2025 IBF World Championships – Team Australia: Morning Brief Day 9
By Matt Stevens
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2025 IBF World Championships – Top Bowl, Kowloon, Hong Kong – Day 9
Day 9 begins with Australia regrouping after a full day of Women’s Trios action. Both of our trios hit the lanes yesterday with determination and composure across their seven-game qualification blocks, producing strong moments throughout the day – including an excellent 1,346 performance from our first squad. It wasn’t quite enough to progress to Round 2, with our Squad 1 trio finishing agonisingly close, just 7 pins outside the Top 16 cut line.
With the Trios discipline now complete until the finals tomorrow, the Championships shift into their next major phase: the Team of Five. This event is one of the most anticipated formats of the World Championships, placing complete emphasis on teamwork, timing, and trust across every frame. Both the men and women will contest their qualification blocks today, each aiming to secure a place inside the Top 8 to return tonight for Round 2 matchplay.
It’s a fresh start and a new opportunity for Australia to build momentum as we move deeper into the tournament.
What Happened – Women’s Trios Qualification (7 Games)
Squad 1 – Jamie Phelan, Samantha Clifton, Siarn Ottaviano
| 186 |
| 184 |
| 182 |
| 219 |
| 180 |
| 193 |
| 202 |
| Total: 1,346 |
| Average: 192.29 |
| Squad Position – 7th |
| Pins behind the Squad Leader – 170 |
Australia’s first women’s trio opened Day 9 with a steady and composed seven-game block, highlighted by a strong finish that kept them firmly in the qualification conversation.
Jamie, Samantha, and Siarn worked their way into the pattern with three early games in the 180s, building a platform before producing their best performance of the block – a 219 in Game 4 that lifted them up the standings. Another 180 followed before the trio closed their run strongly with 193 and 202, showcasing calm execution under pressure.
Their total of 1,346 (192.29 avg) placed them 7th in Squad 1, just three pins shy of Macau in fifth place and inside the range that typically challenges for a Top 16 position.
A solid effort from the Aussie trio, and now, like many teams in the morning block, faced a nervous wait for Squad 2 to determine their Round 2 fate.
Squad 2 – Dena Buxton, Bek Martin, Bec Whiting
| 226 |
| 166 |
| 176 |
| 200 |
| 159 |
| 161 |
| 197 |
| Total: 1,285 |
| Average: 183.57 |
| Squad Position: 17th |
| Pins behind the Leader – 221 |
Australia’s second trio opened their block in style, firing a superb 226- the second highest opening game of the squad – to immediately position themselves inside the upper half of the field. But the momentum was difficult to sustain, with a tough 166 in Game 2 bringing them back to the pack.
At the halfway mark, the experienced trio sat in 12th place, just 106 pins behind a strong Singapore side leading the squad. With three games to play, the door was still wide open for a late push.
However, two challenging games of 159 and 161 in the back half made the climb increasingly difficult, and despite steadying with a solid 197 to close, the girls finished with 1,285 (183.57 average) – 17th in Squad 2.
When the combined standings were finalized, the outcome was a heartbreaking one for the green and gold. Australia’s Squad 1 trio – who had put themselves in striking distance with 1,346 earlier in the day – finished 19th overall, missing the Top 16 cut by just 7 pins. Squad 2 closed the day in 30th place.
A tough finish for both teams, but plenty of fight shown across the day from all six athletes.
🎳 Day 9 Preview – Men & Women Team of Five Qualification
Day 9 marks the beginning of the final discipline of the Championships: the Team of Five event. With medals already secured in the Men’s Trios, momentum and confidence are high as Australia turns its focus to the most prestigious format in world bowling.
Both the men and women take to the lanes today, beginning with the morning’s qualification blocks before the top performing nations return tonight for the opening stage of Round 2 group matchplay. With only one team per federation and just eight spots available in each division, qualifying is expected to be fiercely competitive.
The Baker format remains in play, placing a premium on precision, rhythm, communication, and trust – the hallmarks of strong team bowling. Every frame carries weight, and every contribution matters.
Federations can utilise their full six-player roster across the Team of Five event, with the flexibility to rotate players in and out each game and adjust their lineup order as needed. The teams will aim to post a strong seven-game block and push into the Top 8 cut line for a chance to bowl again tonight in Round 2.
A huge day awaits.
🗓️Wednesday 3 December 2025 – Day Schedule (AEST)
(The times below are AEST e.g. Brisbane. Hong Kong is 2 hours behind Brisbane)
- 09:30-11:00 – Lane Maintenance
- 11:00-11:15 – Warm Up
- 11:15-13:30 – Men Team of 5 Qualifying (7 Games)
- 13:30-14:30 – Lane Maintenance
- 14:30-14:45 – Warm Up
- 14:45-17:00 – Women Team of 5 Qualifying (7 Games)
- 17:00-18:00 – Lane Maintenance
- 18:00-18:15 – Warm Up
- 18:15-20:30 – Men and Women Team of 5 Round 2 (Round Robin – 7 Games)
🇦🇺 Australian Schedule – Women’s Trios (AEST)
| 11:15-13:30 – Men Team of 5 Qualifying (7 Games) |
| Lanes 18, 21, 27, 28, 30, 7, 11 |
| 14:45-17:00 – Women Team of 5 Qualifying (7 Games) |
| Lanes 29, 26, 20, 19, 17, 12, 20 |
| 18:15-20:30 – Men and Women Team of 5 Round 2 (Round Robin – 7 Games) |
| TBD |
| Lanes TBD |
🎳Team of 5 Event – Format Overview
- All games to be bowled in Baker Format
- Unlike Traditional Teams, the Team of 5 Baker-format event will allow Federations to utilise their full six-player roster across the Team of Five event, with the flexibility to rotate players in and out each game and adjust their lineup order as needed.
- Round 1 – Qualification
- One team of five per federation
- Seven games, Baker format
- Top 8 nations advance
- Round 2 – Top 8 Matchplay
- One group of 8 teams
- Seven games round-robin
- 3 points for a win
- 1 point for a draw
- Semi-Finals
- Top four teams (based on Round 2 points) advance to the medal rounds:
- SF1 – 1v4
- SF2 – 2v3
- Best of three Baker Games
- Finals
- Winners meet for gold
- Best of three Baker Games
📲 How to Follow
Stay updated on all schedules, morning briefs, results, stream links via the Team Australia Hub on the TBA website here – Click Here.
💚💛 Let’s Go Aussies!
