bathurst tenpin bowl
1st Authority22 in Aust.
THIS IS WHAT BATHURST WOKE TO
Frilingos makes a striking finish
By TIM MANNION
HAPPY WINNER: Queensland bowler George Frilingos was all smiles after winning the inaugural MRG Engineering Bathurst Pit Stop Ten Pin Bowling Tournament yesterday. Photo: CHRIS SEABROOK 1104tenpin
QUEENSLAND bowler George Frilingos arrived in Bathurst with a big reputation and left yesterday with it well and truly intact when he claimed a brilliant win in the MRG Engineering Bathurst Pit Stop Ten Pin Bowling Tournament.
The Australian representative emerged from Saturday's 10-game qualifying rounds in fourth position, then delivered a superb performance in yesterday's money rounds to overcome the class field, rising to victory in the inaugural tournament to take home the $1000 winners' purse.
The Brisbane-based bowler finished the weekend with 5828 pins (233 average), after chasing down runner-up Jason Osborne in the very last game.
Osborne was the top-qualifier on Saturday but couldn't hold on when it counted in a thrilling finish yesterday, when Frilingos bowled five-straight strikes with his last five deliveries to take victory by just 16 pins.
The win absolutely delighted the Brisbane-based bowler, who is the reigning Commonwealth champion and currently ranked in the top three in Australia.
“I've been bowling for 26 years and I've got a lot of international experience and I really needed to draw on all of it to throw those shots,” Frilingos said.
“I bowled good [in the qualifying rounds] even though I didn't score that well, and today [yesterday's final] I was a little bit more focussed.
“That allowed me to make better shots and I managed to run the leader down.”
Frilingos' best game came with a 279 but it was his consistency that landed him the major prize.
In his 25 games over the weekend, the composed left-hander bowled 21 games in excess of 200.
Making his maiden appearance at the Bathurst Ten Pin bowl, the amiable Queenslander was quick to pay tribute to the high quality field from around Australia in what was the first major bowling tournament held at the Bathurst centre.
“A win is a win, I do cherish it and winning in an environment like just it makes it so much better,” Frilingos said.
“It's been great. Everyone here is so happy and so welcoming, it's made my last two days so much more enjoyable. If you go to big tournaments in capital cities, it doesn't have that personal touch.”
While it was Frilingos who stole the accolades, it was Bathurst bowler Juile Price who wowed the home crowd when she finished in sixth position.
Also the tournament organiser, Price was not only the sole Bathurst bowler, but also the lone lady bowler to qualify for yesterday's money rounds.
Incredibly, the left-hander had the best head-to-head record over the weekend winning 12 of 15 games in yesterday's finals. Frilingos was next best with nine wins.
Price completed the tournament with 5483 pins (209 average), a best game of 247 and 15 scores in excess of 200.
“I was very happy with the way I bowled,” Price said.
“I was just aiming to make the top 16 and basically when I got to the final rounds, I had already achieved what I wanted to do so it was just about being relaxed and enjoying the moment.”
The Bathurst bowler finished 87 pins clear of Orange bowler David Rosser (seventh, 5396 pins) while his Orange team-mate Jason Brown (10th, 5337 pins) was the only other bowler to make the qualifying rounds.
In all, 12 Bathurst bowlers participated in the tournament with Rob Mason the hard luck story, finishing in 17th position overall, 12 pins short of finals qualification.
Frilingos makes a striking finish
By TIM MANNION
HAPPY WINNER: Queensland bowler George Frilingos was all smiles after winning the inaugural MRG Engineering Bathurst Pit Stop Ten Pin Bowling Tournament yesterday. Photo: CHRIS SEABROOK 1104tenpin
QUEENSLAND bowler George Frilingos arrived in Bathurst with a big reputation and left yesterday with it well and truly intact when he claimed a brilliant win in the MRG Engineering Bathurst Pit Stop Ten Pin Bowling Tournament.
The Australian representative emerged from Saturday's 10-game qualifying rounds in fourth position, then delivered a superb performance in yesterday's money rounds to overcome the class field, rising to victory in the inaugural tournament to take home the $1000 winners' purse.
The Brisbane-based bowler finished the weekend with 5828 pins (233 average), after chasing down runner-up Jason Osborne in the very last game.
Osborne was the top-qualifier on Saturday but couldn't hold on when it counted in a thrilling finish yesterday, when Frilingos bowled five-straight strikes with his last five deliveries to take victory by just 16 pins.
The win absolutely delighted the Brisbane-based bowler, who is the reigning Commonwealth champion and currently ranked in the top three in Australia.
“I've been bowling for 26 years and I've got a lot of international experience and I really needed to draw on all of it to throw those shots,” Frilingos said.
“I bowled good [in the qualifying rounds] even though I didn't score that well, and today [yesterday's final] I was a little bit more focussed.
“That allowed me to make better shots and I managed to run the leader down.”
Frilingos' best game came with a 279 but it was his consistency that landed him the major prize.
In his 25 games over the weekend, the composed left-hander bowled 21 games in excess of 200.
Making his maiden appearance at the Bathurst Ten Pin bowl, the amiable Queenslander was quick to pay tribute to the high quality field from around Australia in what was the first major bowling tournament held at the Bathurst centre.
“A win is a win, I do cherish it and winning in an environment like just it makes it so much better,” Frilingos said.
“It's been great. Everyone here is so happy and so welcoming, it's made my last two days so much more enjoyable. If you go to big tournaments in capital cities, it doesn't have that personal touch.”
While it was Frilingos who stole the accolades, it was Bathurst bowler Juile Price who wowed the home crowd when she finished in sixth position.
Also the tournament organiser, Price was not only the sole Bathurst bowler, but also the lone lady bowler to qualify for yesterday's money rounds.
Incredibly, the left-hander had the best head-to-head record over the weekend winning 12 of 15 games in yesterday's finals. Frilingos was next best with nine wins.
Price completed the tournament with 5483 pins (209 average), a best game of 247 and 15 scores in excess of 200.
“I was very happy with the way I bowled,” Price said.
“I was just aiming to make the top 16 and basically when I got to the final rounds, I had already achieved what I wanted to do so it was just about being relaxed and enjoying the moment.”
The Bathurst bowler finished 87 pins clear of Orange bowler David Rosser (seventh, 5396 pins) while his Orange team-mate Jason Brown (10th, 5337 pins) was the only other bowler to make the qualifying rounds.
In all, 12 Bathurst bowlers participated in the tournament with Rob Mason the hard luck story, finishing in 17th position overall, 12 pins short of finals qualification.
