The arena rounds began with high drama at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wan Chai,where both the women’s and men’s trios titles were decided after a full day oftightly contested semifinals and finals. Finland continued its impressive run in Hong Kong by winning the women’sevent, while Sweden delivered a strong performance to claim the men’s gold. Women's Trios The women’s semifinals opened the session, with Finland’s trio of PeppiKonsteri, Essi Pakarinen, and Ani Juntunen defeating Denmark 2–0. They postedsteady games of 215-185 and 235-202 to secure their place in the final, whileDenmark settled for bronze. On the other side of the bracket, Japan overcame Sweden 2–0, winning withgames of 199-164 and 205-188. Sweden’s run ended in the semifinal round with abronze medal. The final between Finland and Japan stretched to three games. Japan struckfirst, taking the opener 179–162, but Finland responded with two strongfinishes — 241–171 and 190–158 - to close out the match 2–1 and secure thegold medal. This victory marked a significant moment for Finland. The country had nevercollected more than three gold medals at a single IBF World Championships, andthis win set a new national record. It also added to Essi Pakarinen’s outstanding week, as she secured theAll-Events gold, bringing her total to four gold medals across all events shehas entered. Women’s Trios Medalists Gold – Finland Silver – Japan Bronze – Sweden and Denmark Men's Trios In the men’s semifinals, Sweden advanced with a 2–0 victory over Korea afterposting 244-243 and 270-245. Korea earned bronze for their performance.Denmark also reached the final after defeating Australia 2–1 (212-213,194-174, 238-218), with Australia claiming the second bronze. In the men’s gold medal match, Denmark opened with a narrow 215–214 win, butSweden answered with two dominant games - 254–210 and 286–193 - to take thematch 2–1 and secure the title. The win crowned Joachim Karlsson, Pontus Andersson, and James Blomgren as themen’s trios champions at the IBF World Championships 2025. Men’s Trios Medalists Gold – Sweden Silver – Denmark Bronze – Australia and Korea A full schedule and all results from the IBF World Championships 2025 areavailable attournaments.bowlinglife.eu. tournaments.bowlinglife.eu Schedule for IBF World Championships 2025 Friday, December 5 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai

The team event at the IBF World Championships 2025 reached a decisive pointtoday in Hong Kong, as both the women’s and men’s divisions completedqualifying and then seven-game Round 2 match-play stage to determine the fourteams advancing to the semifinals at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium. Women's Division The women’s event began with Singapore leading qualifying after seven gameswith 1,457 total over 7 games, followed by the United States (1,455), Korea(1,425), Sweden (1,391), Malaysia (1,384), Japan (1,360), Macao (1,344), andTaiwan (1,338) completing the top eight to reach Round 2. Match play brought a complete reset. Malaysia produced the strongest overall performance in Round 2, finishingfirst with 5 wins, 2 losses and 15 points, followed by Korea, the UnitedStates, Japan and Singapore all finishing with 12 points to force a four-wayroll-off. In the roll-off, Korea posted 215, the United States followed with 200, andJapan delivered 197, securing all three advancing spots. Singapore, eventhough led the Round 1 of qualification, recorded 157 and was eliminated fromthe medal race. In the semifinals, Malaysia will play against Japan, while the United Stateswill face Korea for a spot in the title match. Men's Division The men’s opening qualifying round was topped by Finland with 1,581, followedby Sweden (1,565), Korea (1,555), Germany (1,526), France (1,521), Macao(1,500), Denmark (1,497), and Saudi Arabia (1,497) to complete the advancinggroup. In Round 2, Germany moved into the top position with 5 match-play wins and 15points. Sweden, Korea, France, and Macao finished behind them with 12 points(4W-3L record), so the final three semifinal spots came down to a four-teamtie, requiring a one-game roll-off. In the roll-off, Sweden fired 257, Korea 242, and France rolled 205 to earntheir berths in the semifinals. Macao’s 194 was not enough to advance. In the Men's Team semifinals, Germany will face France, and Sweden will standagaist Korea. All remaining Team of Five squads and Trios will head to Queen ElizabethStadium in Wan Chai for the arena rounds. Thursday brings the Women’s andMen’s Trios semifinals and finals, and on Friday the Team of Five medalmatches will close the event as the 2025 world champions are crowned. Finlaswill be played in a best of three format. A full schedule and all results from the IBF World Championships 2025 areavailable attournaments.bowlinglife.eu. tournaments.bowlinglife.eu Thursday, December 4 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai Friday, December 5 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai

Today, the IBF World Championships 2025 in Hong Kong continued with a men'strios event and it delivered one of the most dramatic qualification of theevent so far. A total of 56 trios completed seven games across two squads to determine which16 teams would advance to Round 2, and the battle around the cut line camedown to a single pin, with both Macau and Hong Kong narrowly missing out. Korea’s Trio set the tone early and never let go of the lead. Ji Geun, Kim JunYung and Baek Seung Min produced a strong, consistent block for a leadingtotal of 1647. Finland’s Trio - Tomas Käyhkö, Luukas Väänänen and Niko Oksanen - followed insecond with 1627 after a solid showing in Squad 2. Denmark's Dan A.Østergaard, Niclas Sørensen and Nicolas Carter secured third place with 1564,followed closely by another Denmark's Trio Carsten W. Hansen, MathiasAnkderdal and Tim Stampe and USA Trio Patrick Hanrahan, Andrew Anderson andRyan Barnes with identical 1556 totals. At the edge of the field, Sweden’s James Blomgren, Joachim Karlsson and PontusAndersson claimed the final advancing position in 16th place with 1473,leaving Macau and Hong Kong just one pin behind on 1472. Drama in Round 2 Match Play Round 2 placed the top 16 trios into two groups of eight, with sevenround-robin games and match-play points determining which teams would reachthe semi-finals. Group A saw Korea’s Ji Geun, Kim Jun Yung and Baek Seung Min continue their dominant runas they finished first with 5 wins and 1 draw over 7 games to earn 16 points. Round 2 placed the top 16 trios into two groups of eight, with sevenround-robin games and match-play points determining which teams would reachthe semi-finals. Group A saw Korea’s continue their dominant runas they finished first with 5 wins and 1 draw over 7 games to earn 16 points. The second place for the semifinals came onlyafter a dramatic three-way roll-off between Sweden, Malaysia and France. France’s trio produced one of the biggeststorylines of the day by shooting a perfect 300 game and opening their blockwith four straight wins, but three consecutive losses pulled them into theroll-off. Despite their strong start, they were unable to recover, and theirroll-off score was not enough to keep their championship hopes alive. Sweden posted 243 in the roll-off to advance, while Malaysia followed with 209 and France with 168. Group B produced a second roll-off, this time against Australia, Denmark andFinland. Australia’s trio of Julian Dinham, Luke Doyle and Blake Walshdelivered a 227 to earn their place in the semi-finals, while Denmark's  Dan A. Østergaard, Niclas Sørensen and Nicolas Carter advancedwith a 212. Finland’s 175 placed them third in the roll-off and outside theadvancing positions. In the semifinals Korea will face Sweden, meanwhile Denmark will stand against Australia. The Men’s Trios Semi-finals and Finals will be held on Thursday at QueenElizabeth Stadium in WanChai, alongside the Team of Five rounds that willcontinue on Friday. With the men’s field now finalized, attention turns totomorrow’s Women’s Trios qualification, where another competitive lineup willtake the lanes in Hong Kong. A full schedule and all results from the IBF World Championships 2025 areavailable attournaments.bowlinglife.eu. tournaments.bowlinglife.eu Tuesday, December 2 Wednesday, December 3 Thursday, December 4 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai Friday, December 5 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai

The Doubles events at the IBF World Championships 2025 delivered anotherdramatic day in Hong Kong, highlighted by Romania’s historic triumph in themen’s division and Finland’s continued dominance in the women’s field. Romania’s Mihai-Alin Dragnia and Mate Balazs-Becsi captured a landmark goldmedal in Men’s Doubles, while Finland’s Essi Pakarinen and Peppi Konsterisecured Women’s Doubles gold — marking Finland’s third gold medal of thechampionships and their fourth medal overall. Women's Division Essi Pakarinen and Peppi Konsteri claimed the gold medal after a confident 2–0(181-177, 230-213) win over Singapore’s Cherie Tan and Daphne Tan in thefinal. The Finnish pair advanced from the semifinals with a 2–0 (230-203, 206-201)win over Singapore’s Shayna Ng and New Hui Fen, while the Tan sisters reachedthe final by defeating USA’s Jillian Martin and Julia Bond 2–1 (188-158,188-220, 160-256). The victory marks Essi Pakarinen’s second gold medal of the championships,following her triumph in Women’s Singles.Women’s Doubles – MedalistsGold – Essi Pakarinen & Peppi Konsteri (Finland)Silver – Cherie Tan & Daphne Tan (Singapore)Bronze – Jillian Martin & Julia Bond (USA), Shayna Ng & New Hui Fen(Singapore) Women’s Doubles – Medalists Men's Division In the men’s event, Romania wrote a new chapter in its bowling history. Mihai-Alin Dragnia and Mate Balazs-Becsi captured the nation’s first-everWorld Championships gold in a flawless finals performance, defeating Germany’sPaul Purps and Dennis Gruenheid 2–0 (238-233, 215-179). The Romanian pair showed composure andconsistency throughout the day, first overcoming Malaysia’s Muhammad SyazirolShamsudin and Rafiq Ismail in a tense 2–1 (235-247, 235-221, 231-166) semifinal. Germany reached the gold-medal match after a strong semifinal win over theCzech Republic’s Ondrej Trojek and Lukas Jelinek, earning a straight-games 2–0 (206-170, 3-219) victory. The Czechs and Malaysia's duo both secured bronze. Men’s Doubles – MedalistsGold – Mihai-Alin Dragnia & Mate Balazs-Becsi (Romania)Silver – Paul Purps & Dennis Gruenheid (Germany)Bronze – Ondrej Trojek & Lukas Jelinek (Czech Republic), Muhammad SyazirolShamsudin & Rafiq Ismail (Malaysia) Men’s Doubles – Medalists The IBF World Championships 2025 continue tomorrow with the start of the Triosqualification. Full results, live scores, and schedules are available attournaments.bowlinglife.eu. tournaments.bowlinglife.eu Official Schedule – IBF World Championships 2025 Monday, December 1 Tuesday, December 2 Wednesday, December 3 Thursday, December 4 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai Friday, December 5 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai

The Men’s Doubles event at the IBF World Championships 2025 completed itsfirst stage today in Hong Kong, with the top 24 teams advancing to Round 2after seven Baker-format games at Top Bowl in Kai Tak Sports Park. Malaysia’s Muhammad Danial Abu Samah and Mohammad Hafiz Zainuddin dominatedthe qualifying with 1699, averaging 242.71. Romania’s Mihai-Alin Dragnia and Mate Balazs-Becsi followed in second placewith 1660, while Australia’s Julian Dinham and Luke Doyle finished third with1651. Dinham and Doyle delivered one of the biggest stories of the day. Australia'sduet scored games 299 and 300 - securing their place comfortably inside thetop 24. France’s Maxime Dubois and Gaëtan Mouveroux placed fourth on 1649, just aheadof Finland’s Tomas Käyhkö and Niko Oksanen, who closed the top 5 with 1635. The cut for Round 2 stood at 1512, claimed by Germany’s Dennis Gruneheid andPaul Purps. 32 Players Split Into Four Groups Group A (Places 1, 8, 9, 16, 17, 24) MAS – Muhammad Danial Abu Samah / Mohammad Hafiz ZainuddinFIN – Niko Oksanen / Tim StampeFIN – Joonas Jähi / Luukas VäänänenKOR – Baek Seung Min / Ji GeunCAN – François Lavoie / Mitch HupeGER – Dennis Gruneheid / Paul Purps MAS – Muhammad Danial Abu Samah / Mohammad Hafiz Zainuddin FIN – Niko Oksanen / Tim Stampe FIN – Joonas Jähi / Luukas Väänänen KOR – Baek Seung Min / Ji Geun CAN – François Lavoie / Mitch Hupe GER – Dennis Gruneheid / Paul Purps Group B (Places 2, 7, 10, 15, 18, 23) ROU – Mihai-Alin Dragnia / Mate Balazs-BecsiDEN – Mathias Ankerdal / Niclas SørensenSWE – Pontus Andersson / Joachim KarlssonPHI – Marc Dylan Custodio / Artegal BarrientosHKG – Ma Ka Yin, Jovi / Tse Chun Hin, IvanMEX – Jesús Alberto Lecona Escartín / Dante Romero Nava ROU – Mihai-Alin Dragnia / Mate Balazs-Becsi DEN – Mathias Ankerdal / Niclas Sørensen SWE – Pontus Andersson / Joachim Karlsson PHI – Marc Dylan Custodio / Artegal Barrientos HKG – Ma Ka Yin, Jovi / Tse Chun Hin, Ivan MEX – Jesús Alberto Lecona Escartín / Dante Romero Nava Group C (Places 3, 6, 11, 14, 19, 22) AUS – Julian Dinham / Luke DoyleDEN – Carsten W. Hansen / Tim StampeMAS – Rafiq Ismail / Muhammad Syazirol ShamsudinCHN – Zhang Min / Du Jian ChaoSWE – Jesper Svensson / James BlomgrenUAE – Nayef Eqab Al Obeidli / Mohamed Ismail Al Zarooni AUS – Julian Dinham / Luke Doyle DEN – Carsten W. Hansen / Tim Stampe MAS – Rafiq Ismail / Muhammad Syazirol Shamsudin CHN – Zhang Min / Du Jian Chao SWE – Jesper Svensson / James Blomgren UAE – Nayef Eqab Al Obeidli / Mohamed Ismail Al Zarooni Group D (Places 4, 5, 12, 13, 20, 21) FRA – Maxime Dubois / Gaëtan MouverouxFIN – Tomas Käyhkö / Niko OksanenCZE – Ondrej Trojek / Lukas JelinekITA – Alessandro Walter Santu / Marco Cesare ParapiniSWE – Markus Jannson / Robin IlhammarFRA – Mike Bartaire / VAlentin Saulnier FRA – Maxime Dubois / Gaëtan Mouveroux FIN – Tomas Käyhkö / Niko Oksanen CZE – Ondrej Trojek / Lukas Jelinek ITA – Alessandro Walter Santu / Marco Cesare Parapini SWE – Markus Jannson / Robin Ilhammar FRA – Mike Bartaire / VAlentin Saulnier Schedule Ahead Men’s Doubles Round 2 takes place on Sunday morning, followed by Women’s Doubles Round 2. In the afternoon, both men’s and women’s doubles semifinals and finals will be played in best-of-three matches. Trios and Team of Five events will follow in early December, with the finalstages held at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wanchai. A full schedule and all results from the IBF World Championships 2025 areavailable attournaments.bowlinglife.eu. tournaments.bowlinglife.eu Sunday, November 30 Monday, December 1 Tuesday, December 2 Wednesday, December 3 Thursday, December 4 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai Friday, December 5 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai

The Women’s Doubles event at the IBF World Championships 2025 in Hong Kongcompleted its first stage today, with 24 teams advancing to Round 2 afterseven Baker-format games at Top Bowl in Kai Tak Sports Park. Singapore's Shayna Ng and New Hui Fen topped the qualifying with a strongtotal of 1493, averaging 213.29. They were followed closely by Japan’s ShionIzumune and Kiri Watanabe, who posted 1489. Korea’s Kim Bo Ah and Shin Hye Binplaced third with 1483. Denmark's sisters Sofie and Karen Kærgaard Nielsen scored 1478 to finishfourth, while Singapore's Cherie and Daphne Tan scored 1474 to round out thetop five. Finland, USA and Singapore have all three of their doubles inside the cut. Thecut for Round 2 fell at 1349, taken by Finland’s Tii­amari Laukkanen and JenniHeino. 32 Players Split Into Four Groups Group A (Places 1, 8, 9, 16, 17, 24) SGP – Shayna Ng / New Hui FenKOR – Song Si Ra / Paek Ye DamSWE – Hanna Engberg / Nora JohanssonFIN – Eliisa Hiltunen / Ani JuntunenCAN – Felicia Wong / Jennifer BesanaFIN – Tiiamari Laukkanen / Jenni Heino SGP – Shayna Ng / New Hui Fen KOR – Song Si Ra / Paek Ye Dam SWE – Hanna Engberg / Nora Johansson FIN – Eliisa Hiltunen / Ani Juntunen CAN – Felicia Wong / Jennifer Besana FIN – Tiiamari Laukkanen / Jenni Heino Group B (Places 2, 7, 10, 15, 18, 23) JPN – Shion Izumune / Kiri WatanabeMAC – Hui Tong / Veronica Dias de SouzaUSA – Bryanna Coté / Shannon PluhowskyFIN – Essi Pakarinen / Peppi KonsteriSWE – Anna Andersson / Victoria JohanssonMAS – Gillian Lim / Nora Lyana Norkamal JPN – Shion Izumune / Kiri Watanabe MAC – Hui Tong / Veronica Dias de Souza USA – Bryanna Coté / Shannon Pluhowsky FIN – Essi Pakarinen / Peppi Konsteri SWE – Anna Andersson / Victoria Johansson MAS – Gillian Lim / Nora Lyana Norkamal Group C (Places 3, 6, 11, 14, 19, 22) KOR – Kim Bo Ah / Shin Hye BinTPE – Wang Ya Ting / Teng Jo YuUSA – Lauren Russo / Breanna ClemmerUSA – Jillian Martin / Julia BondMAC – So Cheng Lam / Wong Son IanAUS – Rebekah Martin / Bec Whiting KOR – Kim Bo Ah / Shin Hye Bin TPE – Wang Ya Ting / Teng Jo Yu USA – Lauren Russo / Breanna Clemmer USA – Jillian Martin / Julia Bond MAC – So Cheng Lam / Wong Son Ian AUS – Rebekah Martin / Bec Whiting Group D (Places 4, 5, 12, 13, 20, 21) DEN – Sofie K. Nielsen / Karen K. NielsenSGP – Cherie Tan / Daphne TanMEX – Iliana Lomelí Lemus / Lilia M. Robles GonzálezSGP – Tay Ning / Bernice LimDEN – Maria Bak Gerding / Cecilie DamMAS – Adelia Nur / Siti Safiyah DEN – Sofie K. Nielsen / Karen K. Nielsen SGP – Cherie Tan / Daphne Tan MEX – Iliana Lomelí Lemus / Lilia M. Robles González SGP – Tay Ning / Bernice Lim DEN – Maria Bak Gerding / Cecilie Dam MAS – Adelia Nur / Siti Safiyah Schedule Ahead Next up is the Men’s Doubles qualification, which continues on Saturday with three seven-game squads at Top Bowl. On Sunday, the Women’s Doubles Round 2 round-robin will open the day, followed by Men’s Doubles Round 2. Later in the afternoon, both men’s and women’s doubles semifinals and finals will be contested in best-of-three matches. Trios and Team of Five events will follow in early December, with the finalstages held at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wanchai. A full schedule and all results from the IBF World Championships 2025 areavailable attournaments.bowlinglife.eu. tournaments.bowlinglife.eu Saturday, November 29 Sunday, November 30 Monday, December 1 Tuesday, December 2 Wednesday, December 3 Thursday, December 4 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai Friday, December 5 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai

The Singles events at the IBF World Championships 2025 came to a close todayin Hong Kong, and Finland delivered one of the strongest performances inchampionship history. Both gold medals went to Finnish athletes, with Luukas Väänänen winning themen’s title and Essi Pakarinen capturing the women’s gold. In the women’s division, Finland’s Essi Pakarinen secured the gold medal withtwo decisive games in the final against Malaysia’s Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee. Pakarinen posted games of 217-191 and 214-169, completing a clean 2–0 victory.Nur earned the silver after reaching the final with a 2–1 semifinal win overSingapore’s Shayna Ng Lin Zhi. The bronze medals went to Ng and Team USA’sBreanna Clemmer, who fell 2–1 to Pakarinen in the semifinals but producedhighest game in the semifinals with a 266 in Match 2. After securing the women’s singles gold, Essi Pakarinen shared her reactionwith BowlingLife. She reflected on the years of work behind this moment andthe mental approach that carried her through the final rounds. "It is unbelievable. I have worked so hard for this for a few years. And now Ihave the gold in my hands. I think the biggest key to this gold medal wasminding my own game and focusing all my energy on shooting a good shot one ata time." Despite Finland’s strong results today, celebrations will have to wait, as theteam now turns its attention to the upcoming events. "Of course our team had a huge day today but tomorrow is a new day and we needto focus on the future. Maybe some celebrations when I get back to Finland butnow all focus on what is ahead." Men's Division The men’s final became an all-Finnish matchup between Tomas Käyhkö and LuukasVäänänen. Käyhkö opened the match strongly with 247-227 win, but Väänänenresponded under pressure with a brilliant performance in the last two games,posting 258-242 and 246-236 to seal a 2–1 victory and claim the gold. Käyhkö and Väänänen had each advanced through competitive semifinals, withVäänänen defeating Ryan Barnes of the United States and Käyhkö overcomingSweden’s Markus Jansson. Barnes and Jansson earned the bronze medals. After winning the men’s singles gold, Luukas Väänänen also spoke with BowlingLife, describing the breakthrough moment he had been chasing for years. He highlighted how his mental game and calm approach allowed him to stay in control during the final against Ryan Barnes and Tomas Käyhkö. "It feels unbelievable, but soo good. I’ve been close to get that big win with many podium places in big tournament and now I get it. I’m just so happy about my performance on the lanes. Mental game and all was perfect. I didn’t take any extra pressure to play against Ryan and Tomas. Just focused making one good shots and it worked pretty well." Väänänen also reflected on Finland’s strong start to the championships and expressed confidence in what the team can still achieve. "3 medals with 2 gold and 1 silver is grazy start for the championships. We have really strong team in mens and womens, I think we will take more than those 3 medals back to he." The IBF World Championships 2025 continue tomorrow with the start of theDoubles medal rounds. Full results, live scores, and schedules are availableattournaments.bowlinglife.eu. tournaments.bowlinglife.eu Official Schedule – IBF World Championships 2025 Friday, November 28 Saturday, November 29 Sunday, November 30 Monday, December 1 Tuesday, December 2 Wednesday, December 3 Thursday, December 4 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai Friday, December 5 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai

The Women’s Singles Round 2 concluded today in Hong Kong with a tightlycontested set of group battles, and four athletes have secured their places inthe semi-finals. Singapore, Finland, Malaysia and the United States will allbe represented in the medal round. In Group A, Singapore’s Shayna Ng delivered a composed and consistentperformance, finishing with 1517 pinfall and 16 points. A strong final stretchallowed her to stay ahead of Korea’s Shin Hye Bin, who posted 1441 for secondplace, while Finland’s Peppi Konsteri finished third with 1507. Denmark’sKaren Kærgaard Nielsen, who led yesterday's qualifying, placed fourth with1436. Group B went to Finland’s Essi Pakarinen, who impressed with 1539 total and 15points. Malaysia’s Natasha Roslan pushed her throughout the block and endedclose behind on 1467, followed by Taiwan’s Teng Jo Yu with 1515. Group C belonged to Malaysia's Adelia Nur, who claimed spot in the semis with1484 and 15 points. Korea’s Kim Bo Ah finished second on 1431, and Australia’sBec Whiting placed third with 1384. In Group D, Breanna Clemmer of the United States dominated early and protectedher lead through Game 7. She closed with 1534 and 18 points. Her teammateShannon Pluhowsky finished second on 1564 pinfall but with fewer points, whileTaiwan’s Wang Ya Ting and Canada’s Felicia Wong stayed close behind in abalanced group. Semifinals will feature Breanna Clemmer of the United States facing Finland’sEssi Pakarinen, while the second match sets Singapore’s Shayna Ng Lin Zhiagainst Malaysia’s Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee. Official Schedule – IBF World Championships 2025 Thursday, November 27 Friday, November 28 Saturday, November 29 Sunday, November 30 Monday, December 1 Tuesday, December 2 Wednesday, December 3 Thursday, December 4 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai Friday, December 5 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai

The transfer of PBA Tour broadcasts from FOX to The CW Network does not onlyaffect American audiences, but also international viewers. Since The CW Network is only available in the United States, it was importantto secure a way for fans worldwide to follow the biggest stage in professionalbowling. The Professional Bowlers Association confirmed to BowlingLife’s ErikasJansonas that global fans will still be able to follow the action throughBowlTV, the same livestream service used in past seasons. “International viewers will be able to watch PBA events on the CW via BowlTV -just as they could watch FOX shows in past years,” the PBA stated. The 2026 regular season begins on February 22 with the PBA PlayersChampionship in Arlington, Texas. The CW Network will broadcast ten events inten straight Sundays, all live at 4 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, the World Series ofBowling will be livestreamed on CBS. Below is the full PBA Tour Schedule 2026 on The CW Network, with all eventsairing at 4 p.m. ET: February 22: PBA Players Championship – Arlington, Texas –International Training and Research Center February 22: PBA Players Championship March 1: PBA Pete Weber Missouri Classic – St. Peters, Mo. – BowleroSt. Peters March 1: PBA Pete Weber Missouri Classic March 8: U.S. Open – Indianapolis, Ind. – Royal Pin Woodland March 8: U.S. Open March 15: PBA Illinois Classic – Decatur, Ill. – David Small’s VictoryLanes March 15: PBA Illinois Classic March 22: PBA Indiana Classic – Fort Wayne, Ind. – David Small’s ProBowl West March 22: PBA Indiana Classic March 29: USBC Masters – Allen Park, Mich. – Thunderbowl Lanes March 29: USBC Masters April 5: PBA Ohio Classic – Columbus, Ohio – Columbus Square BowlingPalace April 5: PBA Ohio Classic April 12: PBA New York Classic – Rochester, N.Y. – ABC Gates Bowl April 12: PBA New York Classic April 19: PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship – Portland, Maine –Bayside Bowl April 19: PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship April 26: PBA Tournament of Champions – Fairlawn, Ohio – AMF RivieraLanes April 26: PBA Tournament of Champions Earlier this year, the PBA announced that it hadsigned a multi-year broadcast agreement with The CW Network, marking the end of its partnership with FOX. signed a multi-year broadcast agreement with The CW Network

