The Hong Kong Tenpin Bowling Congress has announced a new equipment rule thatwill affect local competitions across the region. Starting March1, 2026, urethane bowling balls will no longer be allowed in local tournamentsorganized by the governing body. The decision was shared in an official statement released aon January 31st. According to the Hong Kong Tenpin Bowling Congress, the movefollows discussions and consultations focused on lane conditions, competitivefairness, and long-term athlete development. In its statement, the federation explained that concerns had been raised abouthow slow oil-absorbing urethane equipment can change lane conditions morequickly. This, according to the federation, may affect fairness betweenplayers using different styles and ball types. The statement also noted thatthe decision was made after reviewing global trends and considering theoverall skill development of athletes. The reasons outlined in theHong Kong statement closely mirror those shared by the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress earlier in January, when it introduced a similar ban onurethane bowling balls in its sanctioned competitions. shared by the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress earlier in January, The ban applies only to local tournaments organized directly by the Hong KongTenpin Bowling Congress. It does not apply to international tournamentsorganized by the federation or to local tournaments that are only sanctionedby the HKCTBC. In addition, players competing in Under-12 divisions are exemptfrom this restriction. The HKTBC added that it will continue to monitor the situation and may reviewor adjust the regulations in the future if needed. Bellow is the official statement of the HKTBC regarding urethane bowling ballban.

PBA Tour player Keven Williams recently shared an open message on social mediaquestioning why bowling continues to resist change while other sports haveembraced evolution. In his post, Williams asked why bowling is often compared to “the old days,”when scores were lower, equipment was simpler, and different styles dominatedthe lanes. He pointed out that nearly every major sport has seen steady growthin performance numbers over the past decades, and bowling should not betreated differently. Williams compared bowling to sports such as basketball, football, golf,baseball, and tennis. He highlighted how scoring averages, throwing speeds,and distances have increased in those sports since the 1990s. According toWilliams, higher numbers are now accepted as part of natural progress, drivenby better training, improved technology, and greater access to information. “Why is it that bowling won’t accept evolution/change like other sports?”Williams wrote. He added that bowling has also changed in many ways, includinghigher rev rates, advanced ball technology, modern oil patterns, updated lanesurfaces, and easier access to knowledge through social media. Williams acknowledged that the game looks different today, but stressed thatthis does not mean the sport is worse. Instead, he argued that higher scoresreflect better athletes competing with better tools, similar to what hashappened across the sports world. “Why cant we accept scores are just higher in today’s game?” he asked, callingfor a more open mindset toward modern bowling. The post quickly gained attention within the bowling community.

Stefanie Johnson has been selected as the recipient of the Dick WeberAmbassador Award, an honor presented to individuals who promote the sport ofbowling in a positive and lasting way. The award will be presentedduring the International Bowl Expo this year in Nashville, the event thatbrings together bowling professionals, industry leaders, and organizationsfrom around the world. The Dick Weber Ambassador Award was created in 2005 to honor the memory andlegacy of bowling legend Dick Weber. The award recognizes bowlers whorepresent the sport with professionalism, respect, and dedication, both on andoff the lanes. It reflects Weber’s lifelong role as a global ambassador forbowling and his commitment to growing the game for all ages. Johnson was chosen for her continued involvement in bowling and her efforts topromote the sport beyond competition. The award focuses on conduct,visibility, and positive representation of bowling within the community.

Kimberly Pressler will no longer be part of Professional Bowlers AssociationTour telecasts. Pressler shared the news through a personalmessage posted on hersocial media, confirming that her on-air work with the PBA has come to a close asbroadcast changes take effect for the 2026 season. social media Pressler has been a well-known voice on PBA broadcasts for 15 years. She made her debut as a laneside reporter during the 2010 WorldSeries of Bowling and continued in that role throughout the ESPN era. When PBA Tour coverage moved from ESPN to FOX Sports ahead of the2019 season, Pressler remained part of the broadcast team and continuedworking on PBA telecasts through FOX. Now, the change comes as the PBA concludes its television partnership withFOX. Beginning in 2026, PBA Tour events will move to The CW Network under anew multi-year agreement. new multi-year agreement The PBA Tour season kicks off with the PBA Players Championship on January 16,with the televised finals set for February 22 on the CW Network. CW Network

Nasser Alkanderi captured the title at the Muscat International Open BowlingChampionships after the tournament concluded with a full stepladder final onMonday evening in Muscat, Oman. The Muscat International Open brought together a strong international field,with qualification rounds completed on Sunday before all final stages wereplayed on Monday. After several elimination phases, the topplayers advanced to the stepladder finals to decide the champion. The stepladder opened with a three-player match featuring Finland’s TomasKäyhkö, Malaysia’s Mohammed Syazirol, and Oman’s Musaab Aladwi. Käyhkö postedthe highest score in the opening game with 224 and advanced to the next match,while Syazirol and Aladwi were eliminated with scores of 202 and 210,respectively. In the second stepladder match, everything was decided in the last frame.Käyhkö needed a strike and a good count, but unfortunately left a split andEngland’s Ben Robinson earned a place in the championship match with 238-217final result. Robinson had already been one of the standout performers earlier in the finalsby scoring a 300 game in the Final Step 1. In the championship match, Ben Robinson took on Kuwait’s Nasser Alkanderi, thetop seed who would have needed to lose twice for Robinson to claim the title.That scenario did not unfold, as Alkanderi produced the highest game of thestepladder, securing the win with a 245–217 victory.With thevictory, Alkanderi secured the Muscat International Open title and thetournament’s top prize of $22,000. Robinson was awaded with almost $12,000,while Käyhkö earned almost $8,000 for a third place.155 playersparticipated in this year's event in Oman.

Lori Mraz has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America. The appointment will takeeffect on February 1, 2026. Mraz takes over the role from Barb Peltz, who led the organization after thepassing of longtime Executive Director Bill Supper in 2023. Peltzserved in the position during a transitional period and supported the processof selecting the next leader for the association. Mraz brings long-standing experience from within the bowling industry. Shepreviously served on the BBIA Board of Directors between 2003 and 2008 and waselected BBIA President in 2007. During that time, she was involved in shapingthe structure of the association’s annual convention, including the meetingformat that is still used today. In addition to her work with BBIA, Mraz has spent more than three decades withTurbo 2-N-1 Grips, where she has held several leadership roles since thecompany was founded in 1991. She served as company president until 2020 andcurrently works as Director of Marketing. Her industry involvement also includes long-term service with several bowlingorganizations. Vice Chairman of the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame Board of Trustees since 2008. She has also contributed to advisory boards and committees connected to proshops, league bowling programs, and major tournaments. Mraz is also a member of PBA League Bowler Certification Advisory Board.

