Tenpin Bowling
The players come from all over Victoria to play and practice.
Generally, home base is Oz Tenpin Bowling Centre 53 Miller Street Epping and we play 6 games in a day unless otherwise stated.
All VRI Members are welcome to join in the fun – come and play, you may be good enough to gain a spot in our state side, that plays off against other interstate sides, for the Commissioners Shield and other trophies.
ARI Tenpin Bowling Championships 2023
VRI 2023 Team
ARI Tenpin Bowling Championships 2023 - VRI Team Manager’s Report
The VRI Tenpin Bowling Club went to Wetherill Park NSW to compete in the 48th ARI Championships.
Sunday 5th March 2023 bowlers and guests from Queensland, Victoria & New South Wales attended an official welcoming breakfast at the St. Johns Park Bowling Club where all players were formally introduced.
After the breakfast all bowlers and visitors returned to their accommodation to change from collar & tie into their bowling gear in readiness for the Preview Tournament as 3.00pm.
The Preview tournament is the first Round of the Individual Scratch & Handicap Masters Competition.
As Team Manager & Diane as Secretary we had to attend to a Manager’s at 2.30pm meeting to confirm submitted Averages & Handicaps for all states and to be advised of any changes to rules.
At 3.00pm 79 bowlers began to bowl 3 games to qualify for the Individual Masters.
After the 3 games were completed all states returned to the their accommodation for thew evening to do whatever they wanted to do.
At 8.00 all bowlers were back at Bowlarama Wetherill Park for the start of the Teams competition. Prior to the start of play the National Anthem was played, a Sportsman’s Oath read and the Team Photos.
DAY ONE
Victoria started slowly and began to pick up in the last round
Day One Totals
1st. NSW 112.5pts
2nd QLD 103.5pts
3rd VIC 72pts
DAY TWO
Was an up and down day with the team falling a little bit further behind.
NSW & QLD were having a good tussle with the lead changing a few times.
The teams weren’t bowling bad but some bowlers from the other states were bowling just that little bit better aided by handicap.
Day Two Totals
1st NSW 213pts
2nd QLD 202pts
3rd VIC 161pts
DAY THREE
Vic started well and got within striking distance of 2nd place however had an up and down afternoon.
NSW South Wales started to pull away from Queensland.
Final Results
1st NSW 315.5pts
2nd QLD 291.5pts
3rd VIC 257pts
Thursday was a rest day for all states in readiness for the Individual Scratch & Handicap Masters on Friday.
Victoria had a total of 18 bowlers in both divisions qualifying for the top 24 Bowlers.
Each bowler bowled 6 games to attempt to qualify for the top 16.
14 of the bowlers qualified for the top 16.
It was then similar to a Tennis Draw with a 2 game knockout to get to the final 2 in each division.
In the Scratch Division Victoria’s James Bowles played Aaron Edwards from Queensland in the final with Aaron Edwards victorious.
In the Handicap Division 2 Victorians, Kyle Bate & Jeff Taylor played in the final with Jeff Taylor victorious.
It was a great effort by the Victorian bowlers in the finals but special mention must go to Jeff Taylor for his determination and perseverance. Jeff won the Scratch Masters at Caboolture in 2015.
After the Masters Finals all bowlers went back to their accommodation to get changed into their formal attire and go to the Farewell/Presentation Dinner at St. Johns Park Bowling Club.
The following bowlers received ARI Awards:
James Bowles Tom Piper Award High Game Scratch 289
Paul Jones 258, Norm Ruffels 235, Jessica McInnes 284 & Sean Ruffels 276 High Team Game with Handicap 1053.
James Bowles was named in the All Australian Scratch Team
Kyle Bate was named in the All Australian Handicap Team
Victorian Team Award Winners
The “Mary Award” :
Paul Jones 258, Norm Ruffels 235, Jessica McInnes 284, Sean Ruffels 276
The Norm Bowen Award:
Kyle Bate
The Leis Family Award:
Kyle Bate
Sean Ruffels
I would like to thank the following spectators for supporting the team:
Dianne Dibiase, Peter Dibiase, Vanessa Bate, Kerry Ruffels, Fiona Wilkinson Debbie O’Connell, Cindy Newell, Jeff Taylor, Sandra Hesketh, Michelle Bate, Peter Dwyer, Amanda Stace, Cheryl Brown, Greg Hebbard.
A special thanks to Sandra Hesketh for assisting with the teams’ lunches each day.
A Special thanks to Michelle Bate for organising the team accommodation.
Although we did not win it was great to catch up with the bowlers and guests form Queensland & New South Wales.
The 49th ARI Championships will be held in Caboolture from the 10th to 16th March 2024.
John McCaig
Team Manager
ARI Tenpin Bowling Championships 2022
Victoria Hosted the 47th ARI Tenpin Bowling Championships at Oz Tenpin Bowling Centre Epping from 15th May 2022 to 20th May 2022.
The event began with a welcoming breakfast at the Epping RSL on Sunday to introduce bowlers and guests and was followed by a Preview Tournament which is a 3 game qualifying event for the individual Masters Tournaments on the Friday. The breakfast was attended by VRI President David Matthews & Rachel Matthews with David welcoming bowlers and visitors.
Monday saw the start of the trams event with Victoria getting off to a slow start. At the end of Day 1 saw Queensland leading on 115.5 points, New South Wales second with 94.0 points and Victoria third with 78.5 points.
The second day saw New South Wales overhaul Queensland’s lead and both state pulling away from Victoria. At the end of Day 2 New South Wales lead with 206.0 points, Queensland second with 205.5 points and Victoria third with 164.5 points.
Day 3 saw the lead change several times between New South Wales and Queensland with New South Wales eventually pulling away after lunch to win the competition. Final Standings were
1St New South Wales 317 points
2nd Queensland 293.5 points
3rd Victoria 253.5 points
The highlights were as follows
James Bowles (Vic) High Game Scratch 278
Kyle Bate (Vic) High Game with Handicap 313
A Stace, R Bate, J Taylor & James Bowles (All Vic) High Team Scratch Game 919
Parys Wells (Vic) Runner Up in Peter Dwyer Handicap Masters Tournament.
47th ARI Tenpin Bowling Championships - Opening breakfast
VRI Team 3rd place
