2010 USBC Women's Championships hits halfway mark
May 16, 2010
EL PASO, Texas - The 2010 USBC Women's Championships reached the halfway point of its 100-day run at the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center on Saturday.
Through 50 days of competition, more than 11,000 bowlers have hit the tournament lanes, two scoring records have fallen and the tournament's oldest participant added another year to her record.
The storied event entered a new era this year with the first convention-center setting in its 91-year history and introduced an all-new, three-division handicap format.
This year's edition of the world's largest participatory sporting event for women kicked off on March 27, and the remainder of the 6,000 five-player teams will make their way to El Paso before the tournament concludes on July 4.
Bowlers Choice Pro Shop of Tonawanda, N.Y., was the first team to leave its mark on the record books in 2010 by rolling games of 1,160, 1,085 and 1,179 for a 3,424 total, the highest team score in tournament history. The effort helped the team take the overall lead in the scratch portion of the event, while an additional 12 pins of handicap helped the group into the top spot in Diamond Team with 3,436.
Nikki Lunsford led Bowlers Choice Pro Shop with a 717 series and was joined by Michelle Sterner (702), three-time Women's Championships titlist and 2009 USBC Queens champion Liz Johnson (690), 2007 Classic Division doubles champion Sue Jeziorski (665) and Sue Nawojski (650).
The high team series previously was held by Together Once Again of North Richland Hills, Texas, who rolled 3,350 on its way to victory at the 2006 event in Reno, Nev.
Along with the three handicap divisions (Diamond, Ruby and Sapphire), the highest scratch scores in team, doubles, singles and all-events will be recognized as overall tournament champions.
Jodi Woessner of Oregon, Ohio, also turned in a record-breaking performance in Sun City this year as she rolled sets of 816 in doubles, 764 in team and 750 in singles for a 2,330 all-events total.
The 40-year-old right-hander surpassed the previous record of 2,231, rolled by Leanne (Barrette) Hulsenberg of Elk Grove, Calif., on the way to the Classic All-Events title in 2005.
Woessner's 816 series was only the sixth 800 in Women's Championships competition, and ties Michelle Feldman of Auburn, N.Y., for the highest series in tournament history. Feldman achieved her set on the way to the Classic Singles title at the 2009 event in Reno.
Woessner, who won the 2008 Professional Bowlers Association Women's Series Shark Championship, currently is leading scratch and Diamond All-Events.
A day before Woessner's performance, Team USA member Brenda Edwards of Mansfield, Texas, also reached the 800 mark with games of 268, 278 and 256 for an 802 series during her team event.
There also have been two perfect games on the tournament lanes this year. Three-time Women's Championships titlist Karen Boyd of Plantation, Fla., and Alisha Hill of Riverside, Calif., became the 10th and 11th bowlers in tournament history to achieve the feat.
The tournament's only centenarian, 101-year-old bowling sensation Emma Hendrickson, hit the lanes and competed in her 51st Women's Championships. The Morris Plains, N.J., resident broke her own record as the tournament's oldest participant. She set the record at the National Bowling Stadium in 2009 by competing at the age of 100.
For its first 90 years, the Women's Championships was held in traditional bowling centers, but this year, the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center was transformed into a 48-lane state-of-the-art bowling facility, which includes the world's largest mobile scoreboard and a unique vendor area.
The event's new format levels the playing field for bowlers of all ages and skill levels using 100 percent handicap.
The Diamond Division is made up of bowlers with averages of 180 and higher, with handicap based on 220. The Ruby Division pits bowlers with averages from 150-179, with handicap based on 180, and the Sapphire Division is for bowlers with averages of 149 and below, with handicap based on 150.
"The bowlers are letting us know they like the changes made to the event this year," said Women's Championships Tournament Manager Eric Pierson. "Our goal is to give our bowlers the best experience possible, and the format change and arena venue are doing that. Hopefully the changes will grow the event as we more forward to Syracuse in 2011."
The Women's Championships has taken two short breaks to welcome the 2010 Intercollegiate Team Championships, Queens and Senior Queens to El Paso.
At the ITC, the Wichita State men's team won its record 10th national title, while the Webber International women's team took home the championship in its inaugural season.
Shortly after, Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., earned her second Queens title, defeating Tennelle Milligan of Arlington, Texas, 232-188, for the $25,000 first-place check. In the Senior Queens final, Char Hammel of Las Vegas needed two matches to defeat defending champion, Janine Primrose of Gardnerville, Nev., for her first Senior Queens tiara. She received $3,500 for the victory.
Coming up in the second half of the 2010 Women's Championships, Mini Tvaska of St. Petersburg, Fla., will look to add another year onto her participation record as she competes in her 64th consecutive Women's Championships on May 18. Three other competitors also are scheduled to make their 50th tournament appearances.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Women's Championships are Nationwide Insurance; Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; US Steltronic, official scoring system; Brunswick; Storm Bowling Products Inc.; and the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Through 50 days of competition, more than 11,000 bowlers have hit the tournament lanes, two scoring records have fallen and the tournament's oldest participant added another year to her record.
