2026 Queensland Junior & Youth Cup Recap
By Matt Stevens
Starkey Edges Westlake by One Pin; Dinham Dominant; Walsh and Pirlo Make History at Inaugural Ranked Youth Cup
The 2026 Queensland Junior Cup and Queensland Youth Cup delivered one of the most compelling weekends in the history of either event, with Coolangatta Tweed Tenpin providing the backdrop for drama, dominance, and a moment of genuine history as the first nationally ranked Queensland Youth Cup crowned its inaugural champions.
Emily Starkey claimed the QJC girls’ crown by a single pin in an extraordinary finish, Julian Dinham continued his relentless march in national ranked events, Zayne Pirlo etched his name into history as the first nationally ranked Queensland Youth Cup boys’ champion, and Brianna Walsh pulled off a remarkable double – claiming the inaugural QYC girls’ title before going agonisingly close to the QJC crown as well.
At A Glance
| Event | 2026 Queensland Junior Cup & 2026 Queensland Youth Cup |
| Dates | 1-4 May 2026 |
| Venue | Coolangatta Tweed Tenpin, Tweed Heads |
| Division | Junior & Youth |
| Status | 2026 TBA Nationally Ranked Event |
| Edition | 12th QJC and 1st QYC |
| 2026 QJC Girls Champion | Emily Starkey (QLD) |
| 2026 QJC Boys Champion | Julian Dinham (NSW) |
| 2026 QYC Girls Champion | Brianna Walsh (NSW) |
| 2026 QYC Boys Champion | Zayne Pirlo (NSW) |
| Full Results | View Here |
Overview
Four days. Four divisions. No shortage of drama.
The 12th edition of the Queensland Junior Cup lived up to its billing across every session, with the boys’ division providing familiar dominance from Julian Dinham and the girls’ division producing one of the tightest fights the event has ever seen. Meanwhile, the Queensland Youth Cup stepped into the national ranked spotlight for the first time and delivered everything you could want from an inaugural edition – compelling competition, multiple storylines, and a pair of worthy first-time champions.
Results
Queensland Junior Cup – Girls
Emily Starkey claims the QJC girls’ title by a single pin in a stunning finish
One pin. After four days and 16 games of competition, that was all that separated Emily Starkey and Bella Westlake at the conclusion of the 2026 Queensland Junior Cup girls’ division – the tightest finish in recent memory at any national junior ranked event.
Starkey, who qualified third behind top qualifier Brianna Walsh (2,361), kept herself in contention throughout the competition and found her best when it mattered most. Her matchplay haul of 75 bonus pins – three wins from five – combined with a closing game of 224 proved just enough, her final total of 4,075 edging Westlake’s 4,074 by the narrowest of margins.
Westlake, the 2024 QJC champion, led at key stages of the finals and appeared to have done enough, only for Starkey to edge her out in the final game. Brianna Walsh, who topped qualifying and Stage 2, came home in third with 4,016 – a strong result that would have felt even better had she not also been writing history in the Youth Cup on the same weekend (more on that shortly).
Podium – QJC Girls
| Position | Athlete | Total |
| 🥇 | Emily Starkey | 4,075 |
| 🥈 | Bella Westlake | 4,074 |
| 🥉 | Brianna Walsh | 4,016 |
Top 10 – QJC Girls
Please note that only the top 6 participated in the stage 3 matchplay.
| Position | Athlete | Total |
| 1 | Emily Starkey | 4,075 |
| 2 | Bella Westlake | 4,074 |
| 3 | Brianna Walsh | 4,016 |
| 4 | Summah Bennett | 3,932 |
| 5 | Brooke Buckingham | 3,833 |
| 6 | Abby George | 3,800 |
| 7 | Jessica Chi | 2,887 |
| 8 | Aleisha McGarry | 2,721 |
| 9 | Talia Piffero | 2,558 |
| 10 | Harper Walsh | 2,498 |
Queensland Junior Cup – Boys
Dinham delivers again
If there is a ceiling to Julian Dinham’s dominance in national ranked event bowling, it was nowhere to be found at Coolangatta Tweed Tenpin.
The New South Wales star – fresh from back-to-back Australian Open titles in the Open division – arrived at Tweed Heads as the clear favourite and left with the Queensland Junior Cup to add to a collection that is fast becoming one of the most impressive in the junior game’s recent history. Dinham topped qualifying with 2,544 pins and never left the summit, leading through stage 2 (3,436) and carrying his advantage through to matchplay, where he claimed two wins from five but had enough in the bank to finish comfortably clear.
His final total of 4,550 gave him a 130-pin winning margin over Joshua Buttigieg (4,420), who produced an outstanding matchplay performance of his own – three wins and a 267 high game in his qualifying block to claim a strong runner-up result. William Zaccariua, the reigning 2026 QJC champion, took third place with 4,317, rounding out a top three that reads as close to a who’s who of Australian junior bowling as you’ll currently find.
This is Julian’s second Queensland Junior Cup title after winning his first in 2024. He joins a group of four boys who have won two QJC titles (Matt Clague, Nixon Chan, Blake Walsh, Julian Dinham).
Podium – QJC Boys
| Position | Athlete | Total |
| 🥇 | Julian Dinham | 4,550 |
| 🥈 | Joshua Buttigieg | 4,420 |
| 🥉 | William Zaccaria | 4,317 |
Top 10 – QJC Boys
Please note that only the top 6 participated in the stage 3 matchplay.
| Position | Athlete | Total |
| 1 | Julian Dinham | 4,550 |
| 2 | Joshua Buttigieg | 4,420 |
| 3 | William Zaccaria | 4,317 |
| 4 | Zayne Pirlo | 4,198 |
| 5 | Hayden Miller | 4,181 |
| 6 | Maverick Gordon | 4,169 |
| 7 | Tyler Clarkson | 3,078 |
| 8 | Luca McPherson | 3,060 |
| 9 | Flynn Slade | 3,058 |
| 10 | Nathaniel Slode | 2,985 |
Queensland Youth Cup – Girls (Inaugural Ranked Edition)
Walsh makes history as first nationally ranked QYC girls’ champion
Brianna Walsh’s weekend at Coolangatta Tweed Tenpin deserves its own chapter.
After topping both qualifying and Stage 2 in the QJC girls’ draw and going on to finish third in that event, Walsh turned her attention to the Queensland Youth Cup – and promptly bowled her way into the history books, claiming the inaugural nationally ranked QYC girls’ title with a composed and clinical matchplay performance.
Walsh’s 4,123 total was built on four wins from five matchplay games including a 221 in game four – was enough to hold off Brooke Buckingham (4,047) and Emily Starkey (4,037), who was contesting her second final of the weekend. That both Starkey and Buckingham were within striking distance underlines just how competitive the weekend’s female field was across both events. Jasmine Walker and Bella Westlake rounded out the top five.
As the inaugural nationally ranked QYC girls’ champion, Walsh’s name leads off the record books for this event’s new chapter. A moment for the sport to acknowledge.
Podium – QYC Girls
| Position | Athlete | Total |
| 🥇 | Brianna Walsh | 4,123 |
| 🥈 | Brooke Buckingham | 4,047 |
| 🥉 | Emily Starkey | 4,037 |
Top 10 – QYC Girls
Please note that only the top 6 participated in the stage 3 matchplay.
| Position | Athlete | Total |
| 1 | Brianna Walsh | 4,123 |
| 2 | Brooke Buckingham | 4,047 |
| 3 | Emily Starkey | 4,037 |
| 4 | Jasmine Walker | 3,977 |
| 5 | Bella Westlake | 3,968 |
| 6 | Katelin Melton | 3,929 |
| 7 | Samantha Clifton | 2,927 |
| 8 | Kayla Piffero | 2,912 |
| 9 | Vanessa Hannigan | 2,868 |
| 10 | Sophie Greaves | 2,831 |
Queensland Youth Cup – Boys (Inaugural Ranked Edition)
Pirlo edges Zaccaria to claim inaugural QYC boys’ crown
If the girl’s weekend was defined by Walsh’s composure, the boys’ QYC was defined by Zayne Pirlo’s explosive finishing.
Pirlo, who had also featured strongly in the QJC boys’ draw, topped Stage 2 of the Youth Cup qualifying with 3,404 pins – 96 ahead of William Zaccaria – and carried his advantage through to matchplay, where a brilliant closing game of 245 helped him seal the title with a 4,425 total. Zaccaria pushed all the way, his 4,412 final tally just 13 pins behind as one of the tightest title finishes on the weekend.