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) has announced the full PBA TourSchedule 2026, with live broadcasts set to air on The CW Network. The new television partnership introduces “PBA Championship Sundays on TheCW,” bringing professional bowling to a national audience on ten consecutiveSundays. Coverage will begin on February 22, 2026, with the PBA Players Championship inArlington, Texas. Every broadcast will air live at 4 p.m. ET and continuethrough April 26, 2026, when the season closes with the PBA Tournament ofChampions in Fairlawn, Ohio. In total, The CW will feature four major championships. These include the PBAPlayers Championship, U.S. Open, USBC Masters, and the PBA Tournament ofChampions. Six additional title events will also be broadcast, such as the PBA Pete WeberMissouri Classic and the Roth/Holman Doubles Championship from Bayside Bowl inPortland, Maine. Fans can follow qualifying and match play rounds through BowlTV before theChampionship Sunday broadcasts. Below is the full PBA Tour Schedule 2026 on The CW Network, with all eventsairing at 4 p.m. ET: February 22: PBA Players Championship – Arlington, Texas –International Training and Research Center February 22: PBA Players Championship March 1: PBA Pete Weber Missouri Classic – St. Peters, Mo. – BowleroSt. Peters March 1: PBA Pete Weber Missouri Classic March 8: U.S. Open – Indianapolis, Ind. – Royal Pin Woodland March 8: U.S. Open March 15: PBA Illinois Classic – Decatur, Ill. – David Small’s VictoryLanes March 15: PBA Illinois Classic March 22: PBA Indiana Classic – Fort Wayne, Ind. – David Small’s ProBowl West March 22: PBA Indiana Classic March 29: USBC Masters – Allen Park, Mich. – Thunderbowl Lanes March 29: USBC Masters April 5: PBA Ohio Classic – Columbus, Ohio – Columbus Square BowlingPalace April 5: PBA Ohio Classic April 12: PBA New York Classic – Rochester, N.Y. – ABC Gates Bowl April 12: PBA New York Classic April 19: PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship – Portland, Maine –Bayside Bowl April 19: PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship April 26: PBA Tournament of Champions – Fairlawn, Ohio – AMF RivieraLanes April 26: PBA Tournament of Champions Earlier this year, the PBA announced that it had signed a multi-year broadcast agreement with The CW Network, marking the end of its partnership with FOX.While Championship Sundays will air on The CW, the World Series ofBowling will be broadcasted on CBS. signed a multi-year broadcast agreement with The CW Network

EJ Tackett has been named the Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year for 2025.Tackett received 86.5 percent of the vote from PBA members andmedia. Andrew Anderson and Ethan Fiore followed with six percent each, whileJason Belmonte, Graham Fach, Jesper Svensson, and Chris Via were alsonominated. This is his fourth career award and his third in a row. With this achievement,Tackett joins Earl Anthony, Mark Roth, Walter Ray Williams Jr., and Belmonteas the only players to win three consecutive Player of the Year honors. Tackett’s 2025 season included several milestones. He led the PBA Tour inpoints with 34,690, in earnings with $438,540, and in average with 228.60. He recorded 11 top-five finishes, 12 top-10 finishes, 13 top-25 finishes, andcashed in 15 events. During the season, Tackett added multiple career titles, surpassing DonJohnson to enter the top ten on the all-time list with 27. He also secured two major championships. At theU.S. Open, Tackett made a late charge from outside the cut to win his second title inthe event. Later, he captured thePBA World Championship, finishing a demanding World Series of Bowling with a victory over JasonBelmonte. U.S. Open PBA World Championship The Player of the Year award carries the name of Christopher Schenkel, theHall of Fame broadcaster who was the longtime voice of the PBA. He passed awayin 2005.

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and Longmarch Bowling haveannounced a 10-year agreement to relaunch the PBA China Regional Program. The relaunch begins in October 2025 with three scheduled tournaments at theLongmarch Bowling Center in Shanghai. The first event, the PBA China Tribute to Pioneers Championship, will takeplace from September 18–21, 2025. It will be followed by the PBA ChinaScorpion Championship on January 2–3, 2026, and the 2026 PBA China Cup onOctober 2–4, 2026. This new partnership builds on the PBA’s history in China. The relationship began in 2014 when Longmarch Bowling helped recruit playersin China to join the PBA through the “Pioneers Program.” More than 100 Chinesebowlers have become members since then, with several competing in the PBAWorld Series of Bowling. In 2019, the PBA China Tiger Cup became the first PBA event in the country,featuring the season’s top seven PBA-ranked players alongside hundreds ofcompetitors from China and Asia. The program was paused in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PBA and Longmarch Bowling aim to use this relaunch to expand competitiveopportunities for Chinese bowlers, attract new talent, and strengthen thesport’s presence in the region. The 10-year agreement is part of the PBA’s wider plan for global growth, withChina seen as an important market for the sport’s future.PBA Regional events outside the United States have proven successful, with PBA Sweden and PBA Japan already established on the international calendar.

Chris Via and Bryanna Coté claimed the title at the 25th anniversary edition of the Storm PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles, held at Copperfield Bowl in Houston. After finishing qualifying in 22nd place, the pair surged during match play and secured the top spot heading into the final game. With a total pinfall of 10,416 (+1,216) over 46 combined games, they held a comfortable lead of 260 pins over Kyle Troup and Liz Johnson, who finished in second with +1,042. Latest win marked Coté’s sixth PWBA title and Via’s second PBA title. For the win they were awarded with $25,000. Via also rolled the only two 300 games of the tournament and donated both $300 bonuses to the Striking Against Breast Cancer foundation. Last year's champions Anthony Simonsen and Danielle McEwan finished in 22nd. Last year's champions Last year's champions The final PBA title event of the season will be the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters in Helsingborg, Sweden, while the PWBA season wraps in August with Championship Week in Rochester, New York. Storm Lucky Larsen Masters in Helsingborg, Sweden Storm Lucky Larsen Masters in Helsingborg, Sweden Championship Week in Rochester, New York Championship Week in Rochester, New York Top 5 Final Standings: Top 5 Final Standings: Chris Via / Bryanna Coté – 10,416 (+1,216)Kyle Troup / Liz Johnson – 10,242 (+1,042)Darren Tang / Sin Li Jane – 10,039 (+839)Andrew Anderson / Erin McCarthy – 9,952 (+752)Tommy Jones / Shannon Pluhowsky – 9,918 (+718) Chris Via / Bryanna Coté – 10,416 (+1,216) Kyle Troup / Liz Johnson – 10,242 (+1,042) Darren Tang / Sin Li Jane – 10,039 (+839) Andrew Anderson / Erin McCarthy – 9,952 (+752) Tommy Jones / Shannon Pluhowsky – 9,918 (+718)

The 2025 PBA50 Petraglia Championship concluded on Tuesday in Jackson, Michigan, with Finland’s Mika Koivuniemi winning his first PBA50 title since 2018. In the title match, Koivuniemi, the No. 2 seed, started strong with a strike and spare, then built momentum with seven consecutive strikes from the fourth to the tenth frame - a pace his opponent just couldn't hande, securing the win 258-224. Previously, in the semifinal, Koivuniemi defeated No. 5 seed Liz Johnson, who had advanced through two earlier matches by defeating Brian LeClair in the opening match, 215-199 and then defeating Tom Daugherty 225-197. Johnson and Koivuniemi were even early in the game, but a split in the fourth frame gave Koivuniemi the lead. He remained clean through the match and finished strong to win 227-202. Koivuniemi earned $5,000 for the win. This win was crucial for Major Mika as he moves closer to qualifying for the PBA50 World Championship match play. All qualifying scores from this tournament, along with those from the Ballard, Monacelli, and Holman Championships, will determine the top 18 players advancing to the World Championship. Koivuniemi currently stands in 19th place and will need strong results in the upcoming Holman Championship to move up. All matches of the PBA50 are available to watch live on BowlTV. PBA50 Petraglia Championship Stepladder Finals – Match Results PBA50 Petraglia Championship Stepladder Finals – Match Results Match 1: Liz Johnson def. Brian LeClair, 215 – 199 Match 1: Match 2: Liz Johnson def. Tom Daugherty, 225 – 197 Match 2: Semifinal: Mika Koivuniemi def. Liz Johnson, 227 – 202 Semifinal: Final: Mika Koivuniemi def. Bo Goergen, 258 – 224 Final:

Andrew Anderson defeated EJ Tackett in two straight games during Sunday’s finale at Steel City Bowl & Brews in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to become the fifth bowler to claim the title since the lounch of the event. The final match began with Tackett taking an early lead with four straight strikes, but open frames in the later stages allowed Anderson to steal Game 1, 212–200. In Game 2, early errors from Tackett gave Anderson a comfortable advantage. Despite an open frame in the sixth, Anderson held on to win 212–189 and sweep the Race-to-Two final. This win marks Anderson’s second title of the season—both earned in finals matches against Tackett—and the sixth PBA Tour title of his career. Earlier in the year, Tackett topped Anderson in the U.S. Open, but Anderson bounced back to defeat him at the PBA Mike Aulby Nevada Classic. Tackett topped Anderson in the U.S. Open Tackett topped Anderson in the U.S. Open PBA Mike Aulby Nevada Classic PBA Mike Aulby Nevada Classic With this win, he also pockets the $35,000 top prize. The Tour Finals featured the top eight points leaders from the 2024 and 2025 seasons, split into two groups. Anderson and Tackett each earned the top seed in their respective groups during Saturday’s positioning rounds and fought their way through stepladder matches to reach the final. In Group 1, Tackett advanced after narrowly escaping a roll-off win against Graham Fach. In Group 2, Anderson survived a high-scoring bracket that saw Jason Belmonte shoot 269 and 278 in his first two matches. Anderson lost the first game of their head-to-head but forced a roll-off and doubled in the tenth to move on to the championship. The PBA Tour Finals closes out the 2025 season. The post-season begins with the Storm PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles in July, followed by a return to international play in August at the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters in Sweden. Group 1 Stepladder Results: Group 1 Stepladder Results: Match 1: Kyle Troup (No. 4) defeated Bill O’Neill (No. 3), 227–214Match 2: Graham Fach (No. 2) defeated Kyle Troup, 226–197Match 3: EJ Tackett (No. 1) defeated Graham Fach, 2–1 Match 1: Kyle Troup (No. 4) defeated Bill O’Neill (No. 3), 227–214 Match 1: Match 2: Graham Fach (No. 2) defeated Kyle Troup, 226–197 Match 2: Match 3: EJ Tackett (No. 1) defeated Graham Fach, 2–1 Match 3: Group 2 Stepladder Results: Group 2 Stepladder Results: Match 1: Jason Belmonte (No. 3) defeated Anthony Simonsen (No. 4), 269–259Match 2: Jason Belmonte defeated Marshall Kent (No. 2), 278–221Match 3: Andrew Anderson (No. 1) defeated Jason Belmonte, 2–1 Match 1: Jason Belmonte (No. 3) defeated Anthony Simonsen (No. 4), 269–259 Match 1: Match 2: Jason Belmonte defeated Marshall Kent (No. 2), 278–221 Match 2: Match 3: Andrew Anderson (No. 1) defeated Jason Belmonte, 2–1 Match 3:

The final PBA Tour title of the 2025 season is on the line this weekend in Pennsylvania, where the top eight point leaders from the 2024 and 2025 seasons are competing in the PBA Tour Finals. On Saturday, the players were split into two groups based on their points standings. Group 1 included EJ Tackett, Bill O’Neill, Kyle Troup, and Graham Fach. Group 2 featured Anthony Simonsen, Jason Belmonte, Andrew Anderson, and Marshall Kent. Each group bowled two games on dual oil patterns—46-foot Petraglia on the left lane and 40-foot Monacelli on the right. The two lowest scorers were placed as the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds for Sunday’s stepladder. The top two advanced to a one-game match to determine seeding for the final. In Group 1, Tackett led the pack with 266 in his first game and stayed consistent to finish with a total of 488. Fach followed closely with 460 to join him in the seeding match, where Tackett rolled 258 to Fach’s 211 to claim the top seed. O’Neill and Troup will open Sunday’s Group 1 stepladder at 5 p.m. ET. The winner will face Fach, and then meet Tackett in a Race-to-Two match. Group 2 saw a standout performance from Andrew Anderson, who started with a 279 and followed it with 206 for a 485 series. Marshall Kent secured second with 452, while Belmonte and Simonsen struggled to keep pace. Anderson edged out Kent in the seeding match, 193–191, and now waits for the winner of the Group 2 stepladder starting at 7 p.m. ET. Belmonte and Simonsen will face off in the opener, with the winner moving on to face Kent. The two stepladder winners will meet in the championship match at 9 p.m. ET. All matches will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network, which recently signed a new two-year agreement with the PBA beginning in 2026. new two-year agreement with the PBA beginning in 2026 new two-year agreement with the PBA beginning in 2026

