Aaron Smith
USBC Communications

United States, Colombia win doubles at 2015 World Bowling Senior Championships

LAS VEGAS - United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer, Lucy Sandelin, won the gold medal in women's doubles with Paula Vidad at the 2015 World Bowling Senior Championships, while Colombia's Nicolas Ruiz and Julio Soto took the men's title at Sam's Town Bowling Center on Thursday.

In the women's final, Sandelin and Vidad topped Germany's Martina Beckel and Gisela Insinger, 430-417. In the men's title match, Ruiz and Soto recorded an exciting one-pin victory over Canada's John Chapman and Ray Vervynck, 429-428.

The U.S. women saw Germany take the early advantage, but five consecutive strikes in the middle of the title tilt from Vidad gave the United States the edge as the match headed into the homestretch.

"When I get pumped up, it helps me throw better shots, and it got us going," said Vidad, who finished the game with 218 as she celebrated her 56th birthday. "We're a great team. I couldn't be happier. This is the best birthday ever."

Sandelin rolled consecutive strikes of her own in the eighth, ninth and 10th as she bested her silver-medal performance in doubles from the 2013 tournament with teammate, Tish Johnson.

"I've had two years to think about coming in second and getting silver," said Sandelin, who added 212 to the winning total. "I've been waiting for this day, and really just tried to take it one shot at a time. I even said to myself that this is why I've been practicing at home. I've been looking forward to this day for two years, and it's awesome to be standing there with that gold medal around my neck with Paula."

Sandelin and Vidad, who led qualifying with a six-game total of 2,419, made the finals with a victory over Canada's France Joubert and Jill Friis, 414-372, in the semifinal match.

Beckel and Insinger cruised into the finals with a 420-343 win over USBC Hall of Famers, Robin Romeo and Johnson. Canada and the United States took home bronze medals.

Neither doubles pair relented in the men's championship game as Canada held a 14-pin advantage entering the final frame. Ruiz delivered three strikes to start the 10th for Colombia, reducing the deficit to three pins as anchors Soto and Vervynck stepped up.

"I knew how close the match was going to be," said Ruiz, who finished with a 215 game. "I made an adjustment for the last frame and got three strikes."

Both Soto and Vervynck delivered strikes to start the 10th frame. Soto left the 1-5-8-9 combination on his second offering, giving Vervynck the opportunity to get nine or better on his second shot to secure the title.

Vervynck left the 3-9-10 split, giving both players the chance to spare to force a tie. Soto recorded the mark, while Vervynck only was able to knock down the 9 and 10 pins to send the gold to Colombia. Chapman and Vervynck earned silver medals.

"I knew I had to make the spare," said Soto, who added 214 to the effort. "I needed it, and I made it. I'm very happy."

The Colombians, who also made the medal round by a single pin to qualify fourth with a combined six-game total of 2,447, defeated USBC Hall of Famers, Lennie Boresch Jr. and Johnny Petraglia, in the semifinals to advance to the title match, 391-358. Petraglia and Boresch led qualifying with 2,656.

Chapman and Vervynck earned their spot in the finals by defeating Australia's Robert Chinner and Shaun Cummings, 434-395. The United States and Australia earned bronze medals.

Ron Mohr and Bob Learn Jr. of the United States missed advancing to the medal round by just 15 pins, but finished ninth overall with 2,432. Mohr and Hugh Miller teamed for the doubles title at the 2013 tournament.

The World Bowling Senior Championships features more than 200 male and female participants age 50 and older from 33 countries vying for medals in singles, doubles, team, all-events and Masters competition.

Competition continues Friday at 1 p.m. Eastern with men's team qualifying. All rounds of the 2015 event will be broadcast live on BOWL.com's BowlTV.

For more information on the World Bowling Senior Championships, visit WorldBowling.org.

2015 WORLD BOWLING SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Thursday's results
At Sam's Town Bowling Center, Las Vegas

MEN'S DOUBLES
Semifinals
(Losers earn bronze medals)
Nicolas Ruiz/Julio Soto, Colombia, def. Lennie Boresch Jr./Johnny Petraglia, United States, 391-358
John Chapman/Ray Vervynck, Canada, def. Robert Chinner/Shaun Cummings, Australia, 434-395

Final
Ruiz/Soto def. Chapman/Vervynck, 429-428 (Ruiz/Soto win gold medal; Chapman/Vervynck win silver medal)

WOMEN'S DOUBLES
Semifinals
(Losers earn bronze medals)
Paula Vidad/Lucy Sandelin, United States, def. France Joubert/Jill Friis, Canada, 414-372
Martina Beckel/Gisela Insinger, Germany, def. Robin Romeo/Tish Johnson, United States, 420-343

Final
Vidad/Sandelin def. Beckel/Insinger, 430-417 (Vidad/Sandelin win gold medal; Beckel/Insinger win silver medal)

 ###

Nordenson captures singles gold at 2015 World Bowling Senior Championships

Sweden's Kristina Nordenson outlasted teammate, Susanne Olsson, to capture the gold medal in women's singles Wednesday at the 2015 World Bowling Senior Championships.

In the all-Swedish championship match, Nordenson delivered a key double in the sixth and seventh frames to take the lead, securing the title with a 205-181 victory at Sam's Town Bowling Center.

Both players started strong, with Olsson holding a slight advantage in the early stages of the match. But she was unable to cover the 3-pin in the seventh frame as Nordenson connected for the double. Both players opened in the ninth frame, giving Nordenson the opportunity to lock up the title with a mark and good count in the 10th.

Nordenson sealed the win with a strike as Olsson missed on her first offering to earn the silver medal.

"I just tried to relax and execute," Nordenson said. "Before the semifinal match, we said we would see each other in 20 minutes. This is fantastic."

Nordenson, who earned her spot in the medal round by qualifying fourth with a six-game total of 1,197, advanced to the finals after defeating top seed, Lucy Sandelin of the United States, 199-194, in the semifinals. Sandelin, the defending singles champion at the World Bowling Senior Championships, led qualifying with a 1,231 total.

Olsson punched her ticket into the finals after besting Finland's Tuula Tamminen, 236-194. Sandelin and Tamminen earned bronze medals for their performances.

Paula Vidad of the United States nearly joined Sandelin in the semifinals, finishing fifth with a 1,194 series. USBC Hall of Famers, Tish Johnson (1,177) and Robin Romeo (1,144), placed seventh and 13th, respectively.

The World Bowling Senior Championships features more than 200 male and female participants age 50 and older from 33 countries vying for medals in singles, doubles, team, all-events and Masters competition.

Competition continues Thursday at 11:30 a.m. Eastern with men's doubles. All rounds of the 2015 event will be broadcast live on BOWL.com's BowlTV.

For more information on the World Bowling Senior Championships, visit WorldBowling.org.

2015 WORLD BOWLING SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Wednesday's results
At Sam's Town Bowling Center, Las Vegas

WOMEN'S SINGLES

Semifinals
(Losers earn bronze medals)
Kristina Nordenson, Sweden, def. Lucy Sandelin, United States, 199-194
Susanne Olsson, Sweden, def. Tuula Tamminen, Finland, 236-194

Final
Nordenson def. Olsson, 205-181 (Nordenson wins gold medal; Olsson wins silver medal)

 ###

Frawley wins singles gold at 2015 World Bowling Senior Championships

Australia's Andrew Frawley took home the men's singles title Tuesday at the 2015 World Bowling Senior Championships.

The 51-year-old right-hander got off to an early advantage in the championship match against top seed, Todd Sim of Canada, and never looked back, claiming the gold medal with a 224-183 victory at Sam's Town Bowling Center.

Frawley started the match with four consecutive strikes as Sim stayed clean but was unable to double. Frawley nearly opened the window after leaving a 3-6-7-10 split in the sixth frame, but he converted it to keep Sim at bay.

"I had a pretty good ball reaction in practice, so I was feeling relatively confident," Frawley said. "I was really trying to burn up a spot to roll it into, and it really started to roll early. I had to make a move and was a little late. So, I made the move, and Tom got a little unlucky with a few taps, so I relaxed after that."

A 4-7-10 split in the ninth from Sim ended any hope of a comeback as Frawley brought Australia its first gold medal at the World Bowling Senior Championships. Sim, who lead qualifying with a 1,415 six-game total, earned the silver medal for his performance.

Frawley advanced to the semifinals as the No. 3 seed after posting a 1,339 total in qualifying. He defeated Scotland's Alan Keddie, 215-211, to earn his spot in the championship match.

Sim advanced to the final by besting fellow Canadian John Chapman, 243-206, in the other semifinal. Keddie and Chapman both earned bronze medals.

Ron Mohr of the United States just missed advancing to the semifinals, finishing qualifying in fifth with 1,297. Lennie Boresch Jr. placed seventh with 1,270, while Johnny Petraglia (1,106) and Bob Learn Jr. (1,074) finished outside of the top 50.

The World Bowling Senior Championships features more than 200 male and female participants age 50 and older from 33 countries vying for medals in singles, doubles, team, all-events and Masters competition.

Competition continues Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. Eastern with women's singles. All rounds of the 2015 event will be broadcast live on BOWL.com's BowlTV.

For more information on the World Bowling Senior Championships, visit WorldBowling.org.

2015 WORLD BOWLING SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tuesday's results
At Sam's Town Bowling Center, Las Vegas

MEN'S SINGLES

Semifinals
(Losers earn bronze medals)
Todd Sim, Canada, def. John Chapman, Canada, 243-206
Andrew Frawley, Australia, def. Alan Keddie, Scotland, 215-211

Final
Frawley def. Sim, 224-183 (Frawley wins gold medal; Sim wins silver medal)