2025 TBA Junior Classic Cup Recap 🏆
By Matt Stevens
📍 Wyncity Keon Park – Monday, 7 April 2025
🎳 Scratch event for averages ≤179 (Girls) and ≤189 (Boys)
The 21st running of the TBA Junior Classic Cup delivered drama, comebacks, and crowning moments, as North Queensland’s Emily Hinspeter and Victoria’s Flynn Slade emerged as your 2025 Classic Cup champions! 🎉
Returning to the National Junior Championships for the first time since 2019, the Classic Cup saw 44 competitors take to the lanes in the final — 21 girls and 23 boys — to battle it out over eight scratch games. With no handicaps, it was all about consistency, grit, and firepower on the lanes.
👧 Girls Division – Emily’s Late Charge Seals It
New Zealand’s Kaitlyn Hoare came out firing, opening with back-to-back 200+ games (200, 203) to take the early lead. She held that momentum through the halfway point, despite pressure from Queenslanders Charlotte Fennell and Sophie Greaves, and a growing field behind her.
Meanwhile, Tasmania’s Abby George, fresh off a standout 268 in squads (the highest female game of the Championships), found her form mid-way through the Classic Cup final. A huge 256 in Game 5 rocketed her into second place, just 26 pins off the lead after six games.
But it was Sophie Jones (NQLD) who led the field heading into the final two games. After a tough run in the squad events, Sophie bounced back in the Classic with impressive consistency, averaging 191.8 over six games, including a 215 in Game 4.
Sitting just behind was her teammate Emily Hinspeter — in 4th place and 15 pins off the podium. But Emily had other plans.
With calm under pressure, Emily delivered a clutch 231 in Game 7, followed by a solid 193 in Game 8. That late surge lifted her to the top of the standings with a total of 1,517 — an average of 189 — to secure the 2025 Girls Classic Cup title.
🥇 Emily Hinspeter (NQLD) – 1,517
🥈 Sophie Jones (NQLD) – 1,500
🥉 Kaitlyn Hoare (NZL) – 1,471
👦 Boys Division – Flynn’s Run of a Lifetime Continues
If there was one name on everyone’s lips entering Cup Finals Day, it was Flynn Slade. The 15-year-old from Oz Tenpin Chirnside Park (VIC) made headlines with a perfect 300 game during the squads, and he carried that confidence straight into the Classic Cup.
Early on, it was Coby Schwetlik (SA) who set the pace, opening with 215 and 222 to take the lead. But Flynn kept the pressure on with games of 211 and 224, and by Game 3, he’d taken the lead for good.
Flynn’s consistency was remarkable — averaging 215.2 through the first six games with five scores over 200. Behind him, Jason Attard (NSW) climbed the standings with a mid-event surge, posting 233 and 216 in Games 3 and 4 to rise from a slow start.
Karlyn Richardson (NZL) and Cooper Mollet (NZL) jostled for third place, while early leader Coby slipped to fifth after a string of sub-200 games.
But Flynn was untouchable. He closed the event with authority, finishing on 1,669 — an average of 208 across the eight games — to become the 2025 Boys Classic Cup Champion. A home-based cup title with his parents in attendance ensured a great family photo was had.
🥇 Flynn Slade (VIC) – 1,669
🥈 Jason Attard (NSW) – 1,556
🥉 Cooper Mollet (NZL) – 1,536
🙌 Classic Cup Returns with a Bang
It was a welcome return for the Classic Cup — last held in 2019 — and it didn’t disappoint. Congratulations to all bowlers who attempted to qualify, to our 2025 finalists, and especially to our podium finishers for delivering performances to remember.
📊 Full scores and results here:
