March 23- April 1 2023 in Vienna, Austria
The European Youth Bowling Championships 2024 will be held in the famous Tali Bowling, Helsinki, Finland from 23th March until 1st of April 2024 (Easter).
Please visit the Official website here
Athletes
Girls – Abbie Rhodes, Jessica Sillis, Yola Stephenson, Olivia McCarthy,
Boys – Louie Dawson , Frank Stephenson, Charlie Upton, Kallum Peach
Reports
Last year was another good performance for Team England at EYC and two Bronze in the Team event – Yola Stephenson, Millie Upton, Jessica Sillis, Izzy Fletcher for the Girls and Daniel Harding, Charlie Upton, Frank Stephenson, Kallum Peach for the boys. Then to complete was a fine Masters Bronze for Daniel Harding.
Three EYC Rookies join five EYC experienced internationals for Team England in Helsinki, with Kallum Peach, Jessica Sillis, Charlie Upton, Yola Stephenson and Frank Stephenson returning and new EYC caps for Louie Dawson, Olivia McCarthy and Abbie Rhodes. All our athletes have trained hard for Helsinki and are ready for the road ahead.
Boys Singles
Two squads on Monday started with Kallum Peach and Louie Dawson first up on the Tali lanes. 1208 for Kallum and 1205 for Louie certainly did not tell the full story and a great EYC start for Louie as Kallum opened with two splits but found form thereafter. If not for multiple splits our pair would have hit more but par after the first event is a solid start.
Squad 2 saw Frank and Charlie up next and both also suffering from too many splits over the block and an up and down experience. Frank with 1177 and Charlie just behind on 1170 will know they have plenty left in the tank yet and time to improve in the doubles on Wednesday.
Girls Singles
Yola Stephenson and Olivia McCarthy were up first for Team England on Tuesday with bth bowling well over the block. Yola with 1205 and Olivia with 1125. Both bowled well but the strikes and doubles were not coming early on. Things improved towards the end with Yola also challenging the top four with two games to go ending in 6th with Olivia in 18th.
Squad two saw a few fireworks as some big scores were coming in. Our pair of Abbie Rhodes and Jessica Sillis were well in the mix with Abbie shooting 651 for three and Jessica with a fine 714 and both in the top six. Then came the transition and things got tougher but Jessica pulled through and 216 to end with gave her a fine 1330 and into the finals. Abbie ending strong with 210 and a good 1199.
Girls Singles Finals
Our first medal but what colour would it be at the end. The semi final saw Jessica up against Denmark’s Karen Neilson. Both started with strikes before the dane took an early lead with a double to Jess’ spare but came back with a strike in the third frame as the Dane hit a turkey. Karen was giving nothing away as she struck again with Jess on a spare in the fourth. Jess was not giving up and nailed the pocket in the fifth to see a 10pin standing and spare and the dane also leaving a corner pin now and a lead at the halfway point.
A split from the Dane would change things though and an open as Jess hit another spare. 18 pins in it as both struck in the seventh and a double in the eighth. A turkey put pressure on the Dane and she was up for it also hitting a turkey. Jessica in a must strike situation did so forcing Karen to strike again for the match. What a semi final and Jessica can be happy with her efforts for 226 and Bronze with the Dane on 256 and advancing to the final.
Boys Doubles
A mixed day in the end for our first pair of Frank Stephenson and Kallum Peach. Both never really getting fully comfortable with the Tali lanes, starting with 378 and 370 before an improved 390 and 400 before tailing off with 366 and 360 for a total of 2264. Frank with 1042 and Kallum with 1222 and 31st overall.
The second squad had Charlie Upton and Louie Dawson up next and and good start with 398,427 and 427 before Charlie hit 269 and Louie added 225 for a fine 494 which pushed them into 6th place with two to go. 406 meant it would go to the last game with 8 teams in the hunt for four places. Sadly it was not to be with a 356 final game and total of 2508 and 12th overall.
Girls Doubles
Doubles day on Thursday for the girls and first up was Yolanta Stephenson and Olivia McCarthy and a steady solid block placed them in the top five after five games with 385,415,387,426 and 387. In the last game things opened up and both hit fourbaggers with Yola added another for five in a row before Olivia doubled at the end for 236 as Yola added 223 for great 459 and into third place with a squad to go.
