The Bowling Mag goes online!

The last issue of the print edition - January/February 2013 issue

Keeping Score.....

 The Bowling Mag goes online!

 It is with much regret that I wish to inform all readers of The Bowling Mag that it will no longer be available in printed form.

 It was a tough decision to make but after battling to keep the magazine, which was a bi-monthly, afloat for the last three issues after our major advertisers pulled out citing cuts in their budget for magazine advertising and no new advertisers from the bowling industry coming forward to support us, we were left with no choice.

 However, we are glad to announce that we will continue to bring you bowling news through our online version.

 Yes, we will still be around as we are passionate about tenpin bowling and want to do our part to promote it as it strives to reach its ultimate goal of being an Olympic sport.

 Our sincere appreciation and thanks to all the readers of our 13 printed issues and we will continue to keep you abreast of the latest bowling news, happenings, controversies, tournaments, coaching tips, columns and other interesting news that our printed version offered.

 With The Bowling Mag going online, readers will get real-time updates and the latest news immediately.

 We hope the world bowling fraternity will use us as a vehicle to provide instant updates for a nominal advertising space fee to promote their tournaments.

 Our aim is to draw a steady number of eyeballs looking for the latest news on the bowling scene and to achieve at least 4,000 hits per month for starters.

 So please spread the word around that The Bowling Mag has gone online and that the best bowling news is available at the click of your finger.

 Tony Mariadass

Editor

 

Footnote: Soon this blog will also cease to operate and you will be directed to www.thebowlingmag.com

So for the latest on the bowling scene start checking out the online version - www.thebowlingmag.com.

QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup heads to Siberia

The Sibiryak centre in Krasnoyarsk, capital city of the Russian province of Krasnoyarsk in Siberia, will host the 49^th QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup from 15^th to 24^th November 2013.

 

The prized trophies

 The 32-lane Sibiryak centre is part of the ‘World Class’ fitness and Hilton hotel complex. The ground floor contains three restaurants, the first floor is a magnificent leisure centre while the bowl is on the second floor. A 250-room hotel occupies the top 11 floors. QubicaAMF will take all of the rooms for the tournament.

 Anne-Marie Board, QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup Manager, commented: “I was completely blown away by the Sibiryak centre, by the organising team and by the city itself.

 “The organising team – owner and CEO Vladimir Egorov (himself a bowler), bowling centre director Viktor Ushkac and deputy general development manager Evgeniy Moiseev – will ensure that this will be one of our best events ever.”

The head of the Bowling Federation for the Krasnoyarsk region, Nikolay Babyuk, represented Moldova in the Bowling World Cup in 2006, 2007 and 2011.

 There are direct flights from several cities in the Far East, from Dubai and of course from several other Russian and eastern European cities. In addition, it is expected that a direct flight from western Europe will be introduced by August.

 Viktor Ushkac said: “We are so pleased to bring the World Cup to the Sibiryak centre. We will lay on shuttle buses to get players and other visitors to the main shopping centres in Krasnoyarsk and we are hoping to arrange other entertainment, such as skiing trips. It will be a memorable trip for all!”

 Ron Wood, Senior Vice-President of QubicaAMF Worldwide joined the team to sign the official World Cup contract and commented: “We take great pride in accepting the best possible offer to hold the Bowling World Cup and in Krasnoyarsk we have chosen a real winner. The facilities are simply magnificent.”

Alexei Shiryaev, Manager, QubicaAMF Russia and CIS, said: “We were overjoyed to welcome the Bowling World Cup to Russia and St Petersburg in 2007 so this really is a chance to say ‘Welcome back to Russia!’ to all bowlers and other guests.”

The city itself is in the Yenisei river valley and relatively flat but surrounded by mountains and wonderful scenery. It was described by author Anton Chekhov as the most beautiful city in Siberia.

 

Townsville to Host Australian National Championship in October

The eagerly awaited news regarding the venue for the 2013 Adult National Championship and Australian Masters has been announced by Tenpin Bowling Australia’s CEO, Cara Honeychurch today.

Kirwan Bowl in the tropical city of Townsville has won the bid to host this year’s event following an exhaustive appraisal of options by the TBA Board.   Dates have been confirmed from 5-26 October, with the Australian Masters to be held on 25/26 October.

The bid by the proprietors of the 24-lane Kirwan Bowl received enthusiastic support by prominent sports officials and local business leaders and politicians.   The three-week carnival of bowling attracts players from every State and Territory, New Zealand and other overseas locations, and the combination of accessibility, ideal weather, plentiful availability of accommodation and a wide variety of entertainment and sightseeing for visitors, made Townsville an easy choice.

Mayor Cr Jenny Hill said the city’s successful bid for the event was a windfall for Townsville.

“The announcement is exciting news for Townsville and strengthens the city’s profile as a sporting and events capital in regional Australia,” Cr Hill said.  “Townsville will gain enormous exposure as host city to some of the best bowlers in this part of the world and I’m sure the city will provide all of the competitors the best tournament yet.”

The city is more than a tropical destination – it’s the very heart of life in the tropics, with the region extending north to Mission Beach, south to the rustic Burdekin and west to historic Charters Towers.  North Queensland offers a myriad of experiences from the Great Barrier Reef and the World Heritage Wet Tropics Rainforest to the red dirt and dust of the Outback. 
 

Entry forms and full details of the Nationals and Australian Masters will be published via the TBA website, and via TBA’s e-newsletter, the 13^th Frame, that is emailed to all TBA members and affiliated Associations.  