Three-time world bowling champion Esther Cheah has officially announced herretirement from professional bowling. The 39-year-old confirmed her decision, closing a long chapter in Malaysianbowling history. "As a national athlete, Esther not only brought pride to Malaysia on theinternational stage but also served as a role model of perseverance,discipline and fighting spirit for the younger generation," said MohammedTaufiq Johari, Minister of Youth and Sports of Malaysia. Cheah is Malaysia’s first Singles world champion, a milestone she achieved atthe 2005 World Bowling Championships in Aalborg, Denmark. After two years, Cheah went on to add another gold medal, winning gold in theteam-of-five event at the 2007 World Championships in Monterrey and laterclaimed another teams gold in Las Vegas in 2017. Malaysian bowler also collected multiple gold medals at the Asian BowlingChampionships, winning doubles titles in 2008 and 2016, masters in 2019, andtrios in 2019. She also played an important role in Malaysia’s bowling achievements at theAsian Games. In 2006, Cheah won singles and team-of-five gold, and addedsilver in trios, all-event and masters. In 2018 she added another gold intrios. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Esther Cheah (@estherrcheahh) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Esther Cheah (@estherrcheahh) In addition to her international team career, Cheah competed on theProfessional Women’s Bowling Association Tour after joining in 2016. In 2024,she earned her first PWBA Regional title by winning the PWBA OklahomaRegional, adding another milestone in her competitive career. For the past two decades, Cheah is seen as one of the most experienced andsuccessful female bowlers Malaysia has ever had on the international scene.

The Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) has announced a major equipment rule change, confirming that slow oil-absorbing high-performance urethanebowling balls are now disallowed in all tournaments hosted by MTBC and itsstate affiliates in Malaysia. has announced a major equipment rule change The decision takes effect immediately and applies to all MTBC-sanctionedcompetitions across the country. According to the MTBC, the ruling followed an extensive review process thatincluded discussions with technical experts, coaches, and elite athletes. MTBCalso considered global trends, local lane conditions, and research conductedby the United States Bowling Congress (USBC). In its official statement that was shared on Monday morning, the MTBCexplained that the move is intended to protect competitive integrity andsupport long-term athlete development within Malaysia. The MTBC stated that slow oil-absorbing urethane equipment can alter laneconditions more quickly than intended, which may affect fairness for playersusing different styles and equipment types. MTBC also highlighted concerns related to equipment governance andenforcement. The governing body noted that changes in urethane balls over timecan make it difficult to distinguish natural wear from intentionalmodification, creating challenges for consistent tournament control. MTBC added that the situation will continue to be monitored and may bereviewed again in the future. In September 2025 USBC announced, that beginning January 1, 2026, slowoil-absorbing high-performance balls will face strict new limits atnational tournaments. In some events, they will be banned entirely; in others, only modelsmanufactured at a minimum 78D hardness will be allowed. In September 2025 USBC announced, that beginning January 1, 2026, slowoil-absorbing high-performance balls will face strict new limits atnational tournaments

The CW Network is reportedly targeting Kyle Sherman as a potential coloranalyst for upcoming PBA Tour broadcasts. According to a report by 11thFrame.com editor Jeff Richgels, the CW isactively looking at Sherman for the role ahead of its first season airing PBATour events. No deal has been announced yet. report by 11thFrame.com editor Jeff Richgels Sherman is a two-time PBA Tour champion from Missouri and has built a strongpresence both on and off the lanes. His PBA Tour titles include the 2019 StormPBA-PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles, alongside AmandaGreene, and the 2022 PBA Cheetah Championship. He also owns five PBA RegionalTour titles and was a member of Team USA during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Beyond competition, Sherman is widely known for his media work in bowling.Along with Brad Miller, he co-runs the popular YouTube channel Brad and Kyle,which focuses on bowling tips, education, and lane play. The channel has grownto more than 219,000 subscribers, making Sherman one of the most visiblebowling personalities among younger fans, perfectly fitting the profile the CWNetwork is seeking. Brad and Kyle The CW has already announced Rick Allen as the new play-by-play voice for PBA Tour telecasts. Allen is best known for his work in NASCAR broadcasting. IfSherman joins the booth, he would serve as the color analyst alongside Allen. announced Rick Allen as the new play-by-play voice for PBA Tour telecasts At present, Randy Pedersen continues to fill the color analyst role for PBATour broadcasts. If the reported plans move forward, it would likely signal achange in that position as the CW begins a new chapter of coverage. This possible move follows another recent change in PBA broadcasting. Longtimelaneside reporter Kimberly Pressler confirmed on January 21 that her time with PBA Tour telecasts had come to an end, coinciding with the tour’s transitionaway from FOX and toward its new broadcast partnership with the CW Network. Kimberly Pressler confirmed on January 21 that her time with PBA Tour telecasts had come to an end

The Professional Bowlers Associationhas named Peter Murray as itsnew Chief Executive Officer, with Murray also taking on the role of Head ofMedia forLucky Strike Entertainment,the organization that owns the PBA. The Professional Bowlers Association Peter Murray Lucky Strike Entertainment The move places long-term strategy, media development, and audience growth atthe center of the PBA’s next phase. Rather than focusing only on competitionstructure, the appointment points toward a broader effort to modernize howprofessional bowling is presented, packaged, and consumed. Who is Peter Murray? Murray arrives from theProfessional Fighters League,where he served as founding CEO and helped turn a start-up MMA promotion into aninternationally distributed sports property. Under his leadership, the PFLsecured major broadcast partnerships, expanded globally, and built its brandaround storytelling, athlete visibility, and season-long narratives. Professional Fighters League Before that, Murray held senior roles across the sports and media landscape,including executive positions at the National Football League,William Morris Endeavor,Under Armour, and Insignia Sports. His career has consistently focused on theintersection of sport, media rights, branding, and fan engagement. That background matters, because it suggests the PBA’s priorities are shiftingbeyond the lanes. Importance for the PBA The PBA is already heading into a big transition. Starting in 2026, the tourmoves into a new TV era withcoverage on The CW Network.With Murray in charge, the focus clearly shifts toward how the sport ispackaged for viewers. coverage on The CW Network With a new CEO whose expertise lies in understanding how media, live experiences, and community intersect, fans can expect more behind-the-scenes access, a stronger focus on personalities, and more player-driven storytelling. The appointment suggests the PBA wants to feel more modern, more visible, and easier to follow for fans who don’t already watch every week. Lucky Strike’s bigger picture Murray will also become the Head of Media for the Lucky Strike Entertainment. The idea is to connect pro bowling more closely with everydaybowling. Watching shows, following players, and engaging with the tour couldbecome part of the in-center experience, not just something you see on TV. If it works, it could help close the gap between casual bowlers and theprofessional game. A cautious but interesting step Lucky Strike and the PBA are betting that the next phase of growth comes frombetter stories, better exposure, and stronger connections with fans. Now the real question is simple: can they deliver on it?

The PBA Elite League: Battle of the Brands is officially set for the 2026 season, and with rosters now confirmed, the focus shifts from theory to execution. After completing its first full season last year, the Elite League enters year two with a clearer identity. The format is familiar, the expectations are established, and every brand now knows what a full season of results actually requires. first full season last year Six manufacturer-backed teams will compete throughout the PBA Tour season, with points earned in singles events counting toward the Manufacturer’s Cup. What Year Two Represents The debut season answered the most important question: does a season-long, brand-based competition belong on the PBA Tour calendar? The answer was yes. Over the course of the season, teams that produced steady results separated themselves from those relying on isolated strong finishes. By the time the finals arrived, the standings reflected months of performance rather than short-term form, with Storm carrying its season-long lead all the way to the Manufacturer’s Cup. That context matters heading into 2026. This is no longer a learning season. It’s a continuation. The 2026 Teams and Rosters Storm Dom BarrettJason BelmontePatrick DombrowskiFrançois LavoieBrad MillerKyle ShermanJesper SvenssonDarren TangKyle TroupChris Via Storm once again fields one of the deepest lineups in the league. One notable change is the addition of Dom Barrett, who transfers from Brunswick to Storm ahead of the 2026 season. Dom Barrett Brunswick Motiv Sam CooleyEthan FioreAJ JohnsonSean Lavery-SpahrBailey MavrickNick PateMatt RussoTom SmallwoodSanttu TahvanainenEJ Tackett Motiv fields a well-rounded lineup built around EJ Tackett, last season’s PBA Tour Player of the Year. The roster blends proven experience with younger talent, including Ethan Fiore, who showed last season that he belongs at this level. Brunswick Graham FachTim Foy Jr.Packy HanrahanTommy JonesMatt OgleJake PetersMatt SandersJason SternerNate StublerKeven Williams Brunswick continues with a balanced mix of veteran presence and proven tour regulars. 900 Global Andrew AndersonChris BarnesRyan BarnesBrandon BontaMitch HupéThomas LarsenChase NadeauBrian RobinsonChris SloanTimmy Tan 900 Global’s lineup features a combination of established names and players with strong recent form. Roto Grip Justin KnowlesWes MalottKevin McCuneBJ MooreKris PratherAnthony SimonsenFrank SnodgrassBen SobelStu Williams Roto Grip enters 2026 with a roster that blends power, versatility, and experience across different lane environments. Hammer Jakob ButturffCam CroweTom DaughertyTomas KäyhköMarshall KentAlec KeplingerBoog KrolShawn MaldonadoBill O’NeillZach Wilkins Hammer brings a roster with a wide range of styles and experience, giving the team flexibility across different lane conditions and formats throughout the season. How the Competition Unfolds As in previous seasons, team standings are determined by points earned during PBA Tour singles events. Before each tournament, managers select five players whose results will count toward the team total. Not all events are weighted equally, meaning majors and longer formats can significantly influence the standings. During the regular season, players may use any product-registered equipment available within their brand families. Once the finals arrive, competition switches to baker format, equipment is restricted to each team’s specific brand, and urethane is not permitted except for limited spare use. Looking Ahead to the 2026 Season With rosters now confirmed, the Elite League moves fully into its competitive phase. There are no unknowns about the format anymore - only decisions, execution, and results over time. The 2026 season will show which brands can sustain performance across an entire year and which ones struggle to keep pace once the standings begin to take shape. Full coverage of the PBA Elite League, including roster updates, schedule news, and all major developments throughout the season, will be available on bowlinglife.eu. bowlinglife.eu

Rick Allen has been announced as the new play-by-play voice for the PBA on TheCW Sports. Allen is an American television personality with extensive experience acrossmajor sports broadcasts. He currently works as a public address announcer forthe Carolina Panthers and serves as a college football play-by-play announcerfor The CW Sports. He is also an alternate television play-by-play voice forthe CARS Tour. Allen is best known for his role as the lead play-by-play commentator forNASCAR on NBC, where he called NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series eventsfrom 2015 through 2024. During his time with NBC Sports, he also contributed to coverage of IndyCar,International Motor Sports Association events, and track and fieldcompetitions. Earlier in his career, Allen worked as a play-by-play announcer for NASCARTruck Series races on Speed and Fox from 2003 to 2014. The upcoming PBA Tour seasonis scheduled to begin on February 22 with the PBA Players Championship inArlington, Texas. The upcoming PBA Tour season

Deo Benard won the 2025 BowlTV PBA Regional Players Invitational after astrong final performance at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada. The event brought together top regional players for the season-ending BowlTVshowcase, with titles awarded in both the standard PBA and PBA50 divisions. Benard secured the championship by defeating Jeff Mann 278–228 in the titlematch. The near-perfect game sealed the victory and earned Benard the topprize of $15,000. Mann finished second and received $10,000 for his runner-upresult. Earlier in the stepladder finals, Benard advanced through a demandingsemifinal round. He defeated Christopher Tuholski in a three-game match that went down to thefinal shots, winning 2–1 with scores of 258–201, 195–215, and 230–227. Benardalso eliminated DeeRonn Booker, the reigning USBC Masters champion, during theRound of 8. On the other side of the bracket, Mann reached the final by defeating KevinBienko 2–0 with games of 214–201 and 190–169. The victory marked Benard’s 15th career PBA Regional Tour title, achievedjust days before his 22nd birthday on Christmas Eve. Benard has been named Southwest Region Player of the Year twice, includingcurrent season. Benard also owns a national PBA Tour title after winning the2024 PBA Cheetah Championship. The 2025 BowlTV PBA Regional Players Invitational also featured the PBA50division, where Michael Haggitt claimed the title. Haggitt defeated defendingchampion Randy Weiss 231–217 in the championship match to earn the $10,000 topprize. With their victories, both Deo Benard and Michael Haggitt earned automaticentry into their respective 2026 PBA Tournament of Champions fields.

The PBA World Series of Bowling XVII will be broadcast on CBS and CBS SportsNetwork during the 2026 PBA Tour season. The event will take place in theMinneapolis area. The event is part of anexpanded television partnershipthat brings several major professional bowling competitions to nationalaudiences. expanded television partnership For the first time, the World Series of Bowling will be part of a largerseason-long broadcast lineup that includes both individual championships andteam-based events. The USA vs. The World will open the CBS’s PBA coverage. The event is scheduled forApril 4 in Columbus, Ohio, and features team competition between top Americanplayers and a selected international team. Each team will built through adraft process, with captains - Jason Belmonte and EJ Tackett - selecting fromleading PBA players to form their lineups for the televised event. Coverage of the World Series of Bowling will focus on the PBA animal patternchampionships, which are scheduled across four consecutive days.PBAcoverage will continue later in the season with the PBA World Championship,followed by the PBA Elite League: Battle of the Brands and the PBA Norm DukeOpen. PBA on CBS Schedule • April 4 – USA vs. The World • May 9 – PBA Animal Pattern 1 Championship • May 10 – PBA Animal Pattern 2 Championship • May 11 – PBA Animal Pattern 3 Championship • May 12 – PBA Animal Pattern 4 Championship • June 13 – PBA World Championship • June 20 – PBA Elite League: Battle of the Brands • June 21 – PBA Norm Duke Open

