Breakthrough Weekend for Notman and Riley in Adelaide
By Matt Stevens
The 22nd edition of the SA Seniors Classic brought together some of Australia’s most experienced and respected senior and grand senior bowlers, as the third nationally ranked event of the 2025 season took place at Bowland Salisbury in South Australia.
Across two days of competition, bowlers completed 16 games – eight games per day – with the overall champions determined by total pinfall.
At this year’s edition, two bowlers would celebrate their first title wins of the 2025 season, adding their names to the honour roll of this long-standing and well-regarded event.
Female Senior Division
Victoria’s Jenny Notman has claimed her first Senior Division title, winning the 2025 SA Seniors Classic in what is her debut season competing in the senior ranks.
After a slow start to the year, finishing 18th at the Hammer QLD Senior Classic, Notman bounced back with a third-place finish at the John Sullivan Senior Australian Open. In Salisbury, she continued her upward trajectory, delivering a consistent two-day performance to finish with a total pinfall of 3,202, averaging 200 across the 16-game event.
Notman produced four 200+ games on each day, with her standout scores coming at the start and end of both blocks — including a 246 on Day 1 and a 257 on Day 2. A proud Richmond Tigers supporter, she will look to carry this momentum into the remaining two events of the 2025 season.
Queenslander Heather Robertson finished second overall with another strong showing, falling 65 pins short of the lead. Rounding out the podium was Western Australia’s Samantha Matthews, who finished just ahead of Amanda Bradley, who made a welcome return to national competition. Bradley, a former Australian representative and 1999 QubicaAMF World Cup champion, also holds multiple national titles and was widely regarded as one of the most formidable competitors on tour during her peak.
Winners Journey – Jenny Notman (VIC)
Day 1 – 8 games
| 205 | 216 | 157 | 172 | 196 | 173 | 229 | 246 |
| Total | 1,594 | ||||||
| Position | 1st place | ||||||
Day 2 – 8 games
| 200 | 257 | 191 | 173 | 149 | 184 | 245 | 209 |
| Total | 1,608 | ||||||
| Tournament Total | 3,202 | ||||||
| Tournament Average | 200.1 | ||||||
| Tournament High Game | 257 | ||||||
Top 10 Female Division
- Jenny Notman (VIC)
- Heather Robertson (QLD)
- Samantha Matthews (WA)
- Amanda Bradley (NSW)
- Robyn Flynn (VIC)
- Christine Clark (VIC)
- Lee Booth (VIC)
- Karen Newman (VIC)
- Jo Babic (SA)
- Karen Smith (QLD)
Female Grand Senior Division
Queensland’s Heather Robertson continued her dominant run in the Grand Senior division, claiming her third consecutive title of the 2025 season.
Building on receiving maximum ranking points at the Hammer and John Sullivan events, Robertson once again led the way in Adelaide, finishing with a total pinfall of 3,137. Her performance also saw her place second overall in the Senior standings, highlighting her standing in the senior female ranks.
Robyn Flynn finished in second place, 95 pins behind the leader, while Julie Harrison completed the podium with a total of 2,838.
Winners Journey – Heather Robertson (QLD)
Day 1 – 8 games
| 236 | 207 | 159 | 205 | 215 | 205 | 195 | |
| Total | 1,587 | ||||||
| Position | 2nd place in female field | ||||||
Day 2 – 8 games
| 192 | 193 | 198 | 176 | 200 | 244 | 189 | 158 |
| Total | 1,550 | ||||||
| Tournament Total | 3,137 | ||||||
| Tournament Average | 196.1 | ||||||
| Tournament High Score | 244 | ||||||
Top 10 Female Grand Senior Division
- Heather Robertson (QLD)
- Robyn Flynn (VIC)
- Julie Harrison (NSW)
- Robyn Bull (VIC)
- Kerry Kennedy (QLD)
- Maxine Forrest (WA)
- Sue Baly (WA)
- Kaye Talbot (NT)
- Fely Shih (WA)
TOURNAMENT FEMALE HIGH SCORE
278 – Karen Newman (VIC)
Male Senior Division
Tasmania’s Ashley Riley, the 2024 Senior Rankings Champion, has claimed his first title of the 2025 season with a commanding second-day performance at Bowland Salisbury.
After finishing ninth at the Hammer and sixth at the John Sullivan Senior Australian Open, Riley continued his steady form improvement. He entered Day 2 trailing Day 1 leader Emilio Di Iorio by 73 pins but quickly turned the tables with opening games of 276 and 280. Riley went on to finish with a total pinfall of 3,717, averaging an impressive 232 across the 16 games.
A fierce competitor on the lanes and a respected presence off them, Riley continues to set the standard in the senior division. With his first title of the year now secured, he’ll look to build further momentum in the events to come. Ashley becomes the first Tasmanian to win the SA Seniors Classic title in its 22-year history.
Victorian Emilio Di iorio continued his strong form to finish in second place. Bowling out of Zone Bowling Forest Hill, Di Iorio continues to grow in confidence with each event.
Local bowler Ben Muir rounded out the podium in third place. After sitting in 13th at the end of Day 1, Muir produced a standout Day 2 performance, including a run of 200+ games and a near-perfect 297, to surge up the leaderboard.