“From a planning perspective, the most important thing right now is to let bowlers and officials across Australia know when and where we’ll be heading in October, and I’m sure the Board’s decision will be warmly welcomed by the hundreds of participants keen to share the sunshine and tropical lifestyle of the Townsville community in October,” Cara said.

“The program of events will see the first week devoted to Restricted bowlers, the second week to our Seniors and the Nationals will culminate with a Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the Rachuig Trophy tournament and the Australian Masters,” she added.

Australia and Malaysia sweep Masters Gold

By Lynne Clay
 Photos by Barry Lynch
 

The crowd was hushed as six bowlers stepped on to the lanes at Pins Lincoln Road Bowl in west Auckland this afternoon for the pinnacle event of the VI Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championship – the Men’s and Women’s Masters stepladder finals.

 

In a low-scoring first match, both female players struggled with the dual lane conditions, but five open frames quashed Malta’s Jo Attard’s hopes of advancing to the grand final match.  Malaysia’s Dayang Khairuniza defeated Attard 181-140 to then face compatriot Siti Shazwani in a battle for supremacy.

 

“Dual conditions changing from day to day is testing … both together on this pattern – it’s tough,” said Attard’s teammate Sue Abela afterwards.

  

  “Let’s see what the men can do,” she continued with a smile.   “Still, we’re really happy with a Bronze … it’s fantastic,” she added.

 

 

 

The Men’s first match also saw carry problems for both bowlers, with Singaporean left-hander Javier Tan overcoming Chris Oates from England 177-169.  

 

The grand final of the Women’s division was an all-Malaysian match but Siti Shazwani’s open frame in the seventh and an unconverted 6-7 split in the ninth was the decider as teammate Dayang Khairuniza swept to a 199-188 win.

 

Australia’s Sam Cooley stormed to his second Gold of the Championship with an emphatic 249-181 victory over Singaporean teenager Javier Tan in the Men’s grand final.   However, there were still smiles all around from Team Singapore which bagged 3 Gold and 2 Silver medals during the Championship, including a record-breaking 5273 series on the way to the Teams Gold.

Cooley was delighted with his Masters Gold which, together with Gold in the Singles, Bronze in the Doubles and Silver in the Teams earned him the highest personal medal tally of the Championship.

 

“I guess with the advantage of having to wait I could see where not to play …  I just had to make shots and it just happened I managed to shoot 249,” he said afterwards in his customary reserved way, and a wide smile.

 

The Masters medals presentation ceremony was held on the lanes and event photographers Baz and Peter Lynch were each awarded with an ornately carved Maori platter in appreciation for the sterling work they have done recording the Championship in thousands of brilliant images. 

 

    All-Events winners, Sportspersons Awards and presentation of the coveted Triple Diamond Shield will be made this evening at a glamorous Victory Banquet at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Auckland.

MASTERS WOMEN

Game 1 Bowler Score Result Joanna Attard - MLT 140 Bronze Medal Dayang Khairuniza - MAS 181 Advance

 

Game 2 Bowler Score Result Dayang Khairuniza - MAS 199 Gold Medal Siti Shazwani - MAS 188 Silver Medal

 

MASTERS MEN

Game 1 Bowler Score Result Javier Tan - SIN 177 Advance Christopher Oates - ENG 169 Bronze Medal

 

Game 2 Bowler Score Result Javier Tan - SIN 181 Silver Medal Sam Cooley - AUS 249 Gold Medal

 

MEDAL TALLY AND SCORES

VI Commonwealth Championship, Auckland, New Zealand
Men						Women
Event	Medal	Bowler	Country	Score		Event	Medal	Bowler	Country	Score
Singles	Gold	Sam Cooley	AUS	1444		Singles	Gold	Kirsten Penny	ENG	1301
	Silver	Jaris Goh	SIN	1328			Silver	Siti Shazwani	MAS	1188
	Bronze	Isaac Russell Paul	MAS	1247			Bronze	Sue Abela Lisa John	MAL ENG	1183
Doubles	Gold	Javier Tan	SIN	2702		Doubles	Gold	Bernice Lim	SIN	2716
		Jaris Goh						Geraldine Ng
	Silver	Christopher Oates	ENG	2691			Silver	Siti Shazwani	MAS	2709
		John Wells						Dayang Khairuniza
	Bronze	Brendan Meads	AUS	2651			Bronze	Bec Whiting	AUS	2602
		Sam Cooley						Ann-Maree Putney
Mixed Events
Mixed Doubles	Gold	Brendan Meads	AUS	2586		Teams	Gold	Singapore		5273 (RECORD)
		Ann-Maree Putney
	Silver	Siti Shazwani	MAS	2552			Silver	Australia		5136
		Rafiq Ismail
	Bronze	John Wells	ENG	2520			Bronze	Malaysia		5074
		Kirsten Penny
Men						Women
All Events	Gold	Sam Cooley	AUS	5590		All Events	Gold	Lisa John	ENG	5052
	Silver	Jaris Goh	SIN	5300			Silver	Geraldine Ng	SIN	4961
	Bronze	John Wells	ENG	5209			Bronze	Siti Shazwani	MAS	4951
Masters	Gold	Sam Cooley	AUS			Masters	Gold	Dayang Khairuniza	MAS
	Silver	Javier Tan	SIN				Silver	Siti Shazwani	MAS
	Bronze	Christopher Oates	ENG				Bronze	Joanna Attard	MLT