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

The PWBA Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2026, with three new membersset to be inducted during tournament week of the United States BowlingCongress Queens in May. Two inductees were selected in thePerformance category, while one was chosen in the Meritorious Service andBuilder category. Kelly Kulick and Cara Honeychurch will be inducted for their success ascompetitors, while Leila Wagner will be recognized for both her bowling careerand her many years of contribution to the sport beyond the lanes.Theinduction ceremony will take place on May 13, 2026, at the Gold Coast Hoteland Casino in Las Vegas, alongside the USBC Queens tournament, which runs fromMay 13 to May 19. A Legend Both on PWBA and PBA Kelly Kulick built a long career that spans collegiate bowling, professionalcompetition, and international play. She joined the PWBA Tour in2001 after a successful college career at Morehead State. That same year, sheearned Rookie of the Year honors and finished among the tour leaders in bothpoints and earnings. Kulick won five major championships duringher career, including titles at the Queens and the U.S. Women’s Open.In 2010, she made history by becoming the first woman to win a PBATour title when she captured the Tournament of Champions. Kullicklater added two more PWBA titles after the tour returned in 2015. Kulick alsorepresented Team USA on 1998-2001, 2008, and 2010-2021, won multipleinternational gold medals. She currently serves as the head coach of JuniorTeam USA and assistant coach of the Team USA. Australia's Bowling Icon Cara Honeychurch joined the PWBA Tour in 1999 after early internationalsuccess for Australia. Before turning professional, she won theAMF World Cup and earned gold medals at the Commonwealth Games. On the PWBATour, she quickly became a regular presence on television and won severaltitles, including major events. Honeychurch earned Rookie of theYear honors in 2000 and remained a top competitor through the early 2000s.She claimed eight career PWBA titles and received recognition forboth performance and sportsmanship. After the tour paused, she returned toAustralia and later served as the chief executive officer of Tenpin BowlingAustralia. A Voice of Women's Bowling Leila Wagner earned her place in the PWBA Hall of Fame through her work as acompetitor, broadcaster, and ambassador for bowling. As aprofessional bowler, she made numerous television finals and won two careertitles. She later became a familiar voice and face of women’sprofessional bowling as a lead announcer and commentator during televisedevents for more than a decade. Wagner also traveled extensively topromote bowling through clinics, exhibitions, and public appearances. Her workhelped bring women’s bowling to a wider audience across multiple countries.Withthe addition of the Class of 2026, the PWBA Hall of Fame will include 54members across all categories. The upcoming induction continues the Hall ofFame’s role in recognizing both competitive success and long-term service toprofessional women’s bowling.For more information visitpwba.com pwba.com

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:

Belgium’s Patricia Vezzu has won the gold medal in the Women’s Singles eventat the first European Grand Senior Championships 2026. The competition took place on Monday in Vienna, Austria, marking anothermilestone in the history of the new bowling event for 65+ players in Europe. After six qualifying games, 55 senior athletes competed for a place in the semifinals, with only the top four advancing. Germany’s Martina Beckel led the standings with a total score of 1229 (204.8 average). In the semifinals, she faced Iceland’s Gudny Gunnarsdottir, the No. 4 seed, who advanced with a total of 1177. Beckel controlled the match throughout and won 202–159 to secure a place in the final. The second semi-final featured Belgium’s Patricia Vezzu, who advanced after finishing second in qualification, against Germany’s Martina Becker. Like Beckel in the first semi-final, Vezzu also booked her spot in the title match with a solid 200–167 victory. Yesterday, Slovakia’s Anton Zoricak claimed gold in the Men’s Singles event. The European Grand Senior Championships 2026 continue on Tuesday with theMen’s Doubles event, as competition carries on in Vienna.

Elitserien returned with a full weekend of action across Sweden, featuringeight tightly contested matches. BK Full House climbed to the top of thestandings after a dominant win over Clan, who recovered with a victory againstGöta. Meanwhile, AIK’s momentum continued, and Kaskad managed a dramatic comebackdraw in Köping. Let’s take a closer look at how all the action unfolded lastweekend. Saturday Matches Overview Stureby BK – AIK BK H 8–11 AIK got their revenge and took a big step forward in the standings with a roadwin over Stureby. A strong start saw AIK take control early with two 4–1series wins. The match was all but over after three series, as AIK ran aheadwith an 11–3 lead. Even though Stureby took all five points in the finalseries, the result was already decided. Elliot Crosby led AIK with 951, closely followed by Wilmer Kvarnström (924).Stureby’s Tommy Wendel was the top scorer of the match with 1023, including a299 game. Team Pergamon BC – Team Alingsås BC 10–10 The highly anticipated top clash ended in a dramatic draw. Alingsås won allthree games and held a 10–5 lead going into the final series, but Pergamondelivered a stunning 5–0 sweep to steal a point. Jesper Svensson led the home team with 929, while James Blomgren (915) andLucas Fjällborg (899) were best for Alingsås. Team Clan Nässjö BK – BK Kaskad 13–7 The defending champions showed strong form at home after a slow start. Kaskadled 6–4 after two high-scoring series, but Clan dominated the second half,conceding just one point across the final two series. Emil Svensson scored 959, and Alfred Berggren added 892. Kaskad’s TeodorSamuelsson shone with 1007, while Joel Lothigius rolled a 300 game to finishwith 933. BK Full House – IS Göta 11–9 BK Full House were pushed to the limit by IS Göta in a back-and-forth battle.Göta nearly escaped with a draw, but a late double from Tim Stampe in thefinal frame gave Full House the lane point they needed to clinch the win bythree pins. JD Mortensen (869) and Richard Teece (868) led Full House. Dan Harding toppedGöta’s scoring with 902. Sunday Match Recap IKW/Köping BK – BK Kaskad 10–10 The match in Köping was one of the most exciting of the weekend, with bothteams passing 7300 total pins. Köping led 9–6, but Kaskad closed strong with a4–1 final series to secure the draw. Filip Wilhelmsson led all players with 1003. Carl Eklund topped Köping with969. BK Full House – Team Clan Nässjö BK 14–6 Full House overwhelmed Clan early, winning the first three series 4–1, 5–0,and 4–1 to decide the match before the final set. Mik Stampe led Full House with 901. Clan’s William Berggren posted the highestindividual score with 924. Bodens BS – Stureby BK 8–12 Stureby rebounded from Saturday’s loss with a confident away win, leading fromstart to finish and sealing the result with a 4–1 final series. Dennis Eklund scored 861 for Stureby, while Philip Strandgren led Bodens with862. IS Göta – Team Clan Nässjö BK 8–12 In the final match of the weekend, Team Clan bounced back strongly. Aftertrailing early, they won the next three series to take the victory. Anton Andersson led Göta with 938, while William Berggren guided Clan with900. Elitserien Standings (After February 1, 2026)TeamGPWDLPoints WonTotal PointsBK Full House15915146–15219Team Clan Nässjö BK13904144–11418Team Pergamon BC14824148–12818Team Alingsås BC12813136–10117BK Cascade15627159–13914Stureby BK16619140–17613Bodens BS13526120–13812AIK BK H12417116–1229IKW/Köping BK13337115–1449IS Göta13319123–1337 Elitserien Standings (After February 1, 2026) TeamGPWDLPoints WonTotal Points Team GP W D L Points Won Total Points BK Full House15915146–15219Team Clan Nässjö BK13904144–11418Team Pergamon BC14824148–12818Team Alingsås BC12813136–10117BK Cascade15627159–13914Stureby BK16619140–17613Bodens BS13526120–13812AIK BK H12417116–1229IKW/Köping BK13337115–1449IS Göta13319123–1337 BK Full House15915146–15219 BK Full House 15 9 1 5 146–152 19 Team Clan Nässjö BK13904144–11418 Team Clan Nässjö BK 13 9 0 4 144–114 18 Team Pergamon BC14824148–12818 Team Pergamon BC 14 8 2 4 148–128 18 Team Alingsås BC12813136–10117 Team Alingsås BC 12 8 1 3 136–101 17 BK Cascade15627159–13914 BK Cascade 15 6 2 7 159–139 14 Stureby BK16619140–17613 Stureby BK 16 6 1 9 140–176 13 Bodens BS13526120–13812 Bodens BS 13 5 2 6 120–138 12 AIK BK H12417116–1229 AIK BK H 12 4 1 7 116–122 9 IKW/Köping BK13337115–1449 IKW/Köping BK 13 3 7 115–144 9 IS Göta13319123–1337 IS Göta 13 3 1 9 123–133 7