Shannon Pluhowsky won the 2025 PWBA Tour Championship at ABC Gates Bowl in Rochester, New York. Pluhowsky, the No. 1 seed, defeated England’s Verity Crawley 235-167. She earned $50,000 for the win, while Crawley took home $25,000 for second place. The title match was low scoring in the early frames. Pluhowsky had 85 through five frames after leaving a 4-6-10 split, while Crawley had 70 with two strikes and two opens. After the commercial break, both players struck twice in a row, but Pluhowsky added two more strikes to take control. A strike in the ninth and another in the 10th secured the match for Pluhowsky. The victory marked Pluhowsky's third career major title, sixth overall and second in a row PWBA title. Just 3 days ago, Pluhowsky won PWBA Pepsi Open. won PWBA Pepsi Open Crawley reached the title match by defeating No. 5 seed Stephanie Zavala, 233-215 in the semifinals. Zavala had earlier defeated No. 4 seed Jordan Snodgrass, 185-150, and No. 3 seed Lauren Russo, 233-170. Snodgrass earned $10,000 for fifth place, Russo earned $12,000 for fourth, and Zavala collected $15,000 for third. 2025 PWBA Tour Championship was the last event of the 2025 PWBA season. Singapore's New Hui Fen was named 2025 PWBA Player of the Year. She led the tour with 94,550 points and three titles, including the U.S. Women’s Open, Rock 'n' Roll Open and BowlTV Open. Snodgrass finished second in the points race with 93,125. U.S. Women’s Open Rock 'n' Roll Open BowlTV Open

The stepladder finalists are set for the 2025 PWBA Tour Championship at ABC Gates Bowl in Rochester, New York. Five players remain in the season’s final major event, and the PWBA Player of the Year race is still undecided.Singapore’s New Hui Fen, who led the PWBA Tour season in points and earnings, did not advance to the stepladder finals, finishing ninth. She will receive 10,600 points, bringing her total to 94,550 Tour points accumulated throughout the season. Jordan Snodgrass, who earned the No. 4 seed, will fight against fifth seed Stephanie Zavala in the opening match of the stepladder. With a single win, Snodgrass can overtake New in season points with 94,625. Meanwhile, Zavala moved into the stepladder during the position round, defeating 2025 Rookie of the Year Malaysia’s Gillian Lim 226–202 to jump from seventh to fifth place. 2025 Rookie of the Year The winner of the opening match will face third seed Lauren Russo. Russo is making her second television appearance of the season after finishing third at the U.S. Women’s Open earlier this year. Second seed Verity Crawley of England will await the winner of that match as a No. 2 seed, only two wins away from the major title. In qualifiers, Crawley averaged over 244 during her block on the 38-foot oil pattern, becoming the first player since the format change in 2021 to start 8-0 in match-play. to start 8-0 in match-play Crawley is also appearing on TV for the second time this season, having reached the finals of the PWBA Anniversary Open in June. Top seed Shannon Pluhowsky, will bowl in the championship match. Pluhowsky is looking for her second straight title after winning the PWBA Pepsi Open and her third career major title. winning the PWBA Pepsi Open The finals will take place Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.

The PWBA Tour Championship began at ABC Gates Bowl in Rochester, New York, with winners from this season and the top 24 in points competing in match play. Day one kicked off with the first eight games of the 24-game match play, and with a major title up for grabs, UK's Tenpin Hall of Famer wasted no time making history. UK's Tenpin Hall of Famer Verity Crawley became the first player since the format change in 2021 to start the event 8-0 in match-play.Crawley averaged over 244 during her block on the 38-foot oil pattern, scoring 1,957 before bonus pins for a total of 2,197. This is the fifth-highest eight-game match-play total since the PWBA Tour’s relaunch in 2015. Shannon Pluhowsky, the PWBA Pepsi Open champion, sits in second place with 2,066, while Lauren Russo holds third with 1,992. Singapore’s New Hui Fen, the season leader in points and earnings, and Josie Barnes, ranked second in earnings and third in average, share fourth place at 1,973. Positions six through ten after day one are Dasha Kovalova of Ukraine (1,957), Julia Bond (1,941), Jordan Snodgrass (1,926), Lindsay Boomershine (1,926), and Natasha Roslan of Malaysia (1,914). Match play continues Monday morning at 10 a.m. Eastern with another eight games, followed by the final eight games starting at 5 p.m. Eastern. After 24 games, the top five players will advance to the stepladder finals on Tuesday night, broadcast live on CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. Eastern. Both rounds of match play are being livestreamed on BowlTV. BowlTV

Malaysia’s Gillian Lim has been named the 2025 PWBA Rookie of the Year. She became the first Malaysian player in history to receive the award. Lim led all rookies in points, earnings, and top-12 finishes during the 2025 season. Her consistent performances across events secured her the top rookie spot. The announcement comes as Lim competes in the season-ending PWBA Tour Championship. After the first eight games of match play, she is in 15th place with two wins, five losses, and one tie, for a total pinfall of 1,848. Meanwhile, England’s Verity Crawley made history by becoming the first player since the format change in 2021 to start the event 8-0 in matches. Crawley averaged over 244 during her block on the 38-foot oil pattern, scoring 1,957 before bonus pins for a total of 2,197 to lead the 24-player field. Match play continues Monday morning at 10 a.m. Eastern with another eight games,followed by the final eight games starting at 5 p.m. Eastern. After 24 games, the top five players will advance to the stepladder finals on Tuesday night, broadcast live on CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. Eastern. Both rounds of match play are being livestreamed on BowlTV. BowlTV

Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, won the PWBA Pepsi Open at ABC Gates Bowl, defeating Liz Johnson of Niagara Falls, New York, 226-175 in the championship match. The victory marked Pluhowsky’s fifth fifth PWBA Tour title. After 12 games of qualification, Pluhowsky qualified as the No. 4 seed with 2,748 total (+348) among 16 advancing players. In the Round of 16, Pluhowsky faced No. 13 seed, Sweden’s Anna Andersson and came from two games to one down to win the best-of-five series with scores of 228 and 235 in the last two games (225-201, 193-232, 214-234, 228-196, 235-225). In the Round of 8, she then swept Singapore’s Shayna Ng with close games of 216-187, 249-230, and 220-210. The semifinal saw Pluhowsky take on Lindsay Boomershine. The intrigue was kept just at the beginning of the game, as Pluhowsky closed with eight consecutive strikes to win 269-189. On the other side of the bracket, No. 10 seed Liz Johnson defeated Breanna Clemmer 3-1 in the Round of 16, then advanced from the top 8 with a narrow one-pin victory in game five against Stephanie Zavala. In the semifinal, Johnson defeated No. 14 seed Nora Johansson of Sweden 235-227 to advance to the title match. In the title match, Johnson led by one pin halfway through the game, but Pluhowsky took control in the second half with a string of strikes. Johnson was unable to match the pace and missed a spare late in the game. Pluhowsky secured the win 226-175, earning the $10,000 top prize. Liz Johnson received $5,000 as runner-up. As the victory marked Pluhowsky’s fifth Professional Women’s Bowling Association title, she is now eligible for the PWBA Hall of Fame. With the victory, Pluhowsky also secured her place in the PWBA Tour Championship field, which features all 2025 title winners and the top 24 in season points. The Tour Championship begins Sunday with practice and continues with match play rounds before the stepladder finals on Tuesday night.

Stefanie Johnson has won her fifth Professional Women’s Bowling Association title after taking the victory at the PWBA Rochester Open, held at ABC Gates Bowl in Rochester, New York. Johnson qualified as the No. 2 seed after match play and went on to defeat New Hui Fen of Singapore in the semifinal and top seed Bailey Delrose of Crest Hill, Illinois, in the championship match. This marks Johnson’s first title since the 2022 PWBA Rockford Open. In the semifinal, Johnson faced New Hui Fen, who had been undefeated in stepladder finals this season. Both players struggled early with open frames, but Johnson gained momentum in the second half of the match. She secured the win 203-196, ending New’s perfect 9–0 record in stepladder finals this season. The final match saw Johnson against Delrose, who was making her first career stepladder appearance. Both started strong, but Delrose left a 3-7 split in the sixth frame, allowing Johnson to take the lead. Johnson maintained control and finished with a 230-204 win. Johnson earned $10,000 and secured a spot in the season-ending Tour Championship. Meanwhile, Delrose took home $5,000 for second place. Earlier in the stepladder, Cherie Tan of Singapore faced Julia Bond. Bond advanced with a 233–214 win, then lost to New Hui Fen 224–213 in the second match. Stepladder Results – PWBA Rochester Open Stepladder Results – PWBA Rochester Open Match 1 – Julia Bond def. Cherie Tan, 233–214 Match 2 – New Hui Fen def. Julia Bond, 224–213 Semifinal – Stefanie Johnson def. New Hui Fen, 203–196 Final – Stefanie Johnson def. Bailey Delrose, 230–204 Match 1 Match 2 Semifinal Final

Josie Barnes of Hermitage, Tennessee, claimed the 2025 PWBA Anniversary Open title after winning two matches during Sunday night’s stepladder finals at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The finals took place as part of the Junior Gold Championships Opening Ceremony, drawing over 6,500 spectators into the arena. It marked one of the most attended and visually striking finals in recent PWBA history. Barnes, seeded second, first faced Verity Crawley of England in the semifinals. Crawley had advanced with a 212–193 win over Colombia’s Rocio Restrepo in Match 2. Barnes kept a clean game and used Crawley’s mid-game opens to take control, winning 214–194 to earn a spot in the title match. In the championship match, Barnes met Kayla Smith of Rockford, Illinois. Smith had secured the No. 1 seed after a strong final qualifying round but struggled with carry in the final. Barnes built momentum early with five consecutive strikes and held the lead to close out the match 236–191. The win marks her second title of the 2025 season and sixth overall on the PWBA Tour. second title of the 2025 season second title of the 2025 season The stepladder finals opened with Sweden’s Nora Johansson making her PWBA finals debut. Johansson, the first two-handed player to reach a PWBA stepladder final, led early against Restrepo but closed with back-to-back splits, losing 209–215. All matches were contested at the Resch Center on a specially built lane installation. The event was aired live on CBS Sports Network. PWBA Anniversary Open Stepladder Finals - Match Results Match 1: Rocio Restrepo def. Nora Johansson, 215 - 209Match 2: Verity Crawley def. Rocio Restrepo, 212 - 193Semifinal: Josie Barnes def. Verity Crawley, 214 - 194Final: Josie Barnes def. Kayla Smith, 236 - 191 Match 1: Rocio Restrepo def. Nora Johansson, 215 - 209 Match 1: Match 2: Verity Crawley def. Rocio Restrepo, 212 - 193 Match 2: Semifinal: Josie Barnes def. Verity Crawley, 214 - 194 Semifinal: Final: Josie Barnes def. Kayla Smith, 236 - 191 Final:

After four rounds of qualifying at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley, the field at the 2025 PWBA Anniversary Open has been cut to the top five players who will advance to Sunday’s televised stepladder finals at the Resch Center. Kayla Smith of Rockford, Illinois, will make her first stepladder finals appearance as she claimed the No. 1 seed after an outstanding final round, averaging over 265 across six games. Her block of 1,593 was the second-highest six-game series on the PWBA Tour since its relaunch in 2015, just two pins shy of Breanna Clemmer’s 1,595 at the 2022 St. Petersburg-Clearwater Open. Josie Barnes of Hermitage, Tennessee, who led the standings through all previous rounds, will enter as the No. 2 seed. She’s seeking her second title of the year after winning the 2025 USBC Queens. who led the standings through all previous rounds who led the standings through all previous rounds Verity Crawley of England took the No. 3 position, returning to the PWBA stepladder finals for the first time since 2023. Nora Johansson impressed with a massive climb from 27th to 2nd in Round 3 and held her ground on Friday to lock in the No. 4 seed for the televised finals. This marks her first career appearance in a PWBA televised final. Rocio Restrepo of Colombia rounds out the top five. Full results Full results Live CBS Sports Network broadcast of the PWBA Anniversary Open begins Sunday, July 13, at 7 p.m. Eastern.

