Team Europe have won the 2021 Weber Cup after a dramatic fourth session fight-back bowling late into the night.
This year’s Weber Cup took place at Morningside Arena Leicester and featured a European team heavy with some of England’s finest bowling talents in Dom Barrett, Stuart Williams and Richard Teece, teaming up with Denmark’s Thomas Larsen and Sweden’s Jesper Svensson, bowling against a Team USA led by Chris Barnes, with Tom Daugherty, Chris Via, Kyle Troupe and Anthony Simonsen.
Day 1, Thursday 14th, opened with the popular Baker Team format which Europe won 242-213, which was followed by singles defeats for Larson by Barnes 245-257, a win for Williams against Simonsen 233-225 and a win for Daugherty against Barrett 263-195.
The first doubles match of the tournament followed, but sadly this would see Barrett & Larsen defeated by Daugherty & Via 253-246, before Teece defeated Via 234-204 in singles, Svensson defeated Troup 268-257 and the Fan’s choice voted match closed the evening session with Svensson defeating Barnes 266-236, to give Europe a first session lead of 5-3.
Day 2 would see the USA rally-back to finish Friday 9-7 up after 6 wins, among which Svensson opened by defeating Troup 235-197, Barnes & Troup defeated Svensson & Williams 245-213, and Simonsen defeated Williams 242-220, before Larsen & Teece caught a break to defeat the powerhouse opposition of Barnes & Daugherty 278-209, after which the USA took four more wins, with Simonsen defeating Barrett 289-252, Simonsen & Via defeating Barrett & Teece 246-223, Daugherty defeating Svensson 289-256 and ending the session with Via defeating Larsen 254-221. USA lead Europe after Day 2 9-7.
At the end of session 3, Saturday midday, Team USA would gain a three point advantage over Team Europe, ending the session 14-11 up, so guaranteeing the final session at 6pm to decide this year’s Champions.
As the Morningside Arena continued to swell with more crowds joining those already inside this fabulous venue, Team Europe won the opening Baker Team 255-212 before Team USA dealt a blow with four more wins, Daugherty defeated Teece 266-255, Via defeated Barrett by just a single pin 268-267, Troup & Daugherty defeated Svensson & Larson 235-213 and Barnes defeated Barrett 255-235.
Europe rode the crowd’s support with Williams Defeating Simonsen 278-257 and Larsen defeating Troup 255-244, just ahead of Simonsen defeating Svenssonv256-244, but quickly cancel out by Williams & Teece defeating Barnes and Via 256-245. The midday session ending USA 14 – 11 Europe.
With Team USA just 4 points away from the magic 18 required to retain the Cup, Team Europe faltered opening the evening session with Simonsen & Barnes defeating Williams & Barrett 243-224, before Larson defeated Daugherty 254-244, Svensson & Teece defeated Troup & Via 254-199, Williams defeated Barnes 254-254 (after a roll-off which Williams won 79-69), before USA came back with two more wins, in which Via defeated Svensson 278-246 and Simonsen defeated Teece 245-243 (another incredibly close match) after which Larsen defeated Daugherty 254-213 and Svensson defeated Simonsen 256-256 in another roll-off, which he won 60-49.
With the final match and both teams tied on 17-17, the tension could be seen not just amongst the crow but in Captain Dom Barrett’s face as the camera landed on him during the final Team Baker, but he was all smiles as his Team defeated the USA 278-268 to win the Weber Cup for the first time since 2017, coming from 11-15 down to finish 18-17.
Congratulations Team Europe, and commiseration Team USA.
Stuart Watson
stuartwatson@btba.org.uk
Digital Media & Public Relations
British Tenpin Bowling Association