The first medal of the European Grand Senior Championships 2026 has been given away inVienna, Austria, with Slovakia’s Anton Zoricak claiming gold in the Men’sSingles event. European Grand Senior Championships 2026 Zoricak secured the historic first title of the new European championshipafter a strong performance in the final, closing the match against England'sKim Johnson 267-195. Zoricak led the whole match, scoring a seven-bagger andputting the title out of reach for Johnson. Qualification was led by Austria’s Wolfgang Hauska, who topped the standingswith a total score of 1,358 pins over six games, averaging 226.3. Hauskaearned the top seed heading into the final stages, but lost to England's KimJohnson in the semifinal 204-194. Meanwhile, Zoricak defeated Slovenia's BojanKlarič in a very close game 178-175. The Men’s Singles event featured a total of 84 Grand Senior bowlers fromacross Europe. The Grand Senior Championships 2026 mark the first edition of this newEuropean Bowling Federation event, created for athletes aged 65 and above.The championships run from January 30 to February 8 at Plus Bowling Vienna. A total of 21 federations are taking part in the championships. Action at the Grand Senior Championships continues tomorrow with the startof the Women’s Singles competition, as more medals are set to be awarded inVienna.

The UK Tenpin Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2026, recognizing threeindividuals for their long-standing contributions to the sport. The new inductees include Alan Keddie, Keira Reay, and Dave Steiner. Alan Keddie has been selected in the men’s category after many years ofsuccess in international and domestic competition. He becomes the firstScottish bowler to be inducted into the UK Tenpin Hall of Fame. His careerincludes medal performances at European Senior Championships and the SeniorWorld Championships, along with wins across several other European events. Keira Reay has been chosen in the women’s category and is the youngestinductee so far. She is being honored mainly for her youth career, whichincluded multiple medals at European Youth Championships and strong results atworld-level youth events. Her performances during her teenage years placed heramong the most successful youth bowlers produced in the UK. Dave Steiner will be inducted in the Distinguished Service category. Hisrecognition reflects decades of work supporting bowling away from competition.His involvement spans military bowling, coaching, event organization, leaguedevelopment, and governance roles within British tenpin bowling. He has alsoserved in leadership positions and contributed to the growth of structuredcompetition across the country. The selection process for the Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was carried out bythe Hall of Fame committee, which reviewed nominations and career recordsbefore voting. The UK Tenpin Hall of Fame honors individuals whose achievements and servicehave helped shape the sport since its early years in the country. The 2026 inductees will officially join the UK Tenpin Hall of Fame during nextyear’s induction ceremony.

Three Storm-sponsored bowling tournaments will be connected through a newjoint ranking system during the 2026 season, known as the Thunder Ranking. The ranking will combine results from three major events across Finland,Sweden, and Norway, with players earning Thunder Ranking points at each stop. The Thunder Ranking is designed to reward consistent performance acrossmultiple international events and will offer both prize money and valuableexemptions for the 2027 season. Thunder Ranking Events – 2026 The three tournaments included in the Thunder Ranking are: Storm 4th No Urethane OpenApril 13–26, 2026Lahti, FinlandStorm Lucky Larsen MastersAugust 21–31, 2026Helsingborg, SwedenNorwegian Open by StormAugust 29 – September 6, 2026Sarpsborg, Norway Storm 4th No Urethane OpenApril 13–26, 2026Lahti, Finland Storm 4th No Urethane Open Storm Lucky Larsen MastersAugust 21–31, 2026Helsingborg, Sweden Storm Lucky Larsen Masters Norwegian Open by StormAugust 29 – September 6, 2026Sarpsborg, Norway Norwegian Open by Storm Players who compete in these events will automatically collect Thunder Rankingpoints based on their performances in each tournament. Why the Thunder Ranking Was Created According to Martin Larsen, Head of Aftermarket & Consumer Sales inScandinavia at Bowltech and one of the organizers of the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters, theThunder Ranking was created to reward commitment and provide new opportunitiesfor certain tournament formats.“Bowltech and Storm like to rewardbowlers who bowl a lot. Also, at the moment there’s no way for tournamentsusing the 78 hardness rule or ‘no urethane’ to attend on the European BowingTour, this is something new for those tournaments.”The ThunderRanking also represents a closer connection between the three tournamentsinvolved, supported by Storm and Bowltwech.“Bowltech and Stormsupports those 3 great tournaments and the Thunder Ranking connects them in anew way, they’re all looking to grow and we think that this can be a littlepiece of that puzzle. There’s been some good talk between the 3 events,Bowltwech and Storm, this is a start," Martin Larsen said. Potential for Future Expansion While the Thunder Ranking will debut in 2026, organizers see it as atesting ground for possible future development. “It’s for sure possible that it could grow, 2026 will be year to test itout and at the same time see where the bowling world will go when it comesto hardness rules etc.” 2026 Thunder Ranking Bonus Prize Money At the conclusion of the 2026 season, the top-ranked players will earn bonusprize money: 1st place: €1,0002nd place: €7503rd place: €500 1st place: €1,000 2nd place: €750 3rd place: €500 Thunder Ranking 2027 Exemptions In addition to prize money, the Thunder Ranking will award nine exemptionspots for the 2027 season. Each exemption includes a free first squad entry inall three Storm-sponsored events in 2027, with an estimated value of €400–€450per player. The nine exemption spots will be awarded as follows: Top 5 players in the overall Thunder RankingHighest-ranked womanHighest-ranked +50 player (born 1976 or earlier)Highest-ranked U21 man (born 2005 or later)Highest-ranked U21 woman (born 2005 or later) Top 5 players in the overall Thunder Ranking Highest-ranked woman Highest-ranked +50 player (born 1976 or earlier) Highest-ranked U21 man (born 2005 or later) Highest-ranked U21 woman (born 2005 or later) A New Incentive Across Storm Events By linking three major tournaments under one ranking system, the ThunderRanking adds an extra competitive layer to the 2026 season. Players areencouraged not only to perform well in individual events, but also to competeconsistently across multiple international stops. Entries are now open for the Storm 4th No Urethane Open. Registration for the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters and the Norwegian Open byStorm will follow later in the year. Follow the updates onBowlingLife's Tournament Finder page. Entries are now open for the Storm 4th No Urethane Open BowlingLife's Tournament Finder page