The BowlingGP France Youth 2025 brought two days of high-level youth bowlingand unforgettable atmosphere to Bowling Plaza Saint-Maximin. As one ofEurope’s standout youth events and part of the EBT Youth Series, thetournament gathered more than 115 young athletes from across the continent tocompete across four divisions: U14, U17 Boys, U21 Boys, and the combined U17& U21 Girls field. With six qualifying games on Saturday and all finals staged on Sunday, theevent moved fast and delivered constant drama - tight matches, clutch shots,and emotional finishes that kept players, coaches, and families glued to theaction until the last ball. Check out tournament's picture galleryhere. here Intense Finals Crown the 2025 Champions After two days of competition, the Final Four battles in every divisionproduced worthy champions who handled the pressure when it mattered most. U14 – Boys & Girls Belgium struck first in the youngest division.Tobe Vermonden delivered aconfident 259 game in the semifinal and backed it up with another strongperformance in the final to take the U14 title.France’s Adam Cotton finishedrunner-up, whileMatt Da Silva Portefaix andBatiste Gomez secured thebronze medals. Tobe Vermonden Adam Cotton Matt Da Silva Portefaix Batiste Gomez Podium:1. Tobe Vermonden (BEL)2. Adam Cotton (FRA)3. Matt Da Silva Portefaix (FRA)4. Batiste Gomez (FRA) Podium: U17 Boys Home support pushed the French athletes to outstanding results in the U17 category. In the semifinal rounds, tight matches set up a strong all-French final, whereTom Levant defeatedThomas Laymet-Carre 234 - 203 to claimthe title. Tom Levant Thomas Laymet-Carre 234 - 203 Axel Forestier andArthur Angevin completed theall-French medal set. Axel Forestier Arthur Angevin Podium:1. Tom Levant (FRA)2. Thomas Laymet-Carre (FRA)3. Axel Forestier (FRA)4. Arthur Angevin (FRA) Podium: U21 Boys The U21 finals delivered some of the highest scores of the entire tournament and some of its most dramatic finishes.Arenui Ambiehl dominated his semifinal with a 276 against Corentin Cirette’s 236 and carried that momentum straight into the championship match. On the other side of the bracket, Timéo Dujardin advanced after a nail-biting semifinal against Maximilien Karczewski, edging him out 236–233 in a showdown decided in the final frames. The title match was as intense as it gets, with the crowd erupting as Arenui delivered his final shots to close out a 260–238 victory and secure the U21 title. Podium:1. Arenui Ambiehl (FRA)2. Timeo Dujardin (FRA)3. Corentin Cirette (FRA)4. Maximilien Karczewski (FRA) Podium: U17 & U21 Girls Belgium added its second gold of the event thanks to a fantastic performanceby Ilena Brams, who rolled 273in the final to secure the title.France’s Manon Clement earnedsilver after a strong tournament run, whileHannah Masterson of Ireland andMonica Watz of Denmark claimedthe bronze medals. Ilena Brams Manon Clement Hannah Masterson Monica Watz Podium:1. Ilena Brams (BEL)2. Manon Clement (FRA)3. Hannah Masterson (IRL)4. Monica Watz (DEN) Podium: A Weekend Full of Atmosphere, Community and Fun Beyond the competition, BowlingGP France Youth once again proved why it is oneof Europe’s favourite youth tournaments.Families filled the venue, national teams showed incredible spirit, andplayers supported one another throughout the intense finals. The side contests also added extra excitement: Photo Challenge Awards BowlingGP Family Power Award– The Da Silva Portefaix family brought unmatched enthusiasm and unforgettablephotos all weekend. BowlingGP Family Power Award BowlingGP Spirit of Nations Award – Team Slovakia captured the crowd with their energetic, creative photo that spread widely on social media. BowlingGP Spirit of Nations Award View this post on Instagram A post shared by BowlingGP Tournaments (@bowling.gp_tournaments) View this post on Instagram A post shared by BowlingGP Tournaments (@bowling.gp_tournaments) These moments highlighted the community spirit that makes BowlingGP events somemorable. Next Stop: BowlingGP Series Youth Grand Quevilly 2026 The BowlingGP Youth season continues soon.The next stop is theBowlingGP Series Youth Grand Quevilly 2026, held on January 10–11, andregistration is already open. BowlingGP Series Youth Grand Quevilly 2026 January 10–11 Full tournament info and registration details can be found here:https://bowlinggp.com/bowlinggp-series-youth-grand-quevilly-2026/ https://bowlinggp.com/bowlinggp-series-youth-grand-quevilly-2026/ Players, families, and coaches are encouraged to secure their spots early –the next chapter of the BowlingGP is just around the corner.

A busy three-day weekend in the Elitserien saw ten matches played fromSaturday to Monday, with Kaskad extending their unbeaten streak to fourstraight wins. Team Pergamon pulled off another dramatic comeback on Mondaynight, while Göta finally grabbed their first win of the season - only to fallagain two days later. Let’s take a closer look at how all the action unfolded. Saturday Matches Overview BK Kaskad – Team Clan Nässjö BK 14–6Kaskad continued their winning ways on home lanes in Vilbergen, but it wasn’tall smooth sailing. Clan jumped out to a 4–1 lead after the opening seriesbefore Kaskad roared back with high-scoring performances across the board.Robin Hultsten (894) and Teodor Samuelsson (892) led the way as Kaskad closedthe match with a dominant 10–0 run in the final two series. BK Kaskad – Team Clan Nässjö BK 14–6 BK Kaskad – Stureby BK 18–2Kaskad’s second match of the day was more one-sided. After jumping out to a10–0 lead at the halfway mark, they cruised to an 18–2 win against Stureby.Rasmus Samuelsson topped the scoring with 931, while Marcus Tidbeck ledStureby with 814. BK Kaskad – Stureby BK 18–2 IKW/Köping BK – Team Clan Nässjö BK 9–11After a loss to Kaskad, Clan bounced back with a narrow win over Köping. RobinIlhammar stayed hot with 947, edging out Köping’s Carl Eklund (941) in a matchthat came down to the final series. IKW/Köping BK – Team Clan Nässjö BK 9–11 AIK BK – Stureby BK 9–11In the Stockholm derby, AIK started strong but couldn’t hold off Stureby’scomeback. Alvin Kvarnström posted a massive 1024 for AIK, but five Sturebyplayers crossed 900 — including Marcus Tidbeck (952) — to seal the narrow win. AIK BK – Stureby BK 9–11 Team Alingsås BC – Team Pergamon BC 9–11Alingsås appeared in control heading into the final series, leading 9–6 afterthree tight rounds. But Pergamon flipped the script, taking a clean 5–0 in thefourth to steal the match. Jesper Svensson delivered a 1009, while Alingsås’Noel Haglund Torgersen nearly matched him with 985. Team Alingsås BC – Team Pergamon BC 9–11 Sunday Match Recap IS Göta – BK Full House 6–14After a winless start to the season, Göta finally found their rhythm,dominating Full House in Helsingborg. They opened with back-to-back 4–1 seriesand never let go. Christopher Sloan led the charge with 946, followed closelyby Martin Paulsson (941) and Anton Andersson (940). IS Göta – BK Full House 6–14 Boden BK – Team Alingsås BC 12–7Coming off a tough Saturday loss, Alingsås faced a difficult task in Boden.The home side capitalized early with a 4–0 start, and held their ground asAlingsås tried to rally. Boden’s Adam Andersson (844) and Alingsås’ JamesBlomgren (845) led the scoring in a low-scoring but intense matchup. Boden BK – Team Alingsås BC 12–7 IKW/Köping BK – Stureby BK 10–10Stureby closed a packed weekend with a thrilling draw against Köping. Down 9–6heading into the last series, the visitors surged late — nearly stealing thewin — but Köping managed to scrape a point. Erik Hermansson (999) and MatsMaggi (972) led their teams, while Felix Möller made a big impact as asubstitute, firing 810 over three games with a high of 279. IKW/Köping BK – Stureby BK 10–10 Monday Match Recap IS Göta – Team Pergamon BC 8–10The drama peaked on Monday night in Helsingborg, where Pergamon edged out Götain a back-and-forth match. Despite losing all of his equipment hours beforethe game, Oliver Dahlgren played a key role using borrowed gear and freshlydrilled balls. IS Göta – Team Pergamon BC 8–10 Pergamon trailed 7–6 heading into the final series, but strike runs fromDahlgren and William Svensson pushed them to another late comeback. MattiasWetterberg (964) and Martin Larsen (964) were standouts for Pergamon, whileGöta’s Joachim Karlsson (963) led the home team. Elitserien Standings (After November 17, 2025)TeamGPWDLPoints WonTotal PointsTeam Alingsås BC850386–7210Team Pergamon BC850381–7610BK Full House850378–8110BK Kaskad440056–238Bodens BS531150–497Team Clan Nässjö BK630361–576Stureby BK621353–665IKW/Köping BK712461–784IS Göta811673–833AIK BK H611453–673 Elitserien Standings (After November 17, 2025) TeamGPWDLPoints WonTotal Points Team GP W D L Points Won Total Points Team Alingsås BC850386–7210Team Pergamon BC850381–7610BK Full House850378–8110BK Kaskad440056–238Bodens BS531150–497Team Clan Nässjö BK630361–576Stureby BK621353–665IKW/Köping BK712461–784IS Göta811673–833AIK BK H611453–673 Team Alingsås BC850386–7210 Team Alingsås BC 8 5 0 3 86–72 10 Team Pergamon BC850381–7610 Team Pergamon BC 8 5 0 3 81–76 10 BK Full House850378–8110 BK Full House 8 5 0 3 78–81 10 BK Kaskad440056–238 BK Kaskad 4 0 56–23 8 Bodens BS531150–497 Bodens BS 5 3 1 50–49 7 Team Clan Nässjö BK630361–576 Team Clan Nässjö BK 6 3 0 3 61–57 6 Stureby BK621353–665 Stureby BK 6 2 1 3 53–66 5 IKW/Köping BK712461–784 IKW/Köping BK 7 1 2 4 61–78 4 IS Göta811673–833 IS Göta 8 1 6 73–83 3 AIK BK H611453–673 AIK BK H 6 1 4 53–67 3

The British Tenpin Bowling Association (BTBA) has announced Verity Crawley and Ben Robinson as the recipients of the 2025 BTBA Player of the Year awards. The ceremony took place in Romford, bringing together some of the United Kingdom’s most accomplished bowlers to celebrate another successful year. Verity Crawley received the Women’s Bowler of the Year award following another strong season representing the United Kingdom on the international stage. In 2025, she reached two TV stepladder finals on the PWBA Tour and continued to record several top-five finishes, including a runner-up result earlier in the season. Crawley also earned gold in the doubles event at the European Championship of Champions in 2024 alongside Hadley Morgan. gold in the doubles event at the European Championship of Champions in 2024 alongside Hadley Morgan Ben Robinson was named Men’s Bowler of the Year after an active and successful season both in the U.K. and abroad. His results included a win at the Kegel Aalborg International, a title at the Welsh Open, and a place in the EBT Masters final.Robinson also achieved several top finishes in major European events, including the Top 8 at the Berlin City Open, fifth at the Brunswick Madrid Challenge, and third at the Scottish Open. He competed in the German Bundesliga and represented BK Full House in the Swedish League, while also qualifying for the Top 16 at the PBA WSOB Shark Championship. win at the Kegel Aalborg International Berlin City Open Brunswick Madrid Challenge Scottish Open PBA WSOB Shark Championship

The European Bowling Federation has announced that the first-ever EuropeanGrand Senior Championships will take place in Vienna, Austria, from January 30to February 8, 2026. The event will welcome athletes aged 65 and above tocompete at the highest level of senior European bowling. A total of 182 participants, including 94 men, 55 women, and 17 officials,will represent 24 federations across Europe. The list of participatingcountries includes Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, England,Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta,Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, andWales. The competition will be hosted at Plus Bowling Vienna, a well-known venue thathas previously staged major international events such as the European SeniorChampionships, Youth Championships, and the Championship of Champions. Championship of Champions The lane patternfor the European Grand Senior Championships 2026 will be 41 feet (+/- 1 foot). The final pattern will beconfirmed at the Team Managers Meeting. The championships will begin with practicesessions on January 30, followed by the Opening Ceremony on January 31.Competition days will include Singles, Doubles, Team of Four, All-Event, andMasters events, with medal ceremonies held after each discipline. Thechampionships will conclude on February 7 with the Masters finals and closingceremony. Find out more about the tournament on BowlingLife's Tournament finder. BowlingLife's Tournament finder

One of Europe’s most anticipated youth bowling events has officially found itsnext home. The European Youth Championships 2026 will be held in Berlin, Germany, fromMarch 28 to April 6, 2026. The tournament will take place at City Bowling Hasenheide and will bringtogether the continent’s best young bowlers for ten days of competition duringEaster. Dieter Rechenberg, President of the German Bowling Federation, welcomed thedecision and expressed his excitement for the upcoming championship. “It is a tremendous pleasure for me and the entire Board of Directors of theGerman Bowling Federation to welcome bowlers from all over Europe in Berlinfor the European Youth Championships 2026,” Rechenberg said. “Together withthe centre staff and many volunteers, we will do everything possible to ensurethat the participants bowling at City Bowling Hasenheide will feel at home andenjoy a fair competition.” The European Youth Championships serve as one of the most important annualevents for young bowlers in Europe, bringing together national teams fromacross the continent to compete in singles, doubles, team, and masters events.In April 2025, Greece’s Alexandra Giannadaki and France’s Timeo Dujardincaptured the Masters titles at the European Youth Championships in Turkey. European Youth Championships in Turkey.

Mate Balazs-Becsi of Romania won the 14th edition of the IDM BucharestInternational Open, held from October 25 to November 2, 2025, at the IDM Clubin Bucharest. The event featured 192 participants competing across severalstages for a total prize fund of €23,000. Balazs-Becsi placed seventh in the qualification round and advanced throughthe final steps to reach the stepladder finals as the No. 2 seed. In the TierTwo final, he defeated fellow Romanian Gagenoiu Romeo 267–236 to move into thechampionship match. In the Tier Three final, Balazs-Becsi met Mihai Dragnia, also from Romania. Hescored 226 against Dragnia’s 210 to secure the title and the €2,500first-place prize. Earlier in the stepladder, Romeo had advanced from Tier One after defeatingLefteris Evripidou of Cyprus 185–180, but Balazs-Becsi’s consistentperformance in the later rounds sealed the Romanian bowler’s victory. The 14th IDM Bucharest International Open once again brought together topbowlers from across Europe, continuing its tradition as one of Romania’spremier bowling tournaments.

