2025 Wyncity Youth Cup Recap
By Matt Stevens
North Queensland’s Emily Hinspeter and Victoria’s Seth Gray emerged victorious at the 2025 Wyncity Youth Cup, overcoming tough competition and a grueling long oil pattern to claim the first national youth titles of the year.
Held at Wyncity Keon Park, the event featured 56 of Australia’s best young bowlers – 28 males and 28 females – competing for valuable ranking points in a high-stakes showdown that went down to the final game to reveal this year’s champions.
A New Challenge – TBA Possum Oil Pattern
This year marked a change in the lane conditions, with Tenpin Bowling Australia (TBA) introducing a new oil pattern bank for ranked events for junior, youth, open, women, and inclusion divisions.
The new pattern bank is categorized into short, medium, and long patterns. Wyncity Youth Cup opted for the 45-foot-long “TBA Possum” pattern, adding an extra layer of challenge for competitors.
You can view all the patterns in this years bank here – https://tenpin.org.au/events/tbapatternbank/
Qualifying Standout Performances
In the male division, last year’s junior division rankings champion, Julian Dinham, set the pace early, finishing the 12-game qualification phase in first place with a total of 2,561 pins, averaging 213.4 and posting a high game of 275 in match two.
Seth Gray followed closely in second place with 2,559, showcasing his firepower with a 262 in game one. Reigning youth division rankings champion Justin Dinham rounded out the top three.
On the female side, 2024 rankings winner Samantha Clifton came out strong, leading qualifying with 2,351 pins and a high game of 232 in match six.
Emily Hinspeter of North Queensland kept the pressure on, finishing just 28 pins behind with 2,323, while Aleisha McGarry from Shellharbour, New South Wales, secured third place with 2,277 after a strong start that included back-to-back 200+ games (214, 223).
Stage 2 – Securing a Spot in Matchplay
The top 12 qualifiers advanced to the second stage for an additional five games. The female division saw little change at the top, as scoring conditions became more challenging. However, Tasmania’s Abby George made an impressive leap from 11th to 5th place, powered by back-to-back games of 233 and 213.
In the male division, Julian Dinham held onto his lead, finishing with a 17-game total of 3,646. Older brother Justin climbed to second, while Logan City Tenpin’s Jackson Buckingham made a push to third with a strong final three-game stretch of 254, 250, and 233, bumping Seth Gray down to fourth.
The top six bowlers advancing to matchplay were:
- Female Division: Emily Hinspeter (3,291), Samantha Clifton (3,344), Aleisha McGarry (3,222), Emily Hart (3,109), Abby George (3,031), and Shanae Key (3,013).
- Male Division: Julian Dinham (3,646), Justin Dinham (3,529), Jackson Buckingham (3,447), Seth Gray (3,559), Trent Mcdougall (3,451), and William Zaccaria (3,455)
Matchplay Drama
The five-game matchplay round added bonus pins into the equation, leading to some thrilling final games.
In the female division, Abby George continued her momentum, winning all five matchplay games and collecting a maximum 150 bonus pins. However, she remained in 5th place overall. The podium battle came down to the wire, with North Queensland’s Emily Hinspeter staging a dramatic late charge.
Entering the final game 52 pins behind leader Samantha Clifton, matched up against her Asian Junior Championship bronze medal doubles partner Emily Hart, Hinspeter closed with a 196 win (+30 bonus), overtaking Clifton, who managed only a 160 loss in the final game against Abby George. Hinspeter finished with 4,277, surpassing Clifton’s 4,263 to claim the title.
After a successful 2024, including winning the Sydney Youth Cup and medaling in Malaysia at the Asian Junior Championships, Hinspeter now opens 2025 with another national title.
The male division followed a similar nail-biting finish.
Victorian duo Trent McDougall (4,497) and William Zaccaria (4,538) rounded out the standings in 6th and 5th, while Jackson Buckingham finished 4th (4,631). Julian Dinham, after leading for much of the event, finished in 3rd (4,753) despite two matchplay victories.
With just one game remaining, Justin Dinham held a narrow lead with 4,604 pins but fell just short in his final match, posting a 214 without securing the crucial 30 bonus pins. His final tally: 4,818.
Meanwhile, Seth Gray, who started matchplay in 4th, surged forward with four straight wins, entering the final game in second place. He needed to beat Justin Dinham and secure bonus pins to claim the title- and he delivered.
A stunning 244 win (+30 bonus) gave him a massive 274 total in the final match, enough to leapfrog Dinham and emerge as the 2025 Wyncity Youth Cup champion. Seth ran the matchplay phase undefeated winning all five games.