Joshua Buttigieg, who had already claimed QJC silver, added a QYC bronze to complete an exception weekend at Tweed Heads (4,369). Julian Dinham and his older brother Justin Dinham also featured in the top five – making it a remarkable family showing in the inaugural Youth Cup finals, with Julian (4th, 4,280) and Justin (5th, 4,262) both in contention on finals day.
Pirlo takes his place as the first nationally ranked Queensland Youth Cup boys’ champion – a title that carries genuine weight in the Youth Division’s national calendar from here on.
Podium – QYC Boys
| Position | Athlete | Total |
| 🥇 | Zayne Pirlo | 4,425 |
| 🥈 | William Zaccaria | 4,412 |
| 🥉 | Joshua Buttigieg | 4,369 |
Top 10 – QYC Boys
Please note that only the top 6 participated in the stage 3 matchplay.
| Position | Athlete | Total |
| 1 | Zayne Pirlo | 4,425 |
| 2 | William Zaccaria | 4,412 |
| 3 | Joshua Buttigieg | 4,369 |
| 4 | Julian Dinham | 4,280 |
| 5 | Justin Dinham | 4,262 |
| 6 | Hayden Miller | 3,141 |
| 7 | Tyler Clarkson | 3,121 |
| 8 | Luca McPherson | 3,115 |
| =9 | Jake Sayer | 3,050 |
| =9 | Jackson Buckingham | 3,050 |
Please note – Hayden Miller retired hurt within the first game of matchplay.
Restricted Division
The Restricted/Handicap Division finals rounded out the day’s competition, with Tamsyn Wheatley (1,271) claiming the girls’ title and Harlem Morris (1,328) taking the boys’ crown after a competitive five-game matchplay final.
Podium – QJC Restricted Girls
| Position | Athlete | Total |
| 🥇 | Tamsyn Wheatley | 1,271 |
| 🥈 | Holly Boadle | 1,258 |
| 🥉 | Kaitlyn Danson | 1,230 |
Podium – QJC Restricted Boys
| Position | Athlete | Total |
| 🥇 | Harlem Morris | 1,328 |
| 🥈 | Noah Danson | 1,276 |
| 🥉 | Xavier Walker | 1,206 |
Performance Highlights
HIGH GAMES
287 Brianna Walsh & 267 Joshua Buttigieg
Fletcher Family Trophy Winner
Both winners receive a ball from BPD Australia and determined by committee on someone who demonstrates high level of sportsmanship.
- QJC – Jessica Chi
- QYC – Sophie Greaves
Future Star Award Winners
Picked by the committee on bowlers that show potential. Both winners receive a bowling ball donated by BPD Australia.
Acknowledgements
Tenpin Bowling Australia congratulates Emily Starkey, Julian Dinham, Brianna Walsh, and Zayne Pirlo on their titles, and extends special recognition to all six division finalists across an exception weekend of junior and youth bowling. The inauguration of the Queensland Youth Cup as a nationally ranked event marks a significant moment for the TBA Youth Division, and the quality of competition on display this weekend was a fitting way to mark that milestone.
Thanks to Queensland Junior Youth Tenpin, the Tenpin Bowling Association of Queensland, Tournament Director Rob McDonald, the team at Coolangatta Tweed Tenpin, and all sponsors, officials, and volunteers who made the 2026 QJC and QYC possible.
QJC Past Champions
| Year | Female | Male |
| 2015 | Breanna Kyte (QLD) | Matt Clague (QLD) |
| 2016 | Rebekah Commane (VIC) | Matt Clague (QLD) |
| 2017 | Rebekah Commane (VIC) | Kyle Annetts (ACT) |
| 2018 | Grace Fahy (VIC) | Nixon Chan (NSW) |
| 2019 | Sarah Pennicott (TAS) | Nixon Chan (NSW) |
| 2020 | Jessica Canfield (QLD) | Jackson Buckingham (QLD) |
| 2021 | Emily Meehan (NSW) | Blake Walsh (NSW) |
| 2022 | Tamika Pettigrew (QLD) | Blake Walsh (NSW) |
| 2023 | Emily Hart (SA) | Seth Gray (VIC) |
| 2024 | Bella Westlake (QLD) | Julian Dinham (NSW) |
| 2025 | Brooke Buckingham (QLD) | William Zaccaria (VIC) |
| 2026 | Emily Starkey (QLD) | Julian Dinham (NSW) |
QYC Past Champions
| Year | Female | Male |
| 2026 | Brianna Walsh (NSW) | Zayne Pirlo (NSW) |
