Klassen takes Diamond Singles lead at 2024 USBC Women’s Championships
June 24, 2024
RENO, Nev. – Sarah Klassen of Wichita, Kansas, rolled her first 800 series to claim the lead in Diamond Singles at the 2024 United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships on Sunday, posting 803 at the National Bowling Stadium.
Klassen’s 803 was the second 800 at the 2024 event and 15th all-time at the USBC Women’s Championships. Brittany Hillman of Tracy, California, connected for the first 800 in 2024, also finishing with 803 to help Cal-Neva Girls take the lead the Diamond Team with 2,846.
Klassen was consistent all the way through singles, and in Game 1, she rolled a score of 245. She fired 268 in Game 2 and finished strong in Game 3 – she had a spare in the first frame and struck on her final 11 deliveries – with a total score of 290.
Karen Reid of Tracy, California, and Katie Clayton-Robinson of Tampa, Florida, had shared the lead in Diamond Singles with 784.
Klassen was very excited when she saw she had bowled an 803 series.
“This 800 means a lot to me,” Klassen said. “I was shaking in my boots when I found out I had done it, because I have never bowled an 800 series before.”
Even though she said she was nervous, it wasn’t showing throughout her singles set.
“I was quite nervous, but everything just felt like it went overall really well,” said Klassen, who added a 698 series in team and 642 in doubles to finish with an all-events score of 2,143. “I am just so happy with how things unfolded.”
Klassen, who claimed a bronze medal in singles for Team Canada at the 2021 International Bowling Federation World Championships and helped Wichita State win the 2021 Intercollegiate Team Championships, did a good job of staying focused and being confident throughout her singles event. A ball change was key for her on the way to 803.
“I went through every ball in my bag and ended up switching to a Rubicon,” Klassen said. “With the Rubicon being a bit weaker ball, I found light mixers carry here. I was smashing the pocket a lot and getting nine. So, I kind of changed my game plan to make the ball hit light and carry.”
Klassen has bowling in her blood, and she has had a bowling ball in her hand since she was a young child.
“I think I bowled my first league when I was 3 years old,” Klassen said. “But, I’m sure I was on the ground pushing balls down the lane. My family has been bowling for years as well.”
Even though she’s now a little farther away from her family in Canada, bowling has always brought Klassen’s family together.
“I mean, being 2,000 kilometers from my family, they’re the ones that got me into bowling and it’s something we all did together,” Klassen said. “My siblings were both great bowlers. My brother Jordan is really the reason why I wanted to get better at bowling, because he was better than me. I didn’t like that.”
With Klassen having family in Canada, it helps to have a bowling family in the states to support her as well.
“The family dynamic is huge,” Klassen said. “It was really cool because I was bowling today with my best friend Sierra (Ciesiolka) and her family. The Ciesiolka family is my second family.”
Klassen is very thankful for the support she has received in her young career.
“I am ultimately thankful to be part of Family Ties Bowling Sports Management, who provide me the opportunity to come out here and compete,” Klassen said. “I also need to give thanks to Storm, VISE, Coolwick and BowlerX for providing me with the best products to perform my best.”
In her free time, Klassen also has a YouTube channel, and Ciesiolka is one of her main characters on the channel.
“As great friends, we do everything together, so it’s cool to bowl with someone who’s your best friend,” Klassen said.
It was a great moment to watch Klassen put together an incredible performance, and now she’ll see if she can hang on for the win.
“So, I think the coolest part of today is I really grounded myself,” Klassen said. “I was just being very present and staying in the moment, and I couldn’t picture anything better.”
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women’s Championships page.
Klassen’s 803 was the second 800 at the 2024 event and 15th all-time at the USBC Women’s Championships. Brittany Hillman of Tracy, California, connected for the first 800 in 2024, also finishing with 803 to help Cal-Neva Girls take the lead the Diamond Team with 2,846.
Klassen was consistent all the way through singles, and in Game 1, she rolled a score of 245. She fired 268 in Game 2 and finished strong in Game 3 – she had a spare in the first frame and struck on her final 11 deliveries – with a total score of 290.
Karen Reid of Tracy, California, and Katie Clayton-Robinson of Tampa, Florida, had shared the lead in Diamond Singles with 784.
Klassen was very excited when she saw she had bowled an 803 series.
“This 800 means a lot to me,” Klassen said. “I was shaking in my boots when I found out I had done it, because I have never bowled an 800 series before.”
Even though she said she was nervous, it wasn’t showing throughout her singles set.
“I was quite nervous, but everything just felt like it went overall really well,” said Klassen, who added a 698 series in team and 642 in doubles to finish with an all-events score of 2,143. “I am just so happy with how things unfolded.”
Klassen, who claimed a bronze medal in singles for Team Canada at the 2021 International Bowling Federation World Championships and helped Wichita State win the 2021 Intercollegiate Team Championships, did a good job of staying focused and being confident throughout her singles event. A ball change was key for her on the way to 803.
“I went through every ball in my bag and ended up switching to a Rubicon,” Klassen said. “With the Rubicon being a bit weaker ball, I found light mixers carry here. I was smashing the pocket a lot and getting nine. So, I kind of changed my game plan to make the ball hit light and carry.”
Klassen has bowling in her blood, and she has had a bowling ball in her hand since she was a young child.
“I think I bowled my first league when I was 3 years old,” Klassen said. “But, I’m sure I was on the ground pushing balls down the lane. My family has been bowling for years as well.”
Even though she’s now a little farther away from her family in Canada, bowling has always brought Klassen’s family together.
“I mean, being 2,000 kilometers from my family, they’re the ones that got me into bowling and it’s something we all did together,” Klassen said. “My siblings were both great bowlers. My brother Jordan is really the reason why I wanted to get better at bowling, because he was better than me. I didn’t like that.”
With Klassen having family in Canada, it helps to have a bowling family in the states to support her as well.
“The family dynamic is huge,” Klassen said. “It was really cool because I was bowling today with my best friend Sierra (Ciesiolka) and her family. The Ciesiolka family is my second family.”
Klassen is very thankful for the support she has received in her young career.
“I am ultimately thankful to be part of Family Ties Bowling Sports Management, who provide me the opportunity to come out here and compete,” Klassen said. “I also need to give thanks to Storm, VISE, Coolwick and BowlerX for providing me with the best products to perform my best.”
In her free time, Klassen also has a YouTube channel, and Ciesiolka is one of her main characters on the channel.
“As great friends, we do everything together, so it’s cool to bowl with someone who’s your best friend,” Klassen said.
It was a great moment to watch Klassen put together an incredible performance, and now she’ll see if she can hang on for the win.
“So, I think the coolest part of today is I really grounded myself,” Klassen said. “I was just being very present and staying in the moment, and I couldn’t picture anything better.”
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women’s Championships page.