The European Grand Senior Championships 2026 will begin tomorrow in Vienna,Austria, marking the first edition of this new continental event for Seniorathletes. The championships will run from January 30 to February 8and are organized by the European Bowling Federation. A total of 21 federations are taking part in the event. The field includes 80male athletes and 54 female athletes, all aged 65 and above. All games will be played at Plus Bowling Vienna. The venue is well known onthe international bowling calendar and has previously hosted events such asEuropean Senior Championships, European Youth Championships, European Men’sand Women’s Championships, and the Champions Cup. The lane condition for the European Grand Senior Championships 2026 will beset at 41 feet, with a possible variation of plus or minus one foot. The finallane pattern details will be confirmed during the Team Managers Meeting onFriday evening. The competition format follows a structure similar to all EuropeanChampionships. The event starts with six games of singles, followed by sixgames of doubles. The third section is the team event, which consists of sixgames played in two blocks of three. In each section, the top four teams orplayers from the preliminary rounds advance to the semifinals. First placefaces fourth, while second place meets third. The winners move on to aone-game final, while the semifinal losers are awarded bronze medals. All-Events medals will be decided after the completion of the singles,doubles, and team events, based on a total of 18 games. In addition, the top 24 bowlers from the preliminary standings will qualifyfor the individual Masters finals.

Six matches were played in the Men’s Swedish Elitserien over the last weekend,with four games on Saturday and two more on Sunday. Team Pergamon moved to the top of the standings, while AIK impressed at homewith a convincing win. Full House endured a difficult weekend in Stockholm,while Bodens BS continued to show strength on their home lanes. Saturday Matches Overview Bodens BS – AIK BK 10–9 Up north, the match between Bodens BK and Full House ended in a 10–10 draw.Both teams traded series wins, and neither side managed to create a decisivegap. Ludwig Ingerskog led the home team with a 926 total over four games, whileRichard Teece posted a 971 total for Full House, including a 279 game. Team Clan Nässjö BK – Team Pergamon BC 11–9 Saturday continued with a tight battle in Nässjö against last year'sfinalists, where Team Clan once again proved difficult to beat on home lanes. Team Pergamon started strong with a 1–4 win in the first game but lostmomentum in games two and three, dropping both 4–1. Although Pergamon bouncedback to take the final game 2–3, it wasn’t enough, as Clan edged the keymoments to secure an 11–9 victory. Five players scored over 900 across four games for Team Clan, led by AntonPersson with a total of 974. Erik Larsson and Mathias Ankerdal topped thescoring for Pergamon with 961 and 958 respectively. Sunday Match Recap Stureby BK – BK Full House 13–6 Full House’s tough weekend continued in Högdalen, where Stureby BK controlledthe match from the second series onward. After an even start, Stureby pulled away with back-to-back strong series tobuild an unassailable lead. The teams split points in the final series, butthe damage was already done as Stureby claimed a 13–6 home win. Alex Joki was best overall with 969, followed by Jerry Ekman-Vogel on 955.Eskil Lind led the Full House with 942 total BK Kaskad – Team Pergamon BC 8–12 Pergamon responded strongly on Sunday with an important away win against BKKaskad. The match was close on total pinfall, but Pergamon consistently claimed narrowseries victories to build the lead. Despite a push from Kaskad in game 3 wherethey took the win 3-2, Pergamon closed it out with a solid final series totake a 12–8 win and move into first place in the standings. Markus Jansson led Pergamon with 863, while Kaskad’s Rasmus Samuelsson toppedthe match with 881. Bodens BS – IS Göta 13–7 Bodens wrapped up the weekend with another strong home performance, this timeagainst IS Göta. The home side took control early and maintained their advantage throughout thematch. Göta briefly threatened in the third series winning 2-3, but Bodenresponded well and secured the win with a strong finish 4-1. Ludwig Ingerskog led Bodens with 976, while Johannes Granstrom added 954.Martin Paulsson was Göta’s top scorer with 900. AIK BK – BK Full House 15–5 AIK BK delivered one of their strongest performances of the season with adominant home victory over BK Full House.A powerful opening series5-0 set the tone, and AIK built a commanding 9–1 lead by the long break.TheFull House returned with 2-3 win, but AIK finished strongly 4-1 to secure aclear 15–5 win.Lukáš Jelínek led AIK with an impressive 1032,supported by Kevin Melin’s 969. For Full House, Ben Robinson and Richard Teeceposted the highest scores with 986 and 952. Elitserien Standings (After January 25, 2026)TeamGPWDLPoints WonTotal PointsTeam Pergamon BC13814138–11817Team Alingsås BC11803126–9116BK Full House13715121–13715Team Clan Nässjö BK10703113–8514BK Kaskad13616142–11613Bodens BS12525112–12612Stureby BK14518120–15711IKW/Köping BK12327105–1348IS Göta11317106–1107AIK BK H11317105–1147 Elitserien Standings (After January 25, 2026) TeamGPWDLPoints WonTotal Points Team GP W D L Points Won Total Points Team Pergamon BC13814138–11817Team Alingsås BC11803126–9116BK Full House13715121–13715Team Clan Nässjö BK10703113–8514BK Kaskad13616142–11613Bodens BS12525112–12612Stureby BK14518120–15711IKW/Köping BK12327105–1348IS Göta11317106–1107AIK BK H11317105–1147 Team Pergamon BC13814138–11817 Team Pergamon BC 13 8 1 4 138–118 17 Team Alingsås BC11803126–9116 Team Alingsås BC 11 8 0 3 126–91 16 BK Full House13715121–13715 BK Full House 13 7 1 5 121–137 15 Team Clan Nässjö BK10703113–8514 Team Clan Nässjö BK 10 7 0 3 113–85 14 BK Kaskad13616142–11613 BK Kaskad 13 6 1 6 142–116 13 Bodens BS12525112–12612 Bodens BS 12 5 2 5 112–126 12 Stureby BK14518120–15711 Stureby BK 14 5 1 8 120–157 11 IKW/Köping BK12327105–1348 IKW/Köping BK 12 3 2 7 105–134 8 IS Göta11317106–1107 IS Göta 11 3 1 7 106–110 7 AIK BK H11317105–1147 AIK BK H 11 3 1 7 105–114 7

