CANADA’S TEAM HEADS TO SHANGHAI for the 52ND ANNUAL QUBICA/AMF BOWLING WORLD CUP
BOWL CANADA – FELICIA WONG of Canmore, Alberta, and Granby, Quebec’s DAVID SIMARD are en route to SHANGHAI, CHINA where they will represent Canada in the bowling world’s annual gathering of nations, the Qubica/AMF Bowling World Cup, which runs OCTOBER 16th to 22nd at Hao’s Bowling in Shanghai.
WONG is no stranger to World Cup competition, with this year’s event marking her third attempt at the World Title. Her first appearance came back in 2010 in Toulon, France, where she placed a respectable 25th as a world cup rookie (in a field of 90+ countries). Two years later, a powerful performance at the 2012 Canadian nationals earned Felicia the right to once again qualify for the World Cup team. Competing this time in Wroclaw, Poland, Felicia was hoping to improve on her 2010 performance but the tough conditions forced her to settle for a disappointing 29th place. Fast forward to 2016 and Felicia is now ready to draw from her years of international competition experience and strive for Gold.
Competing in the men’s event, SIMARD heads to Shanghai as a World Cup first-timer. But that doesn’t mean much when you’re heading into the event with the highest average of the entire field, along with 200+ career perfect games and 50 televised matches under your belt. Canada has a long and respected history at the Bowling World Cup and Felicia and David will no doubt do Canada proud once again.
WONG and SIMARD qualified for the World Finals via impressive performances at the Canadian National Finals of the World Cup, which were held this past July at Leisure Lanes in Oshawa, Ontario. The Nationals see Provincial Representatives and the Defending Champions compete in a 16-game qualifying round, with the top 3 in each division (men and women) advancing to a Stepladder Finals.
Rounding off the team is Bowl Canada’s World Cup coach TYREL ROSE of Montreal, Quebec. ROSE was recently awarded the 2013 Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award and is a big asset to the team both on and off the lanes. Additionally, he holds the post of Team Canada’s Head Coach, and lends his considerable knowledge and experience to Canada’s bowlers both at home and abroad.
The World Cup Nationals have been conducted annually by Bowl Canada since 1966 (men’s division) and 1974 (women’s division) as the Canadian qualifier for the Qubica/AMF Bowling World Cup. 8 provincial champions in each of the men’s and women’s divisions, along with defending champs from the previous year, battle for the Canadian titles and a trip to the Worlds annually. Results, pictures and general information on the Canadian National Finals can be found at www.bowlcanada.ca/canadacups/.
The 52nd annual edition of this premier world event will be held October 16th to 22nd at Hao’s Bowling Lanes in Shangai, China. Opening Ceremonies take place October 15th. The Bowling World Cup is the lar
Canada now has TEN Bowling World Cup titles and claims the second most wins in World Cup history, following the USA who lead all nations with 19 World Cup titles.
The Bowling World Cup is fortunate and proud to have the financial support of SPORT CANADA in conducting Canadian qualifying rounds and in sending representatives to the World Finals.
Full details on the Qubica/AMF Bowling World Cup including updates on results, etc.
will be available on AMF’s website www.qubicaamf.com
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
QUBICA/AMF BOWLING WORLD CUP
The first tournament was held in Dublin, Ireland in 1964 but Canada did not have a representative until 1966 when Paul Yoshimasu of Winnipeg, Manitoba competed. Women were included in the World Cup in 1972 and Canada’s first women’s representative was Terry Quinn, also from Winnipeg, who competed in the 1974 World Final.
Canada has participated in the Bowling World Cup annually ever since and has produced 10 World Champions, with six women’s Titles and four in the men’s division. Canada ranks 2nd among countries for most World Cup wins. USA holds top spot at the World Cup claiming 19 titles to date.