Winners Journey – Ashley Riley
Day 1 – 8 Games
| 194 | 233 | 258 | 216 | 215 | 224 | 227 | 218 |
| Total | 1,785 | ||||||
| Position | 2nd place, 73 pins behind leader Emilio Di Lorio. | ||||||
Day 2 – 8 Games
| 276 | 189 | 280 | 225 | 237 | 213 | 267 | 245 |
| Total | 1,932 | ||||||
| Tournament Total | 3,717 | ||||||
| Tournament Average | 232.3 | ||||||
| Tournament High Score | 280 | ||||||
Top 10 Male Senior Division
- Ashley Riley (TAS)
- Emilio Di iorio (VIC)
- Ben Muir (SA)
- Colin Ruffy (SA)
- Michael Muir (SA)
- Graeme Morgan (QLD)
- Andrew Thorpe (VIC)
- Dan Borey (WA)
- Dean Champ (VIC)
- Damien McAndrew (QLD)
Male Grand Senior Division
Defending Grand Senior Rankings Champion Jim Bakirtzidis (NSW) has claimed his second Grand Senior title of the 2025 season, finishing with a total pinfall of 3,315, including a strong 277 in his penultimate game.
After a runner-up finish at the Hammer and a win at the John Sullivan Senior Australian Open, Bakirtzidis has shown impressive consistency throughout his title defence and now strengthens his hold on top spot in the rankings.
Fellow New South Wales bowler Jim Karakostas finished in second place, with Victorian Darrell Holt securing the final spot on the podium.
Winners Journey – Jim Bakirtzidis
Day 1 – 8 games
| 191 | 192 | 219 | 159 | 171 | 258 | 204 | 208 |
| Total – 1,602 | |||||||
| Position – 19th in the male division field | |||||||
Day 2 – 8 Games
| 247 | 178 | 191 | 219 | 201 | 193 | 277 | 207 |
| Total – 1,713 | |||||||
| Tournament Total – 3,315 | |||||||
| Tournament Average – 207.2 | |||||||
| Tournament High Score – 277 | |||||||
Top 10 Male Grand Seniors
- Jim Bakirtzidis (NSW)
- Jim Karakostas (NSW)
- Darrell Holt (VIC)
- David Farquharson (VIC)
- Alan Przybysz (SA)
- Andrew Campbell (ACT)
- Kevin Blackmore (SA)
- Lyall Gunn (TAS)
- Roy Andrews (NT)
- Peter Williams (QLD)
TOURNAMENT MALE HIGH SCORE
297 – Ben Muir (SA)
Future Frames
Tenpin Bowling Australia congratulates all bowlers on their efforts at the 2025 SA Seniors Classic and extends its thanks to Bowland Salisbury for hosting another successful edition of this long-running event.
It was a weekend that saw two bowlers claim their first titles of the 2025 season, each continuing a steady climb with improving results across the opening three events.
With three events now complete and two remaining, the race to the rankings finish line is heating up.
Next on the calendar is the Brunswick Seniors Invitational, to be held in New South Wales from 26–27 July at Bowlarama Wetherill Park. Entry details are expected to be released shortly — so keep an eye out for the announcement.
SA SENIORS CLASSIC CHAMPIONS
| Year | Women | Men |
| 2003 | Jeanette Baker (Vic) | Barry Morgan (Qld) |
| 2004 | Jeanette Baker (Vic) | Greig Lyas (SA) |
| 2005 | Jeanette Baker (Vic) | John Sullivan (Vic) |
| 2006 | Jeanette Baker (Vic) | Barry Morgan (Qld) |
| 2007 | Jeanette Baker (Vic) | Frosty Gorostioga (SA) |
| 2008 | Jeanette Baker (Vic) | Chris Benson (Vic) |
| 2009 | Jeanette Baker (Vic) | Rob Zikman (Vic) |
| 2010 | Jeanette Baker (Vic) | Kevin Webb (NSW) |
| 2011 | Jeanette Baker (Vic) | Kevin Webb (NSW) |
| 2012 | Heather Robinson (NSW) | Mick Talevski (Vic) |
| 2013 | Jeanette Baker (Vic) | Kevin Webb (NSW) |
| 2014 | Jeanette Baker (Vic) | Warren Stewart (Vic) |
| 2015 | Jeanette Baker (Vic) | Shaun Cummings (NSW) |
| 2016 | Julie Harrison (Qld) | Steve Lenton (NSW) |
| 2017 | Tracey Crisp (Qld) | Jeff Elliott (SA) |
| 2018 | Mary Dodds (VIC) | Rob Kaluci (QLD) |
| 2019 | Cheryl Womack (QLD) | Rob Kaluci (QLD) |
| 2021 | Jo Babic (SA) | Steve Lenton (NSW) |
| 2022 | Dena Buxton (Vic) | Andrew Lloyd (NSW) |
| 2023 | Christine Clark (VIC) | Mick Talevski (VIC) |
| 2024 | Mary Dodds (VIC) | Alan Notman (VIC) |
| 2025 | Jenny Notman (VIC) | Ashley Riley (TAS) |