Abbie and Jessica were next up on Thursday and a great start with 460 and a 247 from Jessica, 399 followed then 418 and 397 and pacing a top four placing but work still to do. 384 in game five then game six and Jessica opens with the front six but two splits from Abbie kept things tense. She bounced back though closing frames as Jessica paced 279 going into the tenth frame. Abbie ending with 157 and Jessica with 258 for 413 and overall of 2471 and fourth place.
Girls Doubles Finals
England vs Norway and our pair would face off against Emily Marie Aas and Madelen Thorsrudhagen Danielsen for the chance to advance for Gold. A great start as Abbie and Jessica fired doubles in the first two frames as Norway opened twice and instant pressure laid on by England. Stone 8 for Abbie with even the commentary calling it brutal but a spare and same from Jessica kept the early lead. Another open for Norway and a strike for Abbie and Spare for Jessica in the fourth increased the lead to 55 pins then 69 pins by the end of the fifth frame.
If Norway were to get back in this then they needed to start striking and Emilie Marie Aas was the first to start a run with a turkey and Madelin Thorsrudhagen Danielsen adding a double but Jessica was also on a turkey and Abbie sparing then a couple of opens and 144 in the eighth with Jessica now holding up Norway with four in a row. The lead now 52 going into the tenth frame. Abbie back in the tenth with a big strike to massive cheers from the England fans and the top seeds were going home with a bronze and England advancing. Abbie with 184 and Jessica 233 as Aas hit 193 and Danielsen with 188 for 381 to England’s 417.
Final
England vs the Czech Republic and Abbie and Jessica up against Zuzana Kvasničková and Ema Iwazawa. Another great start for England with Abbie shooting a quick fire double and strike spare for Jessica as Kvasničková opened twice and Iwazawa strike and spare. Abbie sending the fans into cheers with another for a turkey as just again could not take out the 10 pin but sparing.
A 42 pin lead for England after three frames and the Czech Republic not striking yet but Abbie was and adding another for front four with Jessica high six and three as the Czech Kvasničková also opened and Iwazawa struck.
Could this get any better, yes it could as Abbie hit front five and Jessica on strike in the fifth but the Czechs were now striking too. Arms in the air front six for Abbie and Jessica adding an important double as the Czech were now running a double and a turkey and lead at 49 pins for England.
Pocket shot seven pin for Abbie in frame seven and spare with Jessica nailing a turkey with both Czechs striking and on a turkey and fourbagger. 38 pins in it now and pressure on for both teams.
Seven pin again for Abbie in the eighth and an open but Jessica taking over the striking duties with a fourbagger and getting to be a must strike situation for the Czechs as we closed in on the ninth frame. Cheers for England as Abbie back on strike and Jessica five in a row. A clean tenth frame and the Gold would be England’s.
A single pin miss by Iwazawa in the ninth and this was all but over, Abbie hitting a double then adding one more and nine for 256. Jessica with six on the bounce and first in the tenth then nine spare for 233 and a massive 489 to the Czechs 407. Gold for England.
Boys Team
The team event would be bowled over two days and first up for England were the boys. Game 1 and a 232 high from Frank and team game of 764. Game 2 and the strikes were not flowing yet as we hit 746 and a high of 201 from Louie. Game 3 and ending with 735 and a high from Kallum with 215 and Frank overall with 638. 15th after the first block and work to do on Saturday.
Day two of the team event and the boys were off to a flying start in game one with 907 and a fine 278 from Kallum and 219 from Louie. Game two and 808 in the books with a 218 high from Frank and the team up to 6th place. 755 to end with and 205 the top score from Charlie. An overall of 4715 in 8th place.
Girls Team
Next up in the team event were the girls and hopes high after the joy of the day before. Game 1 and 770 on the board with a high of 205 from Olivia and 203 from Jessica. Game 2 and strikes beginning to come and an improved 797 with high from Jessica with 220. Game three and only a few errors or split opens was stopping the bigger scores coming and a final game of 753 and a high from Jessica 256 with a total of 2320.
The second block switched saw the girls up first and morning lanes causing a few unforced errors and a 682 game with high from Abbie with 196. An improved 5th game saw the team hit 749 and Jessica back on form with 200 and still a shot at an all events medal. Game 3 improved again with 808 and Jessica again tops with 225 and overall of 4559 and 9th place.
