Inclusion NSW Open Recap: Martinsen and Mison Make History in Shellharbour
By Matt Stevens
The inaugural Inclusion NSW Open has wrapped up in style at Shellharbour Tenpin Bowl, with Queenslander Violet Martinsen and 17-year-old William Mison etching their names in the record books as the first-ever champions of the event.
A strong field of 28 bowlers converged on the South Coast for the final stop of the 2025 TBA Inclusion ranked season – and the debut didn’t disappoint, delivering high scores, spirited matchups, and two breakout winners who rose to the occasion.
Early Standouts & Tight Margins
Across 12 games of qualifying, the standard was sky-high.
From Bateau Bay, NSW, Australian representative and international campaign multi-medalist Kallan Strong led the male division early with 2,409 (200.8 avg), posting six 200+ games and a 254 high. Close behind, Queensland’s Will Mison unleashed a blistering 290 in Game 8 to stay just 12 pins back, with Victorians AJ Jamal and Pino Mascetti keeping the leaderboard tight heading into Stage 2.
In the women’s field, Violet Martinsen – a 25-year-old league bowler from Mt Warren Lanes in Queensland – continued her dream 2025 campaign. The 2025 TBA Inclusion Cup champion topped the standings with 1,992. The only bowler of the female field to score a 200+ game, Martinsen edged out Amanda Threlfall (1,941) and Ella Hoffman (1,927) in another close contest.
Stage Two: Form Carries Forward
The Top 8 male bowlers and Top 6 females returned for four more games, and the pressure mounted.
Pino Mascetti, sporting a new haircut, delivered a back-to-back 225 and 229 to put him briefly on top before Strong finished with 211 and 232 to regain the lead on 3,195 total. The top six advancing to Matchplay were Kallan Strong, Pino Mascetti, AJ Jamal, Will Mison Jared Kirkland, and Tyler Allen.
Among the women, the top three held firm – Martinsen (2,630), Threlfall (2,608), and Hoffman (2,549)- while Erica Woodward, Courtney Bucknell, and Mia Murrell filled the remaining Matchplay positions.
Matchplay: Momentum Shifts
With bonus pins now in play, everything was on the line as bowlers embarked on five head-to-head battles to qualify in the Top 4 to advance to the final stage – Stepladder Final.
Victorian AJ Jamal was outstanding. The powerful two-hander went unbeaten, winning all five-head-head games and averaging just under 200 to jump into the number one seed for the stepladder finals with 4,311.
Strong held second on 4,246, Mascetti followed closely (4,238) and Mison secured the last finals berth (4,019).
On the female side, after falling just short at the TBA Inclusion Cup earlier this year, Amanda Threlfall stormed into the top seed position after a dominant matchplay run, winning four of five matchups collecting 120 bonus pins in the process finishing on 3,648.
Amanda Threlfall and Ella Hoffman joined Violet as bowlers surpassing the 200+ mark. Bowling the highest score of the division, a 212 in game three, Amanda Threlfall entered the stepladder final with confidence. Not far behind was the impressive Violet Martinsen (3,529), Ella Hoffman (3,508) and Erica Woodward rounding out the stepladder lineup on (3,274).
Stepladder Showdowns: Rising Stars Shine Bright
When the lights came on for the finals, Queensland’s Will Mison seized the moment.
The 17-year-old from Coolangatta Tweed Tenpin stormed through three straight single-game eliminations to climb the ladder– first edging Pino Mascetti 185-180, then upsetting Kallan Strong 199-195, and finally defeating top seed AJ Jamal 190 – 180, to capture his first national title.
For Mison, who finished sixth at this year’s TBA Inclusion Cup and the National Disability Championship Masters Roll-Off, the breakthrough win marks a major career milestone – and a glimpse of what’s to come.
On the female side, Violet Martinsen capped her remarkable season with another clutch performance. A cool, confident presence all weekend, Violet Martinsen showed the poise of a seasoned champion as she worked her way back through the stepladder.
Ella Hoffman confidently advanced past Erica Woodward in the opening match showcasing composure in her 164-150 victory.
A tough gritty battle between Violet Martinsen and Ella Hoffman saw Violet advance in close contest 180-170 before firing a commanding 211-160 victory over Threlfall in the title match.
The win secures her second national crown of 2025, bookending a breakout year that began with her historic triumph at the TBA Inclusion Cup.
