Entry deadline extended for 2011 USBC Open Championships

The USBC Open Championships is the can't-miss event for tens of thousands of bowlers each year, and there's still time to be a part of the historic 2011 tournament.

The entry deadline has been extended to Jan. 15, so teams not yet entered still have a chance to join the 60,000 bowlers who already have their sights set on a share of the $5 million prize fund.

The upcoming event will begin its 122-day run March 4 and is scheduled to conclude July 3. Bowlers from all 50 states and several foreign countries will converge on the one-of-a-kind, 78-lane National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., which has been the site of many memorable tournament moments.

The Open Championships, first contested in 1901, is older than the Rose Bowl and baseball's World Series. It is the world's largest participatory sporting event and gives competitors the chance to display their skills on bowling's biggest stage.

"The Open Championships continues to thrive as the premier bowling event in the world, and we are excited about another memorable tournament in 2011," said Brian Lewis, USBC Managing Director of Tournaments. "Entries have been coming in at a good pace, but we want to give everyone the opportunity to be part of the historic 2011 tournament, so we're allowing more time to enter."

The 2011 event marks the tournament's record 10th trip to Reno and seventh visit to the National Bowling Stadium. It also will be the first time an event has been held in the same city in back-to-back years. The 2010 tournament drew 14,189 teams to "The Biggest Little City in the World."

For bowlers looking for extra opportunities to cash in on the championship lanes, there's always a variety of side events and jackpots available on-site, including traditional brackets, strike jackpots and side pots.

A few enhancements to the brackets menu in 2011 include the availability of $5 brackets and Classified Cash-O-Matic brackets during doubles and singles, while three new products give more bowlers a chance to win:

Off-the-Sheet Jackpot
Bowlers who go "off the sheet" and finish a game with at least five strikes (frames eight-12) will split the accumulated jackpot at the end of the tournament. For $20, you will have nine opportunities to cash in on this exciting new product.

Senior Side Event
This is just for senior bowlers, age 50 and older (on day of competition). For a $25 entry fee paid at the brackets window, bowlers will be entered into two special senior-only prize funds (singles and all-events). Both categories will feature a 1:4.5 cash ratio. Singles and all-events totals from the main tournament will be used for this product.

Ultimate Mulligan
Designed for super seniors (bowlers age 60 and older the day they compete), the Ultimate Mulligan requires entrants to compile their three highest games of the 2011 tournament to arrive at their Ultimate Mulligan series score. Then, they will see how their three-game set holds up for the duration of the tournament. The Ultimate Mulligan features a prize-fund-style payout with a cash ratio of 1:4.5. The entry fee is $20.

There are still prime spots available for 2011. For more information call the tournament entries department at 800-514-2695.

There also are plenty of spots available for bowlers interested in competing in the 2011 USBC Women's Championships in Syracuse, N.Y. More than 6,000 teams are expected to compete in the event, which begins April 7 and runs until July 3. The deadline for the Women's Championships is Jan. 21, 2011.