Graydon “Blondie” Robinson of Toronto won the first title for Canada at the 1969 event held in Tokyo, Japan. Ray Mitchell, also of Toronto, won the men’s title in Hamburg, Germany in 1972. Cathy Townsend of Montreal was the first Canadian woman to win. Townsend won her title in the Philippines in 1975. Rea Rennox, Toronto, won in Tollworth, England in 1977. Jean Gordon of Vancouver won in 1980 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Most recently Mississauga, Ontario’s Kerrie Ryan-Ciach won in Tegucigalpa, Honduras in 2003…Winnipeg, Manitoba’s MICHAEL SCHMIDT won his first World Title in 2005 in Ljubljana, Slovenia…Montreal’s CAROLINE LAGRANGE earned her first World Title at the 2009 Worlds in Melaka, Malaysia. Manitoba’s MICHAEL SCHMIDT recaptured the World Title in Toulon, France in 2010 as did CAROLINE LAGRANGE in Krasnoyarsk, Russia in 2013.
Several Canadians have earned multiple trips to the World Cup. 2-Time World Champion Michael Schmidt of Winnipeg, Manitoba has 8 appearances (2005, ’06, ’07, ’09, ’10, ’11, ‘12 and ’14) and now has two more appearances than Calgary’s Jack Guay (1993, ’94, ’95, ’98, 2004 & 2008). Karen Collura of Toronto, Ontario has four consecutive appearances (1993-1996), Diane Buchanan of Montreal represented Canada in three consecutive appearances (2000-2002) and 2-time world champion Caroline Lagrange has appeared three times as well (2009, 2013 & 2014). Kerrie Ryan-Ciach of Mississauga, Ontario now has three as well (2003, 2004 & 2015). Many have bowled in the World Cup on two occasions….In the men’s division; Graydon “Blondie” Robinson, Toronto, Ontario (1969 & 1978)…Gerry Duranceau, Montreal, Quebec (1976 & 1977)…Glen Watson, Toronto, Ontario (1973 & 1980)…Rod Hull, Vancouver, BC (1988 & 1996)…Bob Woolley, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario (1991 & 2001)…and Merlin Bunnage, Kelowna, BC (2002 & 2003). In the women’s event; Sandra Shott, Vancouver, BC (1986 & 1990)…Anne Saasto, Thunder Bay, Ontario (1991 & 1992)…Veronica Lalande-Lapointe, Ile Perrot, Quebec (2005 & 2006), Jennifer Park, Nanaimo, B.C. (2008 & 2011) & Felicia Wong, Calgary, Alta (2010 & 2012).
Family connections have also been part of Canada’s World Cup story with Jim Kramer Sr. of Sault Ste. Marie representing Canada in 1968 and son Jim Kramer Jr. in 1985, Frank Boehm, Regina, Sask. in 1970 and his daughter Susan Vanderaa competing in 1997. Gloria Collura, Toronto was the women’s representative in 1982 and daughter Karen had successive trips in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996.
Canadians have been the leaders in bowling perfect games. Jack Guay bowled the first ever 300 game in World Cup competition at Hermosillo, Mexico in 1994 and followed it with another in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1995. Jill Friis, London, Ontario, Diane Buchanan, Brossard, Quebec bowled 300 games in Las Vegas, Nevada and Lisbon, Portugal in 1999 and 2000 respectively and Caroline Lagrange in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, 2013.
Serge Beaulieu, Chomedy, Quebec, Jack Brace, Oshawa, Ont., Alan Tone, Grimsby, Ont. and Diane Buchanan, Brossard, QC have earned the coveted Sportsman/Sportswoman of the Tournament award, which is an honour selected by the players.
In 2004, Jack Guay of Calgary & Kerrie Ryan-Ciach of Mississauga jointly won the Best Country Performance award, placing 5th & 2nd respectively.
BOWL CANADA (formerly Bowling Proprietors Association of Canada) has sponsored the Canadian qualifying of the competition as well as Canada’s World Cup team since 1966. The event is also supported by SPORT CANADA. Qualifying events are held in each province and the Canadian final has been traditionally held in March to qualify the team for the coming Worlds, typically held in November.
For a list of Canada’s representatives and how they finished through the event’s history, simply visit us online at:
Our competitors and team coach are available to answer questions, give interviews, etc. before, during and after the event. Please contact them directly at:
Felicia Wong – felicia@canadabowls.ca
David Simard – david@canadabowls.ca
Tyrel Rose (Coach) – tyrel@canadabowls.ca