#USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 5
May 04, 2017
By Matt Cannizzaro and Brian Hirsch
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS - During the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, we will have the opportunity to meet and speak with more than 50,000 bowlers from all over the world.
Some are well-known, some are yet-to-be-known, but all of them have personal stories to tell and memories to share about their time at the USBC Open Championships.
In the past, we've caught up with some of the bowlers for an online feature called On The Lanes, where we asked them all the same 12 questions to see how the answers might vary based on different generations, skill levels and experience.
On The Lanes deviates from our traditional news-sharing format, but it offers different insight into the competitors at the Open Championships.
We're adding yet another option in 2017 and introducing a question-and-answer format for some of our most interesting bowlers to see how they got started, where they came from and what their Las Vegas experience was like.
In this edition, we will meet a woman who has found much success overseas. Who do you think it could be? Maybe Clara Guerrero from Colombia? New Hui Fen from Singapore? Diana Zavjalova from Latvia?
While each woman above has had success overseas, let's meet one of the most dominating senior players from Germany. World Bowling Writers International Bowling Hall of Famer, Martina Beckel of Frankfurt, Germany.
The 59-year-old left-hander has one 300 game and one 800 series to her credit. She recently bowled in the 2017 USBC Open Championships as part of a six-team group from Switzerland, Germany and Austria.
This year at the South Point Bowling Plaza, Beckel rolled sets of 624 in singles, 605 in doubles and 563 in team for a 1,792 all-events total.
USBC - What are some of your bowling-related achievements and career highlights?
MB -In 1991, I placed first in the World Bowling World Women's Championships (singles). In 1992, I won the (QubicaAMF) World Cup. In 2005, I won again at the World Championships (doubles). In 2015, I had a second-place finish in doubles at the World Senior Championships.
USBC - What balls are in your bowling bag?
MB -I was mainly throwing my Ebonite Gamebreaker 2. I went between the solid and pearl.
USBC - What four players would join you on your Open Championships dream team?
MB -Oh wow! I would have to say Parker Bohn III, Marshall Holman, Osku Palermaa and Kelly Kulick.
USBC - Who is your favorite bowler of all-time?
MB -I love to watch Chris Barnes.
USBC - What do you believe are the keys to success at the Open Championships?
MB -Out here at the Open Championships, you must move quickly and, more importantly, be confident of the move and ball changes.
USBC - What is your most embarrassing moment at the Open Championships, or anywhere?
MB -LOL, on a live bowling TV show, I left the 5-7-10.
USBC - Who challenges you the most on the lanes, and how so?
MB -I challenge myself because I want to be better than I was the last time I went to the lanes.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 4 with Mitzi and Doug Forde, who got married on the lanes at the 2017 Open Championships.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 3 with Peggy Walden of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 2 with the OC's Brian Hirsch.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 1 with Sweden's Pontus Andersson and Markus Jansson.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS - During the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, we will have the opportunity to meet and speak with more than 50,000 bowlers from all over the world.
Some are well-known, some are yet-to-be-known, but all of them have personal stories to tell and memories to share about their time at the USBC Open Championships.
In the past, we've caught up with some of the bowlers for an online feature called On The Lanes, where we asked them all the same 12 questions to see how the answers might vary based on different generations, skill levels and experience.
On The Lanes deviates from our traditional news-sharing format, but it offers different insight into the competitors at the Open Championships.
We're adding yet another option in 2017 and introducing a question-and-answer format for some of our most interesting bowlers to see how they got started, where they came from and what their Las Vegas experience was like.
In this edition, we will meet a woman who has found much success overseas. Who do you think it could be? Maybe Clara Guerrero from Colombia? New Hui Fen from Singapore? Diana Zavjalova from Latvia?
While each woman above has had success overseas, let's meet one of the most dominating senior players from Germany. World Bowling Writers International Bowling Hall of Famer, Martina Beckel of Frankfurt, Germany.
The 59-year-old left-hander has one 300 game and one 800 series to her credit. She recently bowled in the 2017 USBC Open Championships as part of a six-team group from Switzerland, Germany and Austria.
This year at the South Point Bowling Plaza, Beckel rolled sets of 624 in singles, 605 in doubles and 563 in team for a 1,792 all-events total.
USBC - What are some of your bowling-related achievements and career highlights?
MB -In 1991, I placed first in the World Bowling World Women's Championships (singles). In 1992, I won the (QubicaAMF) World Cup. In 2005, I won again at the World Championships (doubles). In 2015, I had a second-place finish in doubles at the World Senior Championships.
USBC - What balls are in your bowling bag?
MB -I was mainly throwing my Ebonite Gamebreaker 2. I went between the solid and pearl.
USBC - What four players would join you on your Open Championships dream team?
MB -Oh wow! I would have to say Parker Bohn III, Marshall Holman, Osku Palermaa and Kelly Kulick.
USBC - Who is your favorite bowler of all-time?
MB -I love to watch Chris Barnes.
USBC - What do you believe are the keys to success at the Open Championships?
MB -Out here at the Open Championships, you must move quickly and, more importantly, be confident of the move and ball changes.
USBC - What is your most embarrassing moment at the Open Championships, or anywhere?
MB -LOL, on a live bowling TV show, I left the 5-7-10.
USBC - Who challenges you the most on the lanes, and how so?
MB -I challenge myself because I want to be better than I was the last time I went to the lanes.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 4 with Mitzi and Doug Forde, who got married on the lanes at the 2017 Open Championships.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 3 with Peggy Walden of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 2 with the OC's Brian Hirsch.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 1 with Sweden's Pontus Andersson and Markus Jansson.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.