Graded Division: Local Glory for Shellharbour
The Top 8 bowlers that missed out on qualification for Stage 2, competed in the Graded Final – five additional games of Matchplay. The bowler with the highest pinfall with handicap including bonus pins would be declared the graded winner.
Local bowler Corey Adams gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about, posting 3,930 to edge out Anthony Woodward (3,901) and Chase Jenkins (3,871).
BDP Award
Kindly donated by wonderful supporters of the sport BPD Bowling, a Storm bowling ball was awarded to someone who held themselves well throughout the event and showed passion for the sport. This award was presented to Aymon Morris – Congratulations Aymon!!
Future Frames
From emerging youth to seasoned stars, the Inclusion NSW Open delivered a thrilling showcase of talent, sportsmanship, and the ever-growing strength of the Inclusion Division.
A big shoutout to Jason and Kym Walsh – Head Coach and Manager of the TBA Inclusion High Performance Squad – for creating this new opportunity for bowlers through the inaugural Inclusion NSW Open.
Special thanks also go to Janet and the Shellharbour Tenpin Bowl team for hosting another fantastic event, and to BDP Bowling for their generous donation of bowling balls as prizes.
This event marks the conclusion of the 2025 TBA Inclusion National Ranked Event Season – a milestone year featuring four national events for the first time in history. The Inclusion Division continues to go from strength to strength, showcasing the incredible skill, spirit, and passion of Australia’s inclusion athletes.
With participation and performance both on the rise, the stage is already set for an even bigger 2026 season.
Stepladder Finals Highlights
Match 1
Match 2
Match 3
Winners Journey – Violet Martinsen (QLD)
STAGE 1
APEPARANCE 1
| 170 | 171 | 153 | 137 | 148 | 164 |
APPEARANCE 2
| 149 | 177 | 200 | 169 | 190 | 174 |
TOTAL
| TOTAL 12 Game Qualification | 1,992 |
| Average | 166 |
| Position | Leading Qualifier (1st) |
| High Game | 200 |
STAGE 2
| 154 | 164 | 142 | 178 |
TOTAL
| FOUR GAME TOTAL | 638 |
| RUNNING TALLY (16 GAMES) | 2,630 |
| POSITION BEFORE MATCHPLAY | 1st place |
MATCHPLAY
| 189+30 | 188+30 | 135 | 157 | 140+30 |
| WIN/LOSS | 3 wins / 2 losses |
| TOTAL PINS | 3,439 |
| BONUS PINS | 90 |
| TOTAL | 3,529 |
| POSITION | 2nd place – Number 2 seed |
STEPLADDER FINAL
- STEPLADDER MATCH 2 – Violet Martinsen defeats Ella Hoffman 180 – 170
- STEPLADDER MATCH 3 – Violet Martinsen defeats Amanda Threlfall 211-160
HIGH GAME – 200
FEMALE DIVISION HIGH GAME – 212- Amanda Threlfall
Winners Journey – Will Mison (QLD)
STAGE 1
APEPARANCE 1
| 223 | 171 | 165 | 169 | 200 | 197 |
APPEARANCE 2
| 199 | 290 | 200 | 226 | 172 | 185 |
TOTAL
| TOTAL 12 Game Qualification | 2,397 |
| Average | 199.8 |
| Position | 2nd place |
| High Game | 290 |
STAGE 2
| 153 | 190 | 171 | 181 |
TOTAL
| FOUR GAME TOTAL | 695 |
| RUNNING TALLY (16 GAMES) | 3,092 |
| POSITION BEFORE MATCHPLAY | 4th place |
MATCHPLAY
| 157 | 184+30 | 183 | 190+30 | 153 |
| WIN/LOSS | 2 wins / 2 losses |
| TOTAL PINS | 3,959 |
| BONUS PINS | 60 |
| TOTAL | 4,019 |
| POSITION | 4th place – Number 4 seed for stepladder |
STEPLADDER FINAL
- STEPLADDER MATCH 1 – Will Mison defeats Pino Mascetti 185-180
- STEPLADDER MATCH 2 – Will Mison defeats Kallan Strong 199-195
- STEPLADDER MATCH 3 – Will Mison defeats AJ Jamal 190-180
HIGH GAME – 290
MALE DIVISION HIGH GAME – 290 – Will Mison
