Expert Rates the Challenging Conditions in Munich: “As a World Cup Should Be”

"The conditions are as a world cup should be," Panagiotis Vardakis, a European Bowling Federation Level III coach, told BowlingLife's Erikas Jansonas after the official practice day at the IBF World Cup 2026.

Tomorrow, the first bowlers will step onto the lanes at Max Munich Bowling in Brunnthal, just outside Munich, to start the competition on string pins, with one goal in mind: to win singles gold.

With 296 bowlers from 48 federations in the field come many different game plans for tackling the 44 feet, 2.09:1 ratio pattern. Coach Vardakis expects the lanes to change quickly.

"The transition is going to happen fast if lots will play in this tight heads areas," he said.

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Overall, Vardakis rates the pattern as medium-high in difficulty.

According to him, the lanes appear to be holding well, but not every pair is equally forgiving. On some of them, Vardakis said, bowlers "need to be extra accurate because they don't have any recovery from outside", while a miss to the inside is punished as well.

With a ratio as low as 2.09:1, there is relatively little difference between the oil in the middle of the lane and on the outside boards, which leaves less margin for error.

In the women's practice, Vardakis saw most players using the track area and further outside. He believes the pattern favours bowlers who can keep their lines straighter without relying on extreme ball speed or rev rate. He also expects players who are good at matching up to the lanes to read the transition better than the rest.

Reactive first, urethane in reserve

For now, reactive resin dominates. Vardakis estimates that around 80% of the balls he saw in practice were reactive, but almost every bowler has a plan B in their bag. That is where he expects the week to turn.

"Mostly i saw around 80% reactive balls, but almost everyone have a black, purple or red option as plan B. My guess is they will attack with reactives and when the first will throw a urethane it will be a complete change of arsenal in the rack!!"