Minnesota bowler celebrates milestone at 2026 USBC Open Championships
May 15, 2026
Pictured above (from left): Wade Huikko, Tyanna Driver, Leslie Huikko, Karla Huikko
RENO, Nev. – Leslie Huikko of Buffalo, Minnesota, gets to spend most days surrounded by family, friends and the sport of bowling as the longtime proprietor of Huikko’s Bowling & Entertainment Center.
He was able to carry that environment approximately 1,700 miles west during his recent trip to the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada, for the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, where he celebrated his 50th appearance at the tournament.
The 78-year-old was recognized for his longevity and received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin during a special presentation at the Taj Mahal of Tenpins, and his milestone march to the lanes included his son, Wade, daughter, Karla, and granddaughter, Tyanna. His wife, Marleen, also was in attendance and cheering on from the stands.
Huikko made his tournament debut at the 1975 event in Dayton, Ohio, after his uncle asked him to join their team. He registered to bowl the tournament in 1976, too, but didn’t end up making the trip to Oklahoma City after falling a couple bowlers short of a full team.
He returned to the Open Championships in 1977 and has made his annual appearance each year since, even if the weather didn’t always cooperate.
“In 1977, we put together a group and went down to Reno and had a great time, but it was quite the experience,” Huikko said. “We were caught in a snowstorm in Wyoming and had to stay overnight there, then went out to Reno to bowl. We decided to go to California for a day and got snowed in for the day, too. We couldn’t get over Donner Pass.”
1977 also served as the year that Huikko became a proprietor.
“That was also the year I decided to buy a bowling center,” Huikko said. “Every year, people wanted to go to the tournament, so I put everything together. The biggest group we've had was 14 teams. This year, we have 11 teams broken up across March, April and May. I have 46 employees, so I can’t have them all gone at the same time.”
The family connection at the bowling center hits multiple generations.
“I have four kids – Chad, Heidi, Wade and Karla – and they all work full-time for me,” Huikko said. “My oldest granddaughter also works full-time for me, and it’s kind of fun when you have the whole family working together. They could have went any place to work but said they wanted to stay here. It’s very enjoyable.”
While the center stays busy throughout the year with plenty of great promotions – especially for the youth bowlers – the family’s presence at the Open Championships has been equally impressive over the years.
Leslie leads the family with 50 appearances, but his brothers, Bruce and Clayton, are both north of 40 years at the tournament. Bruce competed in March, making his 48th appearance, and Clayton has 42 years to his credit. That’s just the start of the long list.
Along the way, the road to 50 years has been about the people and places making each experience unique.
“Our trip to Syracuse was probably the most fun,” Huikko said. “We took a bus ride to the airport in Minneapolis and flew to Chicago, then took the train from Chicago to Syracuse. After we bowled, we came back on the train to Chicago and bowled the Petersen Classic before flying back to Minneapolis and catching the bus back home.”
With his 50th appearance now closed, Huikko has toppled 72,029 pins at the Open Championships for an average at the event of 165.5.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
RENO, Nev. – Leslie Huikko of Buffalo, Minnesota, gets to spend most days surrounded by family, friends and the sport of bowling as the longtime proprietor of Huikko’s Bowling & Entertainment Center.
He was able to carry that environment approximately 1,700 miles west during his recent trip to the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada, for the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, where he celebrated his 50th appearance at the tournament.
The 78-year-old was recognized for his longevity and received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin during a special presentation at the Taj Mahal of Tenpins, and his milestone march to the lanes included his son, Wade, daughter, Karla, and granddaughter, Tyanna. His wife, Marleen, also was in attendance and cheering on from the stands.
Huikko made his tournament debut at the 1975 event in Dayton, Ohio, after his uncle asked him to join their team. He registered to bowl the tournament in 1976, too, but didn’t end up making the trip to Oklahoma City after falling a couple bowlers short of a full team.
He returned to the Open Championships in 1977 and has made his annual appearance each year since, even if the weather didn’t always cooperate.
“In 1977, we put together a group and went down to Reno and had a great time, but it was quite the experience,” Huikko said. “We were caught in a snowstorm in Wyoming and had to stay overnight there, then went out to Reno to bowl. We decided to go to California for a day and got snowed in for the day, too. We couldn’t get over Donner Pass.”
1977 also served as the year that Huikko became a proprietor.
“That was also the year I decided to buy a bowling center,” Huikko said. “Every year, people wanted to go to the tournament, so I put everything together. The biggest group we've had was 14 teams. This year, we have 11 teams broken up across March, April and May. I have 46 employees, so I can’t have them all gone at the same time.”
The family connection at the bowling center hits multiple generations.
“I have four kids – Chad, Heidi, Wade and Karla – and they all work full-time for me,” Huikko said. “My oldest granddaughter also works full-time for me, and it’s kind of fun when you have the whole family working together. They could have went any place to work but said they wanted to stay here. It’s very enjoyable.”
While the center stays busy throughout the year with plenty of great promotions – especially for the youth bowlers – the family’s presence at the Open Championships has been equally impressive over the years.
Leslie leads the family with 50 appearances, but his brothers, Bruce and Clayton, are both north of 40 years at the tournament. Bruce competed in March, making his 48th appearance, and Clayton has 42 years to his credit. That’s just the start of the long list.
Along the way, the road to 50 years has been about the people and places making each experience unique.
“Our trip to Syracuse was probably the most fun,” Huikko said. “We took a bus ride to the airport in Minneapolis and flew to Chicago, then took the train from Chicago to Syracuse. After we bowled, we came back on the train to Chicago and bowled the Petersen Classic before flying back to Minneapolis and catching the bus back home.”
With his 50th appearance now closed, Huikko has toppled 72,029 pins at the Open Championships for an average at the event of 165.5.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.