All Events
Jessica ended in a heartbreaking fourth in the All events just 10 pins behind the bronze medal and goes into Sunday’s Top 16 Masters. Elsewhere Yolanta in 19th, Olivia in 28th and Abbie in 30th. For the boys, Kallum in 33rd, Louie in 35th, Charlie in 46th and Frank in 52nd.
Masters
Round 1 – England vs Finland
Jessica Sillis would be the one to fly the flag for England in the Masters after a fantastic fourth place in the All Events and she was up against Finland’s Tiiamari Laukkanen in the first round.
Game 1 and both striking in the first frame then Jessica first to blink and a nine spare as the Finn doubled. Another corner pin in frame three and spare as Tiiamari struck again for a turkey and the pressure was on. Into the fourth and Jessica strikes as the Finn spares as fifth reversed as Tiiamari strikes and Jessica spares. A double in the sixth for Finland and another corner pin for Jessica and this first game was slipping away. Jessica back on strike in frame seven but the Finn riding a turkey and left a 10pin and spared. A split in the eighth for Jessica and open and time to line up for game two. The Finn went on to fire a commanding 256 with Jessica 192 in reply.
Game 2 and Jessica opening with a turkey but so had the Finn but blinked in frame four leaving a seven pin and missing it. Big chance for Jessica but again the 1opin stood and was spared. Finland back on strike in the fifth and matched by Jessica. A split open for Tiiamari and a golden opening and Jessica doubled to command a good lead now. A Turkey then fourbagger for Jessica and this one was going to be level again but the Finn was still striking and on a turkey. Jessica though was awesome here and off the sheet almost for 277 to Finland’s 231, What a match.
Game 3 and spare each to start with in frame one. A double from Jessica was matched by Tiiamari and nothing in it after three frames. Jessica first up in the fourth and putting the pressure on with a turkey and again matched by the Finn. Jessica nailed on now and fourbagger with Tiiamari also hitting the fourbagger. Neither giving an inch and Jessica again for five in a row and Finland matching. Frame seven and a 10pin for Jessica and spare and also a sinlge pin spare from Finland. Three frame to go and all level, Jessica back on strike in the eighth and Tiiamari matching yet again. That damn 10pin again in the ninth and a spare for Jessica and a big chance for the Finn to go ahead and she doubled. All on the tenth frame, Jessica up first and 10pin again. Tiiamari up and seven pin left. Jessica sparing but Tiimari missing and strike for Jessica would be a win by two pins. Strike.. Jessica Advances…238-236 (2-1).
Round 2 England vs France
One more round to a medal and France were the next opponent in the Masters and a match against 14th seed left hander Melissia Garcia. Yet again the 10pin was in play and two in a row in the opening frames for Jessica and sparing both and Melissa with two spares. Jessica the first to strike in frame three and the French girl matching the strike. A double from Melissa and spare for Jessica in the fourth gave the advantage to France after four frames. Frame six and Jessica making the double as Melissa seven counted and chopped an open frame then spared. Advantage back with England but a seven count chop open for Jessica this time and strike for Melissa Garcia closed this one up again. Split spare for France in the eighth and spare for Jessica and four pin advantage to England. Both players strugging to strike now and light in the pocket hits for both in the nine frame and spare for Jessica and Open for Melissa. A nightmare tenth for Jessica and a split open and 177 as Melissa Struck and needed a double for the game and got it, ending with 186.
Into game 2 and both starting with a strike then a double from France and strike and spare from Jessica. Open frame for France in frame three and Jessica sparing a 10 pin and a slight lead now. By the fifth frame both were again strugging to strike and a open from Jessica and spare from Melissa gave the French girl the advantage now. Yet another 10pin for Jessica in the seventh and spare as Melissa seven count and spare and 17 pin lead. Jessica on strike at last in the eighth and fighting back with France striking also. A split for France in the ninth and spare from Jessica and hopes were high again going into the tenth frame and 5 pins behind. A 2pin leave for Jessica and brooklyn strike for France and it was a defeat 170-178 (0-2). A fantasic effort this week from Jessica and goes home with two medals.
Results
Results will appear first on the official website during the event here