The storied event entered a new era this year with the first convention-center setting in its 91-year history and introduced an all-new, three-division handicap format.
This year's edition of the world's largest participatory sporting event for women kicked off on March 27, and the remainder of the 6,000 five-player teams will make their way to El Paso before the tournament concludes on July 4.
Bowlers Choice Pro Shop of Tonawanda, N.Y., was the first team to leave its mark on the record books in 2010 by rolling games of 1,160, 1,085 and 1,179 for a 3,424 total, the highest team score in tournament history. The effort helped the team take the overall lead in the scratch portion of the event, while an additional 12 pins of handicap helped the group into the top spot in Diamond Team with 3,436.
Nikki Lunsford led Bowlers Choice Pro Shop with a 717 series and was joined by Michelle Sterner (702), three-time Women's Championships titlist and 2009 USBC Queens champion Liz Johnson (690), 2007 Classic Division doubles champion Sue Jeziorski (665) and Sue Nawojski (650).
The high team series previously was held by Together Once Again of North Richland Hills, Texas, who rolled 3,350 on its way to victory at the 2006 event in Reno, Nev.
Along with the three handicap divisions (Diamond, Ruby and Sapphire), the highest scratch scores in team, doubles, singles and all-events will be recognized as overall tournament champions.
Jodi Woessner of Oregon, Ohio, also turned in a record-breaking performance in Sun City this year as she rolled sets of 816 in doubles, 764 in team and 750 in singles for a 2,330 all-events total.
The 40-year-old right-hander surpassed the previous record of 2,231, rolled by Leanne (Barrette) Hulsenberg of Elk Grove, Calif., on the way to the Classic All-Events title in 2005.
Woessner's 816 series was only the sixth 800 in Women's Championships competition, and ties Michelle Feldman of Auburn, N.Y., for the highest series in tournament history. Feldman achieved her set on the way to the Classic Singles title at the 2009 event in Reno.
Woessner, who won the 2008 Professional Bowlers Association Women's Series Shark Championship, currently is leading scratch and Diamond All-Events.
A day before Woessner's performance, Team USA member Brenda Edwards of Mansfield, Texas, also reached the 800 mark with games of 268, 278 and 256 for an 802 series during her team event.
There also have been two perfect games on the tournament lanes this year. Three-time Women's Championships titlist Karen Boyd of Plantation, Fla., and Alisha Hill of Riverside, Calif., became the 10th and 11th bowlers in tournament history to achieve the feat.
The tournament's only centenarian, 101-year-old bowling sensation Emma Hendrickson, hit the lanes and competed in her 51st Women's Championships. The Morris Plains, N.J., resident broke her own record as the tournament's oldest participant. She set the record at the National Bowling Stadium in 2009 by competing at the age of 100.
For its first 90 years, the Women's Championships was held in traditional bowling centers, but this year, the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center was transformed into a 48-lane state-of-the-art bowling facility, which includes the world's largest mobile scoreboard and a unique vendor area.
The event's new format levels the playing field for bowlers of all ages and skill levels using 100 percent handicap.
The Diamond Division is made up of bowlers with averages of 180 and higher, with handicap based on 220. The Ruby Division pits bowlers with averages from 150-179, with handicap based on 180, and the Sapphire Division is for bowlers with averages of 149 and below, with handicap based on 150.
"The bowlers are letting us know they like the changes made to the event this year," said Women's Championships Tournament Manager Eric Pierson. "Our goal is to give our bowlers the best experience possible, and the format change and arena venue are doing that. Hopefully the changes will grow the event as we more forward to Syracuse in 2011."
The Women's Championships has taken two short breaks to welcome the 2010 Intercollegiate Team Championships, Queens and Senior Queens to El Paso.
At the ITC, the Wichita State men's team won its record 10th national title, while the Webber International women's team took home the championship in its inaugural season.
Shortly after, Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., earned her second Queens title, defeating Tennelle Milligan of Arlington, Texas, 232-188, for the $25,000 first-place check. In the Senior Queens final, Char Hammel of Las Vegas needed two matches to defeat defending champion, Janine Primrose of Gardnerville, Nev., for her first Senior Queens tiara. She received $3,500 for the victory.
Coming up in the second half of the 2010 Women's Championships, Mini Tvaska of St. Petersburg, Fla., will look to add another year onto her participation record as she competes in her 64th consecutive Women's Championships on May 18. Three other competitors also are scheduled to make their 50th tournament appearances.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Women's Championships are Nationwide Insurance; Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; US Steltronic, official scoring system; Brunswick; Storm Bowling Products Inc.; and the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau.