The Senior Championships is a handicap singles tournament consisting of two divisions- Open (men and women) and Women's. Each division is made up of five age classifications (Super Seniors: 75 and older; Class A: 70-74; Class B: 65-69; Class C: 60-64 and Class D: 55-59).

All competitors, who qualified for the Senior Championships through local and state tournaments, bowled the first of two four-game blocks Tuesday. At the completion of four additional games Wednesday, champions will be crowned based on their eight-game total pinfall.

May Hoffman of Union, Wash., the defending Women's Class D champion, posted games of 107, 183, 149 and 104 for a 823 handicap total Tuesday, which puts her in 11th place at the halfway point. Although she has some work to do if she's going to defend her title, she is excited to be back on the tournament lanes and feels no pressure as a defending champion.

"I wasn't even thinking about that part at all," said Hoffman, who bowls league at Westside Lanes in Olympia, Wash. "I was a little surprised to be back because this is just my third year bowling. I wasn't expecting to win the state competition again, but my bowling has improved. I am very excited to be here."

Like all USBC national tournaments, competing at the Senior Championships gives bowlers a chance to meet new people and challenge themselves on USBC Sport-compliant lane conditions.

"I like the challenge of competing on different conditions," Hoffman said. "This is a little different condition than at home, but that is the challenge we all are looking for. I also enjoy meeting new people, and this tournament provides that opportunity."

After the first day of qualifying, the five leaders in the Open Division are: Super Senior- John Weicker, Victoria, British Columbia, 940; Class A- John Davis, Oxford, Ala., 900; Class B- Nick Banyai, Elgin, N.D., 884; Class C- Dominick Cefalo, Syracuse, N.Y., 968 and Class D- Rick Micek, South St. Paul, Minn., 919.

The leaders in the Women's Division are: Super Senior- Jean Jones, Fordyce, Ark., 930; Class A- Joy Lyman, Helena, Mont., 919; Class B- Cora Cox, Bowie, Md., 925; Class C-  Diane Norblade, Axtell, Neb., 959 and Class D- Linda Parenteau, Newport, Va., 908.

Competition will continue Wednesday at 9 a.m. as all Class C and D participants hit the lanes for their final four games. The rest of the field will get underway at 1 p.m.

Each winner will receive $1,000 and a crystal bowling pin. All other bowlers placing in the top 10 will receive prize checks.

Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.

2010 USBC SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
At National Bowling Stadium, Reno, Nev.
(Top five division leaders with hometown and pinfall)

OPEN DIVISION

Super Senior(ages 75 and older)
1, John Weicker, Victoria, British Columbia, 940. 2, George Vice, Turner, Ore., 863. 3, Louis Griebel, Nashua, N.H., 855. 4, Art Schleifer, Belleville, Ontario, 837. 5, Robert Morgan, Lusk, Wyo., 828.

Class A(ages 70-74)
1, John Davis, Oxford, Ala., 900. 2, Patricia Legg, Lake Havasu, Ariz., 882. 3, Karl Waldhauer, Beaufort, S.C., 866. 4, Lawrence Hart, Etna, N.H., 860. 5, Arlie Schultz, Mantadox, N.D., 850.

Class B(ages 65-69)
1, Nick Banyai, Elgin, N.D., 884. 2, Stoney Hotard, New Iberia, La., 867. 3, Harvie Pruitt Sr., Blum, Texas, 854. 4 (tie), Earl Goodman, Springfield, Ore., and Gloria Larkin, Hoisington, Kan., 853.

Class C(ages 60-64)
1, Dominick Cefalo, Syracuse, N.Y., 968. 2, Jackie Skipworth, Burkesville, Ky., 908. 3, Joe Dimas, Albuquerque, N.M., 895. 4, Rolly Ronquillo, Antioch, Tenn., 888. 5, Jerry Kowaluk, Vernon, Conn., 884.

Class D(ages 55-59)
1, Rick Micek, South St. Paul, Minn., 919. 2, Gary Skidmore, Albuquerque, N.M., 863. 3, Bill Andrews, Corbin, Ky., 852. 4, James Sanders, Carrollton, Miss., 849. 5, Ed Wethington, Poplar Grove, Ill., 848.


WOMEN'S DIVISION

Super Senior(ages 75 and older)
1, Jean Jones, Fordyce, Ark., 930. 2, Shirley Rabon, Alamogordo, N.M., 877. 3, Marilyn Brown, London, Ontario, 865. 4, Pat Niemic, Pittsburgh, 858. 5, Catherine O'Toole, Sun City West, Ariz., 824.

Class A(ages 70-74)
1, Joy Lyman, Helena, Mont., 919. 2, JoAnn Farris, Chester, Utah, 904. 3, Mutsu Osaki, Greeley, Colo., 887. 4, Kady Massengill, Rehoboth, Del., 866. 5, Susan Robbins, Seymour, Ind., 860.

Class B(ages 65-69)
1, Cora Cox, Bowie, Md., 925. 2, Shirley Comer, Sunbury, Ohio, 921. 3, Barbara Hall, Gadsden, Ala., 881. 4, Carolyn Chrisman, Winfield, Kan., 873. 5, Lena Donahoe, Chatham, Ontario, 872.

Class C(ages 60-64)
1, Diane Norblade, Axtell, Neb., 959. 2, Tessie Duran, Vaughan, Ontario, 895. 3, Tonie Miller, Sun City West, Ariz., 875. 4, Bonnie Rung, Kirtland, N.M., 866. 5, Patricia Hall, Westbrook, Maine, 842.

Class D(ages 55-59)
1, Linda Parenteau, Newport, Vt., 908. 2, Karen Raski, Leavenworth, Kan., 907. 3, Jennie Nubie, Daly City, Calif., 882. 4, Mary Lambert, Waldoboro, Maine, 874. 5, Eileen Foss, Oxford, Mich., 865.