|
Roger Ebbatson representing Great Britain in the
2nd World Tenpin Bowling Championships 2004.
Local Appleby resident Roger began Tenpin Bowling only eighteen months ago and has achieved phenomenal success in such a short time. He has recently been invited to join the Great Britain Team in the 2004 World Championships.
Great Britain instigated and hosted the world’s first international tournament for visually impaired Tenpin Bowlers in Birmingham in 1999. The first World Championships were held in Helsinki, Finland in June 2002 at which the Great The British Team won one Gold, one Silver and one Bronze medal!
The second World Championships are to be held in Orlando, Florida in June 2004.
Countries participating in this years championships will include hosts Finland, Australia, USA, Great Britain, Korea, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, Japan and Chinese Taipei.
Great Britain is sending a team of 10 bowlers, plus 8 officials and various helpers.
The competition has singles, pairs, trios and 4 person team events, and is held over 4 grueling days for the competitors!
In order to achieve this the team need to raise £20,000 in sponsorship.
Tenpin bowling is a sport that all ages and all sight classification of visually impaired people can play. Modern day bowling centres now have computerised scoring and lane glances which make the sport much more competitive, enjoyable and easy to play. Equipment is included in the price of a game, and traveling to play other teams around the country is reduced to a minimum.
Weight of tenpin bowling balls range from 6lbs to 16lbs, with various size finger holes in them. Correctly bowled the finger holes are used, but you do not have to use them and the ball can be rolled down the lane without using them.
The lane glances which are used in the BBS National League means that no one should get a Zero Score with their first ball, and if used skillfully, can help knock down the remaining pins, although the real aim is not to use the glances but be skilful in knocking down the pins without. Foul lights are switched off to avoid anybody accidentally stepping over the line and their score being counted as void.
All the computerised scoring needs is for someone to enter the names of the bowler into the Computer (most Centres have staff to do this for you) and then when you have finished your game you ask the control desk for a print out of your score. The BBS National Tenpin Bowling League uses these score sheets to compile matches between teams form different parts of the Country playing one another without traveling to meet each other.
At present we use a handicap system depending on sight classification, although it is hoped to start using the handicap used in the sighted leagues which is based on your average score over three games and how you perform against your average. This then does away with sight classification, but makes matches much closer, and enables teams who play above their normal average to beat other teams, who do not.
Roger won Britain's first medal in the Championships - a Silver!
Very sadly, Roger passed away soon after this event.
|
