballs must be manufactured at a minimum 78D hardness to remain approved forsale in the United States. Meanwhile, starting January 1, 2026, restrictionswill apply to national tournaments, including complete urethane bans at theU.S. Open, USBC Masters, PWBA Tour events, and others. In his recent post on social media, Belmonte described the rule as unclear anddifficult to follow. He pointed out that while urethane will be banned atnational events, they remain allowed in leagues and other certifiedcompetitions, emphasizing that the changes will affect only a small part ofbowlers post on social media "My head is spinning at just how poor this is, let alone confusing," Belmontesaid. "The majority of bowling will see zero change. The ‘soft’ urethane ballswill still continue to roam free amongst the bowling community." After USBC decision on urethane restriction, urethanes are allowed in certaintournaments, like certified leagues and tournaments, but banned in others, andin some cases allowed only during qualifying before being restricted in laterrounds. Belmonte expressed that the rule changes are very confusing. He also notedthat the USBC had the chance to provide clarity and move the sport forward,but the Australian two-hander believes the decision fell short. "78D hardness balls are allowed, but are also banned, but are also allowed andthen banned within the same tournament. Then the only people who are trying tomake a living are the ones who see the biggest change. If it’s ‘bad’ for thepros, why not bad for everyone else? This governing body had a chance to giveclarity, correct their previous mistakes and lead forward. They have not donethat here!" According to the USBC, The new urethane restriction aims to address issuessuch as lane condition integrity, competitive fairness, and playerdevelopment.USBC is not the only governing body to take action against urethane bowlingballs. In May, we reported that the Norwegian Bowling Federation (NBF) introduced a newrule banning the use of certain urethane bowling balls in major nationalcompetitions. This includes the Norwegian National Championships and the NationalLeague. USBC is not the only governing body to take action against urethane bowlingballs. In May, we reported that the Norwegian Bowling Federation (NBF) introduced a newrule banning the use of certain urethane bowling balls in major nationalcompetitions. This includes the Norwegian National Championships and the NationalLeague.