Just one day after the European Championship of Champions 2025 concluded inVienna - whereEmma Palermaa and Lukáš Jelínek claimed gold- the European Bowling Federation Congress gathered for what was expected tobe one of the more complex sessions in recent years. Emma Palermaa and Lukáš Jelínek claimed gold The EBF had faced a demanding year. The federation navigated through rulechanges within the European Bowling Tour (EBT), including thedeparture of some major tournaments, while alsomanaging the ongoing urethane bowling ball regulationsthat stirred debate not only in Europe, butworldwide. In addition, controversy surrounded the candidacy of a russian delegateseeking re-election, whois known as a strong supporter of russian dictator vladimir putin andrussia’s war in Ukraine. departure of some major tournaments managing the ongoing urethane bowling ball regulations worldwide is known as a strong supporter of russian dictator vladimir putin andrussia’s war in Ukraine But what initially seemed to be a tense Congress turned out quite theopposite. In just over two hours, delegates re-elected Valgeir Guðbjartsson ofIceland as President for a second term, welcomed new Presidium members, andreviewed several key projects set to shape the organization’s leadership andstrategy for the coming years. Moments after the Congress, BowlingLife spoke with Guðbjartsson, who reflectedon the short but productive session, evaluated the new Presidium, reviewed thekey projects, and some of the upcoming EBF goals. High Hopes For The New Presidium The Congress confirmed new and returning members of the EBF Presidium, shapingthe federation’s leadership for the next cycle.In the Presidiumelections, Sue Abela of Malta was elected for a two-year term, replacing LisaJohn of England, who resigned for health reasons. Onder Gurkan of Turkey wasre-elected for four years, and Or Aviram of Israel secured a new four-yearterm. They join Marios Nicolaides of Cyprus and Marc Beaufays of Belgium onthe EBF Presidium. Reflecting on the team, Guðbjartsson expressed optimism about the Presidium’sexperience and the perspectives its members bring. “I have high hopes of the new presidium,"  Guðbjartsson said in aninterview. "There’s basically two people that have not been in there before,Or (Aviram) and Sue (Abela). Both have been in bowling for a long time andknow the aspects of the sport. Or Aviram has also been in, should I say, inthe organization in Israel. He has also been very active in more thingsregarding bowling like Specto. Sue Abela has been mainly one of the mostexcellent bowlers we have in southern Europe, and for the last decades,probably 30, 40 years. I think everybody in Europe knows her very well. So Ihave hopes.” Educational Programs and Cooperation with IBF Beyond the elections, the Congress also discussed several ongoing initiatives,including updates to EBF’s educational programs and its cooperation with theInternational Bowling Federation (IBF). Guðbjartsson emphasized that theseareas remain central to the federation’s strategic goals. “There are projects we are working on. We are updating the educationalprograms - more or less all of them. We could say they are our real gem ofwhat we are doing. The gender committee and all the committees are doing verywell. We are also in very good cooperation nowadays with IBF. We are wellpresented, and I believe we are very well inside the IBF Executive Board. Weare in good standard there. We have Marios (Nicolaides) as the vice presidentof IBF, and me as a representative from the EBF. I believe that we are in agood standard there.” Second Term and BowlCon 2027 When asked about his motivation for seeking another term, Guðbjartsson pointedto a major initiative planned for April 2027, known as BowlCon - a new eventdesigned to unite the bowling community worldwide. “There are projects I’d like to seek. We are working on a major project whichwill be in April 2027. It’s kind of, you would say, a combination of tradeshow and the educational activities and conference, and I would like to seethat go through and be one of the major activities in bowling in the world in2027.” He added that while there is interest in connecting BowlCon with a majorEuropean tournament, final decisions will depend on logistics and venuefeasibility. “There is interest to connect this event with some of bigger tournament. Butwhether it will be possible due to location and so on remains to be seen.” Guðbjartsson also outlined that his main focus moving forward is maintainingorganizational stability and cooperation among national federations. “There are no special projects, but let’s say that just to keep the EBF goingin good harmony with the National Federations. That’s one of the goals thatalways on the table.” Ukraine’s Letter and Strong Position One of the most sensitive topics surrounding the Congress was the candidacy ofSergey Lisitsyn of russia, whose previous statements justifying russia’s warin Ukraine and accusing the West of spreading russophobia and nacismwidespread attention ahead of the election. Guðbjartsson confirmed toBowlingLife that the issue was addressed formally during the Congress: “There was a letter from Ukraine to the Congress and they were asking theCongress to take a stand whether the Russian candidate would be accepted to bea candidate or not. The Congress accepted the Russian candidate, but in theelection Russian candidate was not getting votes.” When asked to specify thevoting outcome, the president confirmed that the Russian delegate received 4votes out of 33 eligible ballots cast during the Congress, failing to securere-election. Addressing the Urethane Situation In recent months, the bowling community has closely followed debatessurrounding the legality and regulation of urethane bowling balls, withseveral federations seeking clarity. Guðbjartsson acknowledged that the topicremains unresolved and under review within both EBF and IBF structures. “Let’s say that that story’s not done yet. I don’t see that being done in thenext few weeks - it will take some time. But there will be steps ongoingregarding that. I cannot say more at this time.” When asked whether EBF is waiting for further direction from IBF, he added: “Possibly. Let’s just keep it on that for a moment. We also have some ideasjust within EBF to do our things as well. In general, I think urethanes are nota bad thing. But there are too many things going, claiming some illegalitiesthat need to be sorted out one way or the other.”

The men’s final at the2025 European Championship of Championsin Vienna came down to the wire, asFrance’s Maxime Dubois narrowly missed defending his titleagainst Lukáš Jelínek of the Czech Republic. After a strong performance in qualification, where he finished third, Dubois held his ground in the quarterfinals and then defeated Sweden’s Teodor Samuelsson in the semis to advance to the final. There, he won the opening game 235–202 but fell 188–268 and 246–257 in the following two games. 2025 European Championship of Champions France’s Maxime Dubois Lukáš Jelínek A missed 3-6-9-10 spare in the decisive Game 3 opened the door for Jelínek, who had been chasing throughout the match. Even thoughJelínek said that he was realy nervous before the decisive shot, he seized themoment to capture Czech Republic’s second-ever ECC gold medal. Jelínek said that he was realy nervous before the decisive shot Despite the finish, Dubois remained positive as he reflected onhis performance and the experience of returning to the championship final onceagain in an interview with Erikas Jansonas from BowlingLife. “In the last frames it was difficult to play on the right. I was the only onein the final to play on the right and with one hand. The last shot was good,but I was so tired. I feel happy to my second place, and I feel really happyfor Lukáš winning this tournament.”The final between Dubois andJelínek didn’t feel like a typical high-stakes championship match. Instead, ithad a lighthearted tone as both players exchanged friendly banter, sharedlaughs, and even broke into small dance moves.Whenasked about the spirit of the match, Dubois emphasized that it was more of afriendly rivalry than a tense battle - something both players seemed to enjoysharing with the crowd. “It was a good final. It was funny for everyone to watch. Really positiveemotion for me.”Although Dubois narrowly missed out on the singlestitle, he had already experienced victory earlier in the week. Together withSolène Goron, he made history by capturing the Mixed Doubles gold, France’sfirst-ever ECC title in that event. The win was an emotional highlight thatadded extra significance to what was already a strong showing for the Frenchteam in Vienna. capturing the Mixed Doubles gold “Wonderful. The first medal for France in Mixed Doubles. I love it. Reallygood emotion.” It was an outstanding European Championship of Champions for Team France. Inaddition to Dubois’s silver medal, Solène Goron secured fifth place in thewomen’s division, and Gaëtan Mouveroux matched that result in the men’scompetition. "Did you see the reel one on Instagram? You have to do THAT" Dubois laughed,referring to the video of the team dancing together. "We are together in theAirbnb, so only good emotions. No secret - just repeat shot after shot, andgood things will happen.”Dubois’s attention now turns to theupcomingIBF World Championships in Hong Kong, where he and his teammates will aim to bring home a medal for France. Theevent will gather many of the world’s top bowlers, with at least28 federations in the men’s divisionand23 in the women’s divisionexpected to send representatives. Theopening ceremony is scheduled for November 24, followed by qualifying rounds and medal matches running through earlyDecember. the video of the team dancing together IBF World Championships in Hong Kong he and his teammates 28 federations in the men’s division 23 in the women’s division opening ceremony is scheduled for November 24

The Women’s Singles qualifying round is complete at the IBF WorldChampionships 2025 in Hong Kong, with Denmark’s Karen Kærgaard Nielsenfinishing first after a steady and consistent six-game block, scoring 279 202 244 211 278 223 for a 1437 total (239,5 avg.). 132 athletes from 22 nations bowled at the 40-lane Top Bowl at Kai Tak SportsPark for 32 available spots in the next phase of the Singles eventqualification. Karen Kærgaard Nielsen was followed closely by Sweden’s Nora Johansson with1432, who finished second. Korea’s Kim Bo Ah secured third place with 1392,while the United States’ Shannon Pluhowsky finished fourth with 1340.Singapore’s New Hui Fen completed the top five with 1330. Fen also delivered one of the key moments of the day, rolling a perfect 300game during Squad 2. This marks the second perfect game of the tournament sofar, following Abdulrahman Al Doseri’s 300 for Qatar in the Men’s Singles qualifying on Tuesday. Men’s Singles qualifying View this post on InstagramA post shared by Bowling News • Reviews • Tips (@bowlinglife.eu) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bowling News • Reviews • Tips (@bowlinglife.eu) Sweden’s Victoria Johansson posted 1329, Mexico’s Iliana Lomelí Lemus recorded1318, Sweden’s Anna Andersson followed with 1311, Malaysia’s Siti Safiyah and Malaysia’s Natasha Roslan tied on 1300 to round out the top ten. Sweden’s women's team delivered a strong start to the championship, giving team coachRobert Andersson a wonderful birthday present as four Swedish athletesadvanced to the Round of 32. Sweden stands alongside Korea and Singapore asthe nations with the highest number of qualifiers in the next stage of thewomen's competition (4). The 32 qualifiers will now move into four round-robin groups for Thursday’ssecond stage. Each group will bowl seven matches, earning three points for a win and onepoint for a tie. The bowler with the highest point total in each group willmove on to the semifinals later on Thursday. In theory, all of Sweden’s or Singapore’s athletes could advance to the semifinals if they finish first in their respective groups. 32 Players Split Into Four Groups Group A (Places 1, 8, 9, 16, 17, 24, 25, 32) Karen Kærgaard Nielsen (DEN)Anna Andersson (SWE)Siti Safiyah (MAS)Shin Hye Bin (KOR)Peppi Konsteri (FIN)Jung Da Wun (KOR)Song Si Ra (KOR)Shayna Ng (SGP) Karen Kærgaard Nielsen (DEN) Anna Andersson (SWE) Siti Safiyah (MAS) Shin Hye Bin (KOR) Peppi Konsteri (FIN) Jung Da Wun (KOR) Song Si Ra (KOR) Shayna Ng (SGP) Group B (Places 2, 7, 10, 15, 18, 23, 26, 31) Nora Johansson (SWE)Iliana Lomelí Lemus (MEX)Natasha Roslan (MAS)Daphne Tan (SGP)Bryanna Coté (USA)Essi Pakarinen (FIN)Pan Yu Fen (TWN)Teng Jo Yu (TWN) Nora Johansson (SWE) Iliana Lomelí Lemus (MEX) Natasha Roslan (MAS) Daphne Tan (SGP) Bryanna Coté (USA) Essi Pakarinen (FIN) Pan Yu Fen (TWN) Teng Jo Yu (TWN) Group C (Places 3, 6, 11, 14, 19, 22, 27, 30) Kim Bo Ah (KOR)Victoria Johansson (SWE)Bec Whiting (AUS)Adelia Nur (MAS)Christina Mas (ESP)Megan Gales Dicay (DEN)Mirai Ishimoto (JPN)Tay Ning (SGP) Kim Bo Ah (KOR) Victoria Johansson (SWE) Bec Whiting (AUS) Adelia Nur (MAS) Christina Mas (ESP) Megan Gales Dicay (DEN) Mirai Ishimoto (JPN) Tay Ning (SGP) Group D (Places 4, 5, 12, 13, 20, 21, 28, 29) Shannon Pluhowsky (USA)New Hui Fen (SGP)Breanna Clemmer (USA)Hanna Engberg (SWE)Wang Ya Ting (TWN)Mika Guldbaek (DEN)Marian Lara Posadas (PHI)Felicia Wong (CAN) Shannon Pluhowsky (USA) New Hui Fen (SGP) Breanna Clemmer (USA) Hanna Engberg (SWE) Wang Ya Ting (TWN) Mika Guldbaek (DEN) Marian Lara Posadas (PHI) Felicia Wong (CAN) Schedule Ahead Women’s Singles Round 2, semifinals, and finals will take place on Thursday,November 27. The Women’s Doubles event begins on November 28, followed byMen’s Doubles on November 29. Medal rounds for both Doubles divisions will becontested on November 30. Trios and Team of Five events will follow in early December, with the finalstages held at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wanchai. A full schedule and all results from the IBF World Championships 2025 areavailable at tournaments.bowlinglife.eu. tournaments.bowlinglife.eu Wednesday, November 26 Thursday, November 27 Friday, November 28 Saturday, November 29 Sunday, November 30 Monday, December 1 Tuesday, December 2 Wednesday, December 3 Thursday, December 4 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai Friday, December 5 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai

TheMen’s Singles event opened the IBF World Championships 2025 todayin Hong Kong, with Sweden’s Jesper Svensson leading the field after animpressive performance on the demanding 46-foot pattern. Men’s Singles event opened the IBF World Championships 2025 today But now the attention shifts to tomorrow’s Women’s Singlesqualification. Back in 2023 IBF World Championships, Women'sSingles event belonged to Malaysia’s Natasha Roslan. In Kuwait, Roslan defeated Sin Li Jane 2-1 in all-Malaysian final tosecure the Singles gold medal. secure the Singles gold medal Before women's competition starts tomorrow in Hong Kong, BowlingLife sat downwith Roslan to talk about pressure, pride, team chemistry, and the challengeof trying to win the world title again. “I’m Not Going There to Defend Anything" Heading back to the World Championships as the reigning Singles champion mightintimidate most players. But Malaysia's National Team brightest starapproaches it differently. “I’m feeling excited and grateful to be heading back as the defendingchampion. Of course there’s pressure, but I try to use it as motivationinstead of letting it weigh me down. I’m focusing on staying present and doingmy job, shot by shot. I’m not going there to defend anything. I’m going thereto earn it again. If I trust my training and stick to my process, I believethe results will follow.” About the Honour Wearing National Jersey Winning the Singles title in 2023 was a huge acomplishment not only forRoslan, but for the whole Malaysia. But when she talks about the possibilityof winning again, she doesn’t focus on legacy or records. For her, it’s abouthonour, responsibility, and what her performance can mean for the nextgeneration. “Winning another world title for Malaysia would mean so much to me," Roslansaid. "Wearing the national jersey alone is already an honour, but to bringhome another title would be incredibly special. More than anything, I hope itshows younger athletes in Malaysia that we compete at the highest level. If myjourney can inspire even one person to believe a little more in themselves,that would already make it worth it." Tough Challenge Ahead Winning a medal this year won’t be easy - the women’s field has almost doubledsince 2023. With 22 countries competing, there will be more playing styles,more depth, and a lot more pressure. Roslan doesn’t shy away from that. Sheknows a tougher field also makes any success feel that much bigger. “With 22 countries competing this year, the field is definitely going to bestronger but I think that’s a good thing. More countries means more styles,and a lot more to adapt to on the lanes. It’s going to be challenging, butalso really exciting. The atmosphere will definitely be more intense, and I’mlooking forward to being part of that.” The Biggest Strength Malaysia’s women’s roster has shown remarkable consistency in recent years.The core remains intact, and new additions have strengthened not only depthbut energy and hunger for the medals. Natasha sees that as a major advantage. “Our team chemistry is one of our biggest strengths. We know each other welland we’ve been through a lot together… that makes a difference when thepressure kicks in," Roslan said. "The new additions have brought fresh energyand hunger, which pushes all of us to keep growing. I think we have a good mixof experience and new fire this year, and that balance is important.” Fast Transition Require Fast Decisions This year’s oil pattern promises quick changes. Malaysia’s coaches haveemphasized the importance of adjustment and patience - two elements that suitRoslan’s game well. “The coaches pointed out that the oil pattern will change pretty quickly, somaking the right adjustments at the right time will be key. It’ll testpatience and decision-making, for sure. Personally, I think my strength isbeing calm under pressure and staying present. At the end of the day, it’s allabout trusting the process and making good decisions.” The Women’s Singles qualifying will feature two squads, followed by SinglesRound 2, semifinals and finals for both divisions on Thursday, November 27.Women’s Doubles qualifying is scheduled for November 28, and the men will bowlon November 29. All final rounds for both divisions will be held on November30. Men’s Trios is scheduled for December 1, followed by Women’s Trios on December2. Team of Five qualifying and Round 2 for both men and women will be held onDecember 3.The semifinals and finals for Trios and Team of Fivewill be played in an arena setting at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wanchai onDecember 4 and 5. All information, results and livestream links for the IBF World Championships2025 can be found attournaments.bowlinglife.eu. tournaments.bowlinglife.eu Official Schedule – IBF World Championships 2025 Wednesday, November 26 Thursday, November 27 Friday, November 28 Saturday, November 29 Sunday, November 30 Monday, December 1 Tuesday, December 2 Wednesday, December 3 Thursday, December 4 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai Friday, December 5 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai

The International Bowling Federation World Championships 2025 begins tomorrowin Hong Kong, with 300 athletes from 31 countries. World Championships 2025 But while the focus is shifting to the lanes, another event took placeyesterday - one that may shape how the sport is governed for years to come. The IBF General Meeting, the supreme organ of the IBF, was held in Hong Kongon the eve of the championship, bringing together delegates from around theworld to vote on key governance matters. What unfolded in that meeting raised serious questions about transparency,representation, and the decision-making structure within the sport’s highestinternational body. Helena Sundqvist, President of the Swedish Bowling Federation, openlyquestioned whether the current system can truly be called democratic. BowlingLife’s Erikas Jansonas spoke with Helena Sundqvist shortly after herFacebook post to gain deeper insight into what took place during the meeting. “I quickly realized the presidium would win every vote” This was Helena Sundqvist’s first IBF General Meeting as President of theSwedish Bowling Federation, having been elected to the role in October 2024.What she encountered during the meeting left her both surprised and concerned. “I have been the president for the Swedish Bowling Federation for a year now,and this was my first IBF General Meeting. When they went through the proxiesI quickly realized the presidium would win every vote. That surprised me. InSweden, that would never be allowed," Sundqvist said. "I talked to some otherfederations both before and after the meeting. We had questions about financesand missing funds, as well as moving IBF’s headquarters from Lausanne butthere is no point in raising one single question because a vote would give thepresidium a majority.” Power Behind IBF’s Proxy Voting System Undercurrent IBF rules, there is no limit to the number of proxies a single delegation can hold. Inpractice, this means that a small group can get enough votes in advance toguarantee control of every decision - regardless of discussion or debateduring the meeting itself. current IBF rules The IBF currently has 111 member federations, yet only 31 participate in theWorld Championships in Hong Kong. Many countries skip the event due to limitedbudgets, non-competitive teams, long travel distances, or the frequency ofmajor tournaments. Since General Meetings are held during these major events and online votingisn’t allowed, those seeking to pass proposals often rely on collectingproxies from federations that don’t attend in person. The President of the General Meeting, Vice Presidents, and Committee membersdon’t have voting rights. However, under IBF Statutes section 5.2, they canstill vote if they act as a proxy or delegate for a voting Member federation. As a result, some delegates attend meetings holding multiple proxies, whichundermines the democratic voting process. A Reform Stopped by the Very System It Tried to Change Concerns about IBF governance and proxy voting have been raised long beforethis year’s meeting in Hong Kong. In 2023, a multinational working group representing seven federations -Canada, Costa Rica, England, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, and the United States -proposed a package of amendmentsaimed at improving transparency and limiting concentrated power within IBF. proposed a package of amendments One of the key suggestions was to eliminate proxy voting altogether, replacingit with clearer, fairer voting procedures. The package also included reforms such as term limits, stronger financialoversight, public financial reporting, and the creation of independentcommittees. But despite broad support before the meeting, the proposal blew - largelybecause the same unlimited-proxy system it sought to change made it nearlyimpossible to pass. “At the last General Meeting in Kuwait 2023 the question about proxies wasraised by Canada, United States, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Great Britain andCosta Rica as a part of a package that proposed many amendments to the IBFArticles. The ‘package’ was voted down 72-33,” Sundqvist said. Key Topics Received Almost no Discussion The General Meeting agenda included several important items, includingquestions regarding finances and missing funds and moving the IBF headquartersfrom Lausanne. According to the president of the Swedish Bowling Federation,none of these topics were meaningfully debated. “There were really no discussions on any of the questions. I don’t know if therest of the delegates had calculated the same thing as me. It really felt likeno idea. The decision was made and it is now possible to move the headquartersfrom Lausanne whenever the presidium wants to.” Nine-pin Bowling Included, Urethane Topic Remains Untouched One agenda item that did receive a clear outcome was the inclusion of nine-pinbowling under the IBF structure. Helena Sundqvist confirmed that during the IBF General Meeting, the admissionof the World Ninepin Bowling Association into the IBF was officiallyfinalized. That was something IBF was seeking for a while now. Back in May, 2025,IBF representatives participated in the regular WNBA conference inHungaryand expressed confidence that the prenegotiated admission of the WNBA into theIBF will be formally approved at the IBF Conference in the fall of 2025. IBF representatives participated in the regular WNBA conference inHungary However, a topic many bowlers expected to be addressed - urethane bowlingballs - was not brought up at all. “The question was not raised at the meeting. To be honest, I do not think itis a big question for them,” Sundqvist said. Membership Dues Might Increase by 50% According to Swedish Bowling Federation president, one of the most surprising moments came when thechairman announced a major financial update. “No budget was presented, instead we were informed by the Chairman of the Meeting, Martin Faba, that there will be a 50 % increase in membership duessince the IBF is in economic crisis. That is also an interesting questionsince the membership fee is based on how many bowlers and lanes a federationhas. Maybe the next step is to start weighing the votes according tomembership size?” Sundqvist asked rhetorically. BowlingLife has contacted the International Bowling Federation for commentregarding the issues raised at the General Meeting. IBF Second Vice President Marios Nicolaides responded to Sandqvist’s post, noting that discussions about IBF governance should follow formal channels rather than unfold on social media. He said that federations can address rules they wish to change during IBF meetings. “I don’t find social media to be the correct platform for addressing federation matters. If any federation feels that a rule they previously voted for is no longer appropriate, the proper process is very simple: they can submit a proposal to the Congress for review and potential change.”