Finishing 4th in last year’s youth rankings, Gray’s performance signals a strong year ahead as he aims to establish himself as a top contender.
Future Frames
The weekend showcased some of Australia’s brightest young bowlers, giving selectors a lot to think about ahead of the upcoming IBF World Youth Cup scheduled for mid-June in Sweden.
With Emily Hinspeter and Seth Gray setting the benchmark as the first youth champions of 2025, the season is off to an exciting start. While the next youth event, the TBA21 National Masters, isn’t until mid-July at the AGL National High-Performance Centre, bowlers eager to stay sharp and will have opportunities in Open and Women’s Divisions events to add their ‘best other’ event to their 2025 resumes.
Tenpin Bowling Australia congratulates Emily Hinspeter and Seth Gray on their outstanding performances and thanks all competitors for making the trip and giving it their all. Special thanks to Wyncity Keon Park and the new manager Melissa Negrin for their fantastic efforts in hosting the 22nd edition of the Wyncity Youth Cup.
CHAMPION JOURNEY –
EMILY HINSPETER
Stage 1
| 201 | 198 | 201 | 192 | 184 | 196 |
| 186 | 194 | 179 | 201 | 188 | 203 |
| Stage 1 Total | 2,323 |
| Stage 1 Average | 193.6 |
| Position | 2nd highest qualifier |
| High Game | 203 |
Stage 2
| 202 | 220 | 153 | 216 | 177 |
| 5 Game Total | 968 |
| Running Total | 3,291 |
| Position | 2nd place |
Stage 3
| 179 | 180 | 191 | 180 | 196 |
| 5 Game Total | 926 |
| Matchplay Wins | 2/5 |
| Bonus Pins | 60 |
| Total Pinfall | 4,217 |
| Total (Pinfall + Bonus) | 4,277 |
| High Game | 220 |
| Tournament Average | 191.7 |
Matchplay
| Vs Samantha Clifton | Loss | 179-194 |
| Vs Aleisha McGarry | Win | 180-179 |
| Vs Abby George | Loss | 191-208 |
| Vs Shanae Key | Loss | 180-185 |
| Vs Emily Hart | Win | 196-191 |
CHAMPION JOURNEY –
SETH GRAY
Stage 1
| 262 | 213 | 204 | 235 | 171 | 201 |
| 160 | 220 | 224 | 204 | 219 | 246 |
| Stage 1 Total | 2,559 |
| Stage 1 Average | 213.3 |
| Position | 2nd highest qualifier |
| High Game | 262 |
Stage 2
| 182 | 146 | 209 | 216 | 211 |
| 5 Game Total | 964 |
| Running Total | 3,523 |
| Position | 4th place |
Stage 3
| 202 | 263 | 212 | 236 | 244 |
| 5 Game Total | 1,157 |
| Matchplay Wins | 5/5 |
| Bonus Pins | 150 |
| Total Pinfall | 4,680 |
| Total (Pinfall + Bonus) | 4,830 |
| High Game | 263 |
| Tournament Average | 212.7 |
Matchplay
| Vs Jackson Buckingham | Win | 202-191 |
| Vs Trent McDougall | Win | 263-210 |
| Vs William Zaccaria | Win | 212-170 |
| Vs Julian Dinham | Win | 236-192 |
| Vs Justin Dinham | Win | 244-214 |
TOP TEN PERFORMANCES
Please note that the top 6 totals include the matchplay phase that they qualified for.
Female Division
- Emily Hinspeter (QLD) – 4,277
- Samantha Clifton (NSW) – 4,263
- Aleisha McGarry (NSW) – 4,161
- Emily Hart (SA) – 4,153
- Abby George (TAS) – 4,113
- Shanae Key (VIC) – 3,980
- Amelie Perrin -Nitschke (VIC) – 2,996
- Emma Blunden (WA) – 2,992
- Brianna Walsh (NSW) – 2,989
- Sophie Jones (QLD) – 2,960
Male Division
- Seth Gray (VIC) – 4,830
- Justin Dinham (NSW) – 4,818
- Julian Dinham (NSW) – 4,753
- Jackson Buckingham (QLD) – 4,631
- William Zaccaria (VIC) – 4,538
- Trent McDougall (VIC) – 4,497
- Blayde Christensen (QLD) – 3,410
- Oliver Zaccaria (VIC) – 3,313
- Riley Gundy (QLD) – 3,277
- Lachlan Howse (QLD) – 3,238
HIGH GAMES
FEMALE DIVISION
245 – Brianna Walsh (NSW)
MALE DIVISION
277 – Julian Dinham (NSW)
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) |
| 2025 | Seth Gray (VIC) | Emily Hinspeter (QLD) |