Emanuel Jonsson won the RIG Bowling Tournament 2026 in Reykjavík, Iceland. TheSwedish bowler secured the title by defeating Nora Johansson in an all-Swedishfinal, winning the decisive game 247–237. With the victory, Jonsson earned the first-place prize of 500,000 ISK, whichis approximately €3,300. Johansson finished second and received 300,000 ISK(approx. €2,000). Third place went to Adam Pawel Blaszczak, the 2022 RIGwinner, while Jonathan Johansson placed fourth. The finals were decided in four-player elimination format, where playerscompeted over three one-game rounds with the lowest scorer was eliminateduntil the winner was determined. Jonsson reached the final rounds after finishing qualification in 12th placewith a total score of 1,472. This result advanced him directly to Final Step3, where he won a three-game match against Hlynur Örn Ómarsson 297–224,216–237, and 286–190. In Final Step 4, he continued his run by defeating Evan Julburom 237–237 and255–221, earning his place in the finals. The RIG Bowling Tournament 2026 was held from January 17 to 25 in Reykjavíkand was an official EBF Tour Satellite event. In total, the event featured a prize fund of 2,290,000 ISK. RIG Bowling 2026 was a part of Reykjavik International Games. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bowling News • Reviews • Tips (@bowlinglife.eu) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bowling News • Reviews • Tips (@bowlinglife.eu)

The PBA entered a new era last week with the announcement of Peter Murray asits new CEO. In addition, Murray will also serve as Head of Media for the PBAowners, Lucky Strike Entertainment.Taking on either of these roles would be a significant responsibility. Takingon both at the same time... well, a much bigger challenge. The positive takeaway is that this responsibility is being placed in the handsof someone who, at first impression, appears well equipped to handle it. Coming from a background that includes major sports and media organizationssuch as Professional Fighters League (PFL), Under Armour, and Insignia Sports,Murray's resume signals a strong candidate not only to manage both roles, butalso to lead the PBA - and potentially the whole sport - into a new phase.Shortly after the announcement, BowlingLife’s Erikas Jansonas spoke with Murrayin an exclusive interview, discussing his early impressions, his vision forthe PBA, potential new events, and changes in PBA Tour telecasts. A Great Team With Rich History Stepping into the leadership of the PBA would intimidate many, but Murrayappeared calm and confident. He expressed excitement about taking on bothroles and spoke positively about the people he is surrounded by. “Very excited to join Strike Entertainment, obviously PBA. It's a great teamwith such rich history and tradition related to the PBA and the sport, and tohave the opportunity to really develop this next phase of growth and grow thesport and grow PBA.” A Deeper Appreciation For the Sport Before taking on the role, Murray’s connection to bowling was similar to thatof millions around the world - a social activity and a way to spend timetogether. Stepping into the PBA structure, however, has given him a new level of respectfor the sport, its athletes, and the competitive landscape. Everyone has a favorite bowling memory, and it often reveals how a persontruly views the sport and approaches it. When asked about his most meaningfulbowling memory, Murray shared that it isn’t tied to high scores. Instead,those moments come from time spent bowling with his daughters. “Bowling with my two daughters was definitely a big part of their childhood,playing other sports. It was a great family activity," the new PBA CEO said."I live in Westchester County, New York, and there's a Bowlero in Queens.Been there for many, many years. So it really has a tie that runs in myfamily.” Immediate Priorities Murray is joining the PBA at one of the busiest and most demanding times ofthe year - the launch of a new season.Format changes, new events, and a new broadcast partner all add to thechallenge, especially following the PBA’s announcement that it would movefrom FOX to The CW Network. This transition is Murray’s key focus now. The CW Network will air tenconsecutive Sunday telecasts. The goal is not simply to broadcast professionalbowling on a new platform, but to sell it to a new audience the broadcastercan offer. “We are very excited about the launch, having ten consecutive Sundays on CWfor the first time. A consistent day, Sunday afternoons, from 4 to 6 EST.It's a great time slot and I'm super excited about what CW is going to bringto the sport, the PBA, and the partnership as promotional plans start to rollout. Along with that, launching on CBS broadcast or expanding that relationship.We're spending our time not only on the product and getting ready for thelaunches, but also on how we focus on appealing not just to avid bowling fansand PBA fans, but casual fans. And introducing them to the sport, introducingthem to the PBA. That's what we're going to have some fun with.” Providing Access to the Athletes Coming from the PFL, Murray knows the value of athlete storytelling. In PFL, strong storytelling helped turn athletes into relatable figures -heroes, rivals, and sometimes even villains - making it easier for fans,especially younger audiences, to connect with them. That connection didn’t just grow interest in the athletes themselves, but alsodrove engagement around the sport through social media. These personal storiesof rivalry, struggle, and success create deep emotional bonds with audiences,elevating a sport beyond pure competition. The stories add something thatbowling, for a long time, has often been missing. “We're going to do more storytelling, not just tied to live events and liveproduct, but year-round. We're bringing more resources on the storytellingfront and production front to provide access to the athletes, which is key,and humanize them even further. So fans get access to them not just whenthey're in competitive mode on telecasts, but get to know them.” More Changes in Telecast? Over the past two weeks, much of the attention has focused on changes withinthe PBA broadcast team.Kimberly Pressler announced that she will no longer be part of PBA Tour telecasts after 15 years, while Jeff Richgels of 11thframe.com reported that The CW Network is targeting Kyle Sherman as a potential color analyst for upcoming PBA Tour broadcasts. If Sherman joins the booth, that could impactthe long-standing role of Randy Pedersen. Kimberly Pressler announced that she will no longer be part of PBA Tour telecasts Jeff Richgels of 11thframe.com reported that The CW Network is targeting Kyle Sherman as a potential color analyst for upcoming PBA Tour broadcasts When asked about the possibility of further changes in the broadcast booth,Murray indicated that additional updates are very likely. “The production team has spent a lot of time and will be rolling outannouncements tied to expanding the broadcast team. In addition to bringingnew voices into the sport and into the PBA, there will be other broadcastenhancements designed to further engage the audience. We're excited aboutthese enhancements and will be announcing them in partnership with CW in thenext two weeks,” Murray said. Global Expansion: One of the Top Priorities As an international bowling media representative, I could not help but askhow the global growth of the PBA stands for the newly appointed CEO. Accordingto Murray, the PBA is ready to evolve further into a truly global property. “We have a massive opportunity to grow internationally. As we look at regionsand countries within Europe, Asia, and other markets, there are great players,and we already have some competing in the PBA today. There is other talent that would like the opportunity to have a pathway intothe PBA, and there is demand among media companies and fan bases in thosemarkets. You'll see us begin to open up our distribution starting this year inkey markets. So fans have more access to the PBA, live competition, original content,highlights, and their favorite athletes from those countries.” Schedule Expansion and New Events This year, the PBA Tour will feature 21 different events, ranging from singlescompetitions to doubles, team formats, and international stops. According to Peter Murray, the PBA is also exploring opportunities to expandthe season calendar in the coming years, with fans likely to see additionalPBA Tour stops next season. “More broadly, we're looking forward to expanding the format and creating aworld tournament, and roll out as early as 2027. So we can expect more PBATour stops in 2027.” The PBA Tour season kicks off with the PBA Players Championship on January 16,with the televised finals set for February 22 on theCW Network. CW Network

The Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC)announced a major equipment rule change yesterday, confirming that slow oil-absorbing high-performance urethane bowling ballsare now disallowed in all MTBC-sanctioned tournaments. announced a major equipment rule change yesterday "My initial reaction was surprise, but also understanding," Malaysian National Team member and PBA Tour title winner Tun Hakim told BowlingLife as he reflected on what the decision means for the sport going forward. PBA Tour title winner Tun Hakim Tun Hakim According to MTBC, the goal is to protect competitive integrity, keep laneconditions fair, and address equipment-governance issues that have becomeharder to monitor. While the ban introduces a major shift, Hakim acknowledges that MTBC is tryingto balance between fairness and long-term athlete development. “Urethane has becomea big part of modern lane play, and any restriction will naturally createdebate. At the same time, I believe MTBC’s intention is to protect laneintegrity and ensure fair competition, so I respect the effort to manage thesport responsibly,” said Hakim. A Shift Toward Versatility For many bowlers worldwide, urethane has been an essential part of theirarsenal. A new generation of players has grown up with urethane as afoundational tool on all sorts of patterns. Naturally, removing it will force adjustments - something Hakim sees as bothchallenging and beneficial. “I think it will encourage bowlers to rely more on versatility and technicalskills rather than a single equipment option. Adjustments will be challengingat first, especially for players who frequently use urethane, but in the longrun it could lead to more diverse ball choices and strategic play during MTBCevents.” A Disadvantage Internationally? Since urethane is still allowed at big international tournaments like the IBFWorld Championships, some people wonder if Malaysia might fall behind by notusing it locally. At the world level, urethane has been everywhere on the ballracks in recent years. Hakim doesn’t dismiss the concern. “It could be a concern if players do not have enough opportunities to competewith urethane locally. However, I don’t see it as a major disadvantage ifMalaysian bowlers continue to train internationally and prepare specificallyfor IBF events. Adaptability has always been an important part of high-levelbowling, and that remains true here.” MTBC said the decision followed a detailed review with technical experts,coaches, and elite athletes, along with an evaluation of global trends, locallane conditions, and USBC research. In September 2025, the USBC announced that beginning January 1, 2026, slowoil-absorbing high-performance balls will face strict new limits in nationaltournaments, with some events banning them entirely and others allowing onlymodels made at 78D hardness or higher.

The 56th Brunswick Ballmaster Open finished on Sunday in front of a packed Tali Bowling Hall crowd - the legendary 36-lane bowling center in Helsinki, whereFinland’s own Santtu Tahvanainen lifted the trophy after a composed 204–170victory over Rami Mukkula in the championship match. Santtu Tahvanainen lifted the trophy The victory secured him the €10,000 first prize and placed his name on thewall at Tali Bowling Hall, alongside respected world-class bowlers such asMika Koivuniemi and Parker Bohn III – champions of the tournament he grew upwatching. After the final, BowlingLife caught up with the new champion to talk aboutnerves, childhood memories inside Tali Bowling Hall, and what this win meansheading into the upcoming PBA Tour season. “Stressful… and then way less stressful.” The TV finals did not start the way Tahvanainen had hoped. In the semifinal,the defending champion Jarno Lahti started with a four-bagger, whileTahvanainen was struggling to find the rhythm. But as the framesprogressed, Tahvanainen found his footing. defending champion Jarno Lahti The turning point came mid-match. The moment he reset mentally, the gameshifted. “Stressful and then way less stressful," Santtu said with a smile when askedabout his performance in the TV finals. "I was actually stressing it and whenJarno left the split in the fifth frame, it was like kind of a relief. I struggled on my first two shots, I even changed to the four steps. But when hesplit, I thought I have a chance. And I collected my head, and it was way,way better bowling after that.” In the title match, the29-year-old met fellow Finn, 22-year-old rising star Rami Mukkula, who had been leading the tournament since the Top 32 and reached the final by edgingLinus Boström 216–211 in the semifinal. who had been leading the tournament since the Top 32 Moreover, Mukkula already knew what it takes to win at Tali Bowling Hall,having taken the International Hammer Challenge title there in 2024. International Hammer Challenge title there in 2024 Hands Were Not Shaking Even though Tahvanainen began the title match striking only once in hisfirst five frames, he was dealing with the pressure better, picking upspares with confidence, until finally found the rhythm again with three straight strikes in frames six through eight to seal the victory 204-170. Even though Tahvanainen began the title match striking only once in hisfirst five frames, he was dealing with the pressure better, picking upspares with confidence, until finally found the rhythm again Santtu agreed that his PBA experience gave him an advantage under pressure as it kepthis hands steady. "I definitely felt it that I haven't bowl so much of tournaments because Iinjured my hand during the Hammer Challenge, so I haven't been able to bowlalmost at all. I wasn't completely confident on my bowling, but my hands werenot trembling or anything like that anymore, like they used to on the TV. Soit definitely helped to have that experience on me.” Why the Ballmaster Hits Differently For many bowlers winning Ballmaster is a career highlight. For SanttuTahvanainen, it is something else entirely - a childhood dream come fullcircle. “I grew up here, I bowled my first Ballmaster when I was like 13 or 14, and Isaw all kind of big names like a Dino Castillo and Sean Rash and Tommy Jones,and I met Parker when I was young, and we always chatted for years andyears." For Finnish bowlers, the Ballmaster Open carries a special weight. Winning at Tali Bowling Center means more than a title – it means becoming part of the history many grow up dreaming about. "It has it's own meaning over here, like because it's an environment. Andeveryone always talked about it when I was a kid, how cool it is to win." On Sunday, he had a chance to taste that win. For a kid who once watched the greats roll strikes on these lanes, lifting the Ballmaster trophy of his own means everything. Momentum for the PBA Tour season The new PBA season begins soon, and this victory couldn’t have come at abetter time. After battling injury last year, Santtu finally feels the rhythmreturning. “The fact that I'm able to put some practice in before I go there is huge,because last year I came off the injury, so I didn't like get to practice atall.” The PBA Tour season kicks off with the PBA Players Championship on January 16,with the televised finals set for February 22 on the CW Network. CW Network

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.