The competition at theIBF World Championships 2025begins tomorrow in Hong Kong, where 300 athletes from 31 countries will steponto one of the most demanding stages in bowling. Players willbattle it out in nearly two weeks of competition at the new 40-lane Top Bowlinside Kai Tak Sports Park for medals in singles, doubles, trios, teams andall-event. IBF World Championships 2025 This year also marks Sweden’s return to the World Championshipsafter opting out in 2023, and expectations are naturally high. With 83 total medals - 30gold, 29 silver, and 24 bronze - Sweden stands as the second-most awardednation in World Championships history, and every new roster carries the weightof that legacy. after opting out in 2023 For nearly three decades, few names have been more closely connected toSwedish national team than Martin Larsen. Since first wearing the nationalblue/yellow colors in 1997, he has become one of Europe’s most successfulbowlers of all time. But for the first time since the late 1990s, Sweden’s men’s roster willcompete at a World Championships without Martin Larsen on the lanes. BowlingLife’s Erikas Jansonas sat down with him to reflect on nearly 30 yearswith the national team, his favourite moments, thoughts on Sweden’s 2025roster, and how he sees the next generation stepping onto the world stage inHong Kong for the firs time. A Career Defined by Precision, Learning, and Helping Others Martin Larsen made his debut on the national team in 1997, when he earned aplace on the Swedish youth national squad. Over the next few years, herepresented Sweden in U21 competition and gradually worked his way up to themen’s national team roster. Martin’s game was never about enormous revolutions or power. Other qualitiesshaped him into one of the most notable bowlers in Europe - discipline,knowledge, and the ability to raise the level of the team around him. “I’ve never had that extra when it comes to rotation or power, one of myidols, Tomas Leandersson, early got me to understand that there’s other thingsthat can make up for that. Accuracy, spare shooting andknowledge," Martin Larsen said. "So I’ve always tried to learn as much asI can about the game and I think that helped me a lot. My low level got higherthan many of my opponents and it also helped me helping my teammates. Mystrength in trying to help my teammates has also sometimes been my weaknessbecause it happens that my focus on my own game got hurt by it. Power I guessis another weakness, especially in todays game.” The Toughest Conversation That Never Happened TheStorm Lucky Larsen Masterswas the final evaluation point before Sweden’s World Championships roster wasdecided. Storm Lucky Larsen Masters For Martin, however, SLLM has always been far more than just a tournament. Asone of the event’s organizers, he carries a long list of responsibilities.Naturally, his own performance on the lanes sometimes has to take a back seat.He finished 61st out of 376 players - a respectable result, butnot enough to secure a spot on the World Championships roster, as nationalteam coach Robert Andersson chose to move forward with other experiencedplayers. Given Martin’s long history with Robert - years of traveling together,countless training sessions, and shared medals in both youth and men’schampionships - informing him of that decision could have been a difficultconversation. Yet, conversation never happened. “Well I guess this was hard enough for Robert that it ended up not being anyconversation about it. My focus around the SLLM is on a lot other things thenjust my own bowling, so the timing for that tournament to be the last onebefore Robert picked the team maybe wasn’t the best for me. We’ve talked abouta lot of things over the years, travel the world, practicing, winning andlosing together. But we haven’t had a conversation about this," Martinshared. When reflecting on why things turned out this way, Martin highlighted thegrowing influence of urethane in today’s game."I know that one bigreason is the soft urethane balls thats been dominating some championships.That some players (like me) can’t use them has made picking the team totallydifferent than it used to be. I always worked on game to be versatile,especially before championships to not let my team down. But with today's gamethere’s a chance that it want help if the playing environment gets to whereonly those balls will be in use.” Sweden’s Roster: Power, Potential, and a Challenging Pattern Sweden’s lineup for Hong Kong includes Pontus Andersson, James Blomgren, RobinIlhammar, Markus Jansson, Joachim Karlsson, and Jesper Svensson - a mix ofexperience, power, and high-rev young talent. In Martin’s view, it is onceagain a team built for medals. “Sweden has been fortunate to have a great team for a long long time, thisyear is nothing special, it’s a great team again. We do have a team that hassome more specialties in their game, there’s a great chance that we will seethe blue/yellow flag on top if those specialties comes into play. There’s alot of power in this team, if the lanes allows some room I think it will behard to outstrike Sweden," Larsen said. When talking about possible weaknesses, Larsen said he just hopes the 46-footpattern doesn’t turn into a low-scoring grind. He also mentioned that havingonly two coaches to cover both the men’s and women’s teams could make things abit tougher than usual. "I would have love to see this see this team on a pattern where the gutter isin play. Looking at weakness would be the other way, low scoring wouldn’t beideal. Also our budget has been lower than normal with a lot of championshipsthis year, that made the Swedish federation only send to 2 coaches/teammanagers to cover for both men and women, not ideal in my mind.” A New Generation, and Ilhammar’s Big Step Forward Hong Kong will also mark a generational moment for the Swedish men's nationalteam. Robin Ilhammar joins the roster, stepping into his first adult WorldChampionships after a strong run inIBF Youth World Cup in Sweden. IBF Youth World Cup in Sweden Even though World Championships is totally different challenge, Martinbelieves the transition will be smooth. “After Jesper and James, I think Robin was the easiest pick for Robert. Robinalready has a lot of experience from national team play. Yes, WorldChampionships is different, but I don’t think that will disturb him. He’s avery talented bowler and he will be bowling for team Sweden for a long time.There will be times where things don’t run as smooth as it has been so far.Robin's next challenge is to deal with that when it happens, it does for allof us, but let’s hope it waits a little longer. I don’t think the first WorldChampionships is the hardest, expectations gets bigger later, this one is justfor Robin to enjoy and ride the wave he is on at the moment.” Golf, Rooftop Bars, and Friends for Life Championships are mostly remembered for medals - but also for everything thathappens around them. When asked about his favorite memories from the travelswith the Swedish National Team, Martin expanded beyond just bowling alleys. “This one is the hardest question to answer, at least to make it short.Banquets in Kula Lumpur, golf in Las Vegas, roof top bars in Hong Kong,dinners and zoo visits in Australia… I could go on forever, very thankful forall the friends I found around the world and all memories I’ve collected overthe years! I hope I’ll get new good memories behind the online scoring andstream this year. #Swebowl4gold2025”.

The Sarawak International Open 2025 concluded on Saturday at Megalanes Sarawakin Kuching, Malaysia, with Muhammad Aqil Bin Faizal of MMBC, Penang taking theOpen Masters title. The 18-year-old secured victory in the LastMan Standing stepladder shootout, defeating 10-time PBA Tour title winner and2022 Sarawak champion Dominic Barrett in the final, 253–248. In the championship match, both bowlers opened with five consecutive strikes.Barrett left a single pin in the sixth frame, while Aqil struck again in thesixth and seventh to build a 19-pin lead. Both players spared the eighth andninth frames, before Barrett finished strong with three strikes in the tenthfor 248. Aqil needed a spare in his final frame and, after leaving asix-count, he converted and followed with a strike in the bonus frame to sealthe win with 253. The path to the final began with the first stepladder match, where Ahmad MuazBin Fisol of Malaysia, seeded fourth, was eliminated after posting 177.Barrett advanced with 267, joined by Ryo Fukumitsu of Japan with 249, whileAqil stayed close with 247. In the next match, Fukumitsu fell short on 213against Barrett’s 225 and Aqil’s 245, setting up the decisive title matchbetween the Brit and the Malaysian. Aqil collected the top prize of RM20,000 (approx. 4,000 Euros). Barrett earnedRM10,000 (approx. 2,000 Euros) as runner-up, while Fukumitsu and Ahmad Muaztook home RM5,000 (approx. 1,000 Euros) and RM2,500 (approx. 500 Euros)respectively. This year’s Sarawak International Open attracted 145 contestants in the OpenDivision, continuing its role as one of Malaysia’s major international bowlingevents.

On Monday, the European Bowling Federation (EBF) confirmedit will drop the 78D hardness rule for the European Bowling Tour (EBT). The change starts with the 2026 EBT season and the 2025–26 EBTYouth season. All IBF/USBC-approved balls, including high performance urethaneand urethane-like bowling balls, will be allowed at every EBT stop.Meanwhile, PBA-sanctioned events on European soil will continue tofollow PBA rules. it will drop the 78D hardness rule for the European Bowling Tour (EBT) On EBT, the optional 78D rule lastedonly one season. Allowing each event to adopt the 78D rule did not deliver the expectedresult. The EBT calendar shrank by more than half, and organizers blamed therule for fewer entries. only one season In an interview with Erikas Jansonas ofBowlingLife, EBF President Valgeir Guðbjartsson said the optional rule had astronger negative effect than expected. “When we made the 78D rule optional for organizers last year, we hoped itwould not negatively affect EBT. Unfortunately, the number of tournamentsdropped significantly — from 14 in 2024 to just 6 in 2025. In several cases,organizers cited the optional nature of the rule as a reason for notparticipating. Additionally, we faced criticism for deviating from IBF'sstandard rules regarding bowling balls.” Asked what outcome the EBF expects now from removing the 78D rule, he pointedto rebuilding the calendar and stability.“EBF does hope thattournaments will be return to EBT and it can continue to grow.” After EBF's decision, any ball on theUSBC Approved Ball Listwill be eligible for use, including urethanes softer than 78D. USBC Approved Ball List Meanwhile, in the United States, discussions about urethane governance havebeen in the headlines over the past month.On July 23,USBC released an official statementexpressing increasing concerns about the ongoing use of urethane bowling ballsin certified competition.USBC then surveyed bowlersabout potential changes and now and majority wants change. Eventhough USBC will probably take totally different path on urethanes, EBFPresident said the systems remain aligned as long as ball approvals areunchanged. “USBC, as part of IBF, has not taken a differentdirection. They continue to manage the approved ball lists and checks. As longas this remains unchanged, IBF — and therefore EBF — will follow USBC's leadon this matter.” USBC released an official statement USBC then surveyed bowlers USBC’s Equipment Specifications Committee plans to meet in late August orearly September 2025 to provide a structured solution. Until then, it’sunclear whether ball changes will affect the Approved Ball List or only thenational tournament rulebook.When asked why the EBF did not waitfor the USBC Equipment Specifications Committee decision, Guðbjartsson citedEBT scheduling needs. “We could not wait longer, as we have toprepare the EBT for next year.”

Following a public statement from the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) confirming that it is in advanced talks to ban urethane bowling balls in certified competition, reactions have started to come out from within the bowling community. public statement public statement in advanced talks to ban urethane bowling balls in advanced talks to ban urethane bowling balls Brunswick, one of the leading bowling equipment manufacturers, confirmed it has been in contact with USBC since April regarding potential changes to ball specifications. These discussions are part of USBC’s wider review process, which includes input from technical experts, manufacturers, and stakeholders. In an interview with Erikas Jansonas from BowlingLife, Jordan Vanover, VP International at Brunswick Bowling Products, LLC, said the company has been in ongoing discussions with USBC in recent months, actively sharing feedback and addressing the concerns raised by the organization. “USBC contacted us in late April requesting feedback on potential changes to bowling ball specifications, and we have maintained open communications with the USBC over the past few months,” Mr. Vanover said “We have listened to the USBC concerns and had the opportunity to share our thoughts and ideas.” In those imput exchanges, Brunswick made it clear that it does not support a ban on urethane. The company believes urethane balls play an important role for many bowlers, especially in more demanding lane conditions. “We do not agree with the idea of banning urethane balls,” Vanover stated. “These balls are an important tool for many bowlers who use them to achieve more controllable ball motion on challenging lane patterns.” Brunswick’s product lineup includes several urethane balls under its umbrella, including the most popular one - Hammer’s Purple Pearl Urethane. A full ban would have financial consequences for the company. “The elimination of urethane balls would have a measurable impact on our sales,” Vanover noted. In recent months, there has been speculation that manufacturers have slowed or stopped urethane development due to the pottential USBC urethane ban. Brunswick, however, denied this connection. “The urethane ball released in March 2024 was not connected to the ongoing USBC discussions,” said Vanover. While USBC has not yet announced a final decision, the topic remains one of the most widely discussed in the bowling community today. BowlingLife has been in contact with USBC officials, but at this time, the organization has no further comment beyond what was published in its social media post on July 23. USBC has also launched a public survey asking for input on how urethane bowling balls should be handled in certified competitions. USBC has also launched a public survey USBC has also launched a public survey All feedback gathered so far, along with any new responses, will be reviewed by the Equipment Specifications Committee at its next meeting, set for late August or early September 2025.

Darren Tang, a PBA Tour title holder since his win at the 2021 Bowlerstore.com Classic, has officially written his name into the PBA record books with one exceptional achievement. After years of competing as a one-handed player, Tang made a bold move in late 2024 by switching to a two-handed delivery. Many fans assumed it was just for content - since Tang is the one of the biggest bowling content creators on YouTube - but it wasn’t. He bowled his first tournament using the two-handed style in November and fully committed to the change in February 2025. biggest bowling content creators on YouTube biggest bowling content creators on YouTube This weekend, his efforts fully paid off as he won the PBA Santa Maria Open in the West Region. With this victory, Tang becomes the first bowler ever to win PBA titles using both one-handed and two-handed techniques. Following the victory, Darren Tang spoke with Erikas Jansonas from BowlingLife about his newest achievement, the challenges he faced during the transition to two-handed, and how he sees his future on tour. As most things in life, best of them comes unexpectedly. That happened and this time. When asked what it meant for him to become the first player in PBA history to win titles using both styles, Darren said that he didn’t pursue the distinction on purpose, but acknowledged it was still a special moment. “Always cool to have the distinction to be the first to do something. It’s not something that I thought too much about,” Tang stated. “I just want to keep getting better to give myself the best chance possible to win again on the tour.” “Always cool to have the distinction to be the first to do something. It’s not something that I thought too much about,” Tang stated. “I just want to keep getting better to give myself the best chance possible to win again on the tour.” Even though many say that two-handed bowling is a kind of cheat code, it’s still difficult to learn - especially well enough to win a PBA title. When explaining the technical challenges that came with switching styles, Tang shared that one old habit in particular was especially tough to break. “The hardest habit to break for me is the internal rotation of my shoulder. I had this move as a one hander, and it would cause misses to the left and is more or less a power leak," Tang explained. "It’s exaggerated bowling two handed because of the position I have to rotate around now. If I don’t keep it in check, my elbow flies around the ball much worse than a good shot.” “The hardest habit to break for me is the internal rotation of my shoulder. I had this move as a one hander, and it would cause misses to the left and is more or less a power leak," Tang explained. "It’s exaggerated bowling two handed because of the position I have to rotate around now. If I don’t keep it in check, my elbow flies around the ball much worse than a good shot.” Starting over with a brand-new style is never easy—it takes time to develop, and there’s always some doubt. For pros like Tang, who need to perform just to make a living, the risk is even bigger. He admitted that the initial decision to switch wasn’t easy. But once he fully committed to going two-handed, he never looked back. “I haven’t doubted the switch. I did doubt switching initially. I think the hardest part in anything someone does is start. I understood that this would take some time. I told myself that I need to be okay with not cashing for the rest of the season to develop this skill. Once I committed, I never looked back. I was extremely fortunate to pick up on it much faster than I anticipated.” “I haven’t doubted the switch. I did doubt switching initially. I think the hardest part in anything someone does is start. I understood that this would take some time. I told myself that I need to be okay with not cashing for the rest of the season to develop this skill. Once I committed, I never looked back. I was extremely fortunate to pick up on it much faster than I anticipated.” Tang noticed that he strikes more often with the two-handed style, but some old habits of one-handed style still sneak into his current technique - reminding us that bowling is always changing and adapting. “I have committed to both styles. I believe the optimal way to throw strikes is with two hands. I also believe that the optimal way to shoot spares is with the thumb in. So that is what I will be committing to for the foreseeable future.” “I have committed to both styles. I believe the optimal way to throw strikes is with two hands. I also believe that the optimal way to shoot spares is with the thumb in. So that is what I will be committing to for the foreseeable future.”