Graham
Staff member
SOUTH PACIFIC CLASSIC 2001
WINNERS QUALIFY FOR BOWLING WORLD CUP IN THAILAND
Over $40,000 in cash and prizes, and the right to represent Australia at the prestigious Bowling World Cup proved a great incentive for competitors in this year’s South Pacific Classic. Now in its 37th year, the South Pacific Classic is one of the major tournaments on the Australian circuit and the champion’s title was hotly contested by bowlers from Japan, New Zealand, the United States and more than 100 of Australia’s top athletes.
Victorious in the Women’s division, Ann Maree Putney from Newcastle, New South Wales showed the form with which she had won last year’s event. With a 207.8 average, she edged out a strong challenge from 21 year-old Victorian, Natalie Shelley who finished with a 206.7 average. Fellow Newcastle bowler and former World Cup champion Amanda Bradley was a close third on 206.0.
Putney’s back to back win will provide a chance for her to improve on her 4th place finishes in previous Bowling World Cup outings in 1997 and 2000. “I knew (today’s final) was not going to be easy….I was so far ahead last year, but this year it was very close” said Putney after her win this afternoon.
The Men’s division was won in style by Perth’s Michael Muir, finishing with an impressive 279 score in the 15th game of matchplay and a 221.9 average. Muir overcame a strong challenge from defending champion Bruno Maglieri from South Australia who finished with a 219.1 average, and Queensland’s Carl Bottomley in third place on 217.7. A medallist at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, Muir has returned to tournament competition with a vengeance in recent months. Today’s win, and the Melbourne Cup title in June, has also set him on a firm path to achieving his goal of selection for Australia’s team to bowl in next year’s FIQ/WTBA Asian Zone Championships in Hong Kong.
Like Putney, Muir has previously represented Australia at the Bowling World Cup – in 1992, in France. Muir has been nominated as Captain of the West Australia team for the forthcoming National Championships in Canberra and following today’s win both Putney and Muir will fly to Thailand for the World cup immediately after the conclusion of the three-day Interstate Teams event in November.
The Bowling World Cup, founded by AMF Bowling Inc., is the largest annual international sports competition in the world in terms of number of participating countries. A record 88 countries, and 155 men and women athletes, competed last year in Portugal. Organisers anticipate another record-breaking participation for this year’s event, to be staged at the state of the art PS Bowl in the Thai beach resort of Pattaya between 4-10 November.
ends
For further information, or digital pics please contact TBA Media Director, Lynne Clay on 0419 444 280
or email lynneclay@wtba.ws
WINNERS QUALIFY FOR BOWLING WORLD CUP IN THAILAND
Over $40,000 in cash and prizes, and the right to represent Australia at the prestigious Bowling World Cup proved a great incentive for competitors in this year’s South Pacific Classic. Now in its 37th year, the South Pacific Classic is one of the major tournaments on the Australian circuit and the champion’s title was hotly contested by bowlers from Japan, New Zealand, the United States and more than 100 of Australia’s top athletes.
Victorious in the Women’s division, Ann Maree Putney from Newcastle, New South Wales showed the form with which she had won last year’s event. With a 207.8 average, she edged out a strong challenge from 21 year-old Victorian, Natalie Shelley who finished with a 206.7 average. Fellow Newcastle bowler and former World Cup champion Amanda Bradley was a close third on 206.0.
Putney’s back to back win will provide a chance for her to improve on her 4th place finishes in previous Bowling World Cup outings in 1997 and 2000. “I knew (today’s final) was not going to be easy….I was so far ahead last year, but this year it was very close” said Putney after her win this afternoon.
The Men’s division was won in style by Perth’s Michael Muir, finishing with an impressive 279 score in the 15th game of matchplay and a 221.9 average. Muir overcame a strong challenge from defending champion Bruno Maglieri from South Australia who finished with a 219.1 average, and Queensland’s Carl Bottomley in third place on 217.7. A medallist at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, Muir has returned to tournament competition with a vengeance in recent months. Today’s win, and the Melbourne Cup title in June, has also set him on a firm path to achieving his goal of selection for Australia’s team to bowl in next year’s FIQ/WTBA Asian Zone Championships in Hong Kong.
Like Putney, Muir has previously represented Australia at the Bowling World Cup – in 1992, in France. Muir has been nominated as Captain of the West Australia team for the forthcoming National Championships in Canberra and following today’s win both Putney and Muir will fly to Thailand for the World cup immediately after the conclusion of the three-day Interstate Teams event in November.
The Bowling World Cup, founded by AMF Bowling Inc., is the largest annual international sports competition in the world in terms of number of participating countries. A record 88 countries, and 155 men and women athletes, competed last year in Portugal. Organisers anticipate another record-breaking participation for this year’s event, to be staged at the state of the art PS Bowl in the Thai beach resort of Pattaya between 4-10 November.
ends
For further information, or digital pics please contact TBA Media Director, Lynne Clay on 0419 444 280
or email lynneclay@wtba.ws
