Wyncity Youth Cup Set to Welcome Rising Stars
By Matt Stevens
The future stars of Tenpin Bowling are set to hit the lanes this weekend as the Wyncity Youth Cup officially kicks off the 2025 national ranked event series for youth bowlers.
Hosted at Wyncity Keon Park, this year’s tournament is a sold-out event, welcoming 56 talented bowlers for the prestigious 22nd edition of the competition. As the first of five ranking events for youth bowlers in 2025, competitors will have the chance to earn valuable points towards their national standings.
This year’s event will see new champions crowned, as defending titleholders Hannah Clark and Blake Walsh are absent—Hannah has aged out of the division, while Blake is currently on a bowling scholarship at Mt Mercy University in the United States.
Last year’s runners-up contenders, Samantha Clifton and Emily Hart, will return in the female division, eager to take the next step to victory. On the male side, Jackson Buckingham and Nicholas Rajkovic, who finished second and third last year, will also be back, aiming to climb to the top of the podium.
The tournament will feature a strong mix of competitors, including half the field made up of National Training Squad (NTS) bowlers from both the junior and youth divisions. The remaining half consists of junior and youth bowlers eager to compete in their first ranked event, achieve personal bests, or make their mark against some of the best in the nation.
Tournament Format
- Stage 1 (Saturday): All 56 bowlers will complete 12 games in two separate 6-game blocks for the qualification stage.
- Stage 2 (Sunday): The top 12 boys and top 12 girls with the highest total pinfall from Stage 1 will hit the lanes. These bowlers will compete in five additional games, carrying over their pinfall from Stage 1.
- Stage 3 – (Sunday) Matchplay Finals: The top six boys and six girls following the conclusion of stage 2, will progress to the final stage, where they will bowl five matchplay games. Bonus pins will be awarded—30 for a win, 15 for a draw.
- The boy and girl with the highest combined pinfall + bonus pins after all three stages will be crowned the 2025 Wyncity Youth Cup Champions.
Tenpin Bowling Australia wishes all competitors the best of luck and high scoring at this year’s event.
WYNCITY YOUTH CUP
PAST CHAMPIONS
| YEAR | MALE CHAMPION | FEMALE CHAMPION |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Brandon Qualischefski (Qld) | Clair Johnston (SA) |
| 2004 | Jason Belmonte (NSW) | Jayde Flanagan (Qld) |
| 2005 | Glen Loader (Vic) | Clair Johnston (SA |
| 2006 | Glen Loader (Vic) | Louise Ingoe (SA) |
| 2007 | David Porto (Vic) | Emily Robertson (Vic) |
| 2008 | David Porto (Vic) | Emily Robertson (Vic) |
| 2009 | Mitch Marris (WA) | Alicia Savill (Qld) |
| 2010 | Sam Cooley (NSW) | Kirsten Field (Vic) |
| 2011 | Sam Cooley (NSW) | Bec Whiting (Vic) |
| 2012 | Matthew Harriage (Vic) | Kaitlyn Commane (Tas) |
| 2013 | Paul White (Vic) | Emily Rigney (Vic) |
| 2014 | Jayden Leming (Qld) | Rachel Glare (Vic) |
| 2015 | Michael Murray (VIC) | Carly Giordmaina (VIC) |
| 2016 | Blayne Fletcher (QLD) | Janet Hunt (NSW) |
| 2017 | Bernie Grueso Jr (VIC) | Janet Hunt (NSW) |
| 2018 | Matt Clague (QLD) | Emma Stephens (NSW) |
| 2019 | Trent Webber (SA) | Chloe Jones (QLD) |
| 2020 | Bernie Grueso Jr (VIC) | Amy Shoesmith (ACT) |
| 2022 | Bernie Grueso Jr (VIC) | Grace Fahy (VIC) |
| 2023 | Nicholas Rajkovic (VIC) | Ellieh Bowman (QLD) |
| 2024 | Blake Walsh (NSW) | Hannah Clark (QLD) |
