The 2026 Tenpin Bowling Australia National Junior Championships are officially underway, and Friday night’s Royal Rumble was the perfect setting to ease into an action-packed week.

The Royal Rumble has long been the perfect way to open the Junior Nationals – loud, fun, and fiercely competitive – and the teams who rocked up to Suncity Tenpin on the Sunshine Coast on Friday night understood the assignment. With the standard dress code thrown out the window in favour of full costume chaos, the six registered teams should be congratulated on their efforts.

Six teams contested the Baker-format event, where no one bowler can carry the team – every frame, every spare, every strike belongs to the group.

After six qualifying games, South Australia’s Lady Tradies (1,122) led the way into the top four alongside Minions 2 (1,099), Basketballs (1,040) and Minions 1 (933). Ninja Turtles and Banned Urethane Balls bowed out after qualifying.

The fun team names help paint the picture of this event provides before the serious stuff begins.  The Bowl-a-Strike competitions mid-event were exactly what a Friday night crowd needs – a single ball, $50 cash, and the whole room watching.

Then came the shootout.

In Round 2, the four remaining teams bowled game by game with the lowest score eliminated each time – nowhere to hide, no second chances. Minions 2 held their nerve and their consistency right to the end, claiming the Royal Rumble title.

Royal Rumble 2026 – Final Results

🥇 Minions 2 — Champions

🥈 Basketballs

🥉 Minions 1

4th — Lady Tradies

Congratulations to Minions 2, and to every team who came out and made night one so memorable. The costumes, the energy, the competition — exactly what the Royal Rumble is all about.

The Championships continue Saturday morning with Singles and Doubles squads. Stay tuned for more updates throughout the week.

Stay across all the action at tenpin.org.au/njc

---

Registered Royal Rumble Teams

Ninja Turtles – Victoria

Banned Urethane – Victoria

Basketballs – Victoria

Lady Tradies – South Australia

Minions 1 – South Queensland

Minions 2 – South Queensland