Youth talent set to shine at 2026 TBA National Youth Championships

Australia’s leading young bowlers will descend on Coolangatta Tweed Tenpin from 16-19 July for the 2026 TBA National Youth Championships.

The Championships arrive just two weeks after Australia’s successful campaign at the 2026 IBF World Youth Championships in Kuching, where the national team claimed three medals – one gold, one silver and one bronze. That international success provides an exciting backdrop as Australia’s emerging youth talent returns to the national stage.

The four-day Championships will feature two major events: the TBA21 National Teams Challenge on Thursday and Friday, followed by the TBA21 National Masters across the weekend.

Athletes representing Australian states and zones will be joined by New Zealand, creating four days of team competition, individual opportunity and high-pressure matchplay.

TBA21 National Teams Challenge

The Championships begin with the TBA21 National Teams Challenge on 16-17 July.

The Challenge brings together teams of youth athletes competing across Singles, Doubles, Baker Teams, Traditional Teams and All-Events. Points earned throughout each discipline contribute toward the male and female division standings, while eligible delegations can also compete for the overall combined title.

Seven teams have been confirmed in the male division:

• Northern NSW
• Victoria
• Northern NSW 2
• Victoria 2
• North Queensland
• South Queensland
• New Zealand

The female division will feature four teams:

• Northern NSW
• Victoria
• North Queensland
• New Zealand

Competition begins on Thursday morning with six games of female Doubles, followed by six games of male Doubles. The opening day concludes with three games of Traditional Teams competition for both divisions.

Friday begins with six games of male Singles before the female Singles block takes centre stage. The Challenge concludes with six games of Baker Teams, followed by the presentation and celebration at Club Tweed.

Across the Challenge, medals will be awarded in Singles, Doubles, Baker Teams, Traditional Teams and All-Events, along with the overall male, female and combined team honours.

The top four All-Events averages in each division will also be named to the TBA21 National Teams Challenge All-Star Teams.

Those All-Star selections carry added importance, with each of the four male and four female recipients earning direct entry into the Group Matchplay stage of the TBA21 National Masters.

TBA21 National Masters

Attention will turn to individual honours on 18-19 July when the TBA21 National Masters takes over Coolangatta Tweed Tenpin.

The nationally ranked Youth Division event begins with two qualifying squads on Saturday. Each bowler will complete eight games, with the top 12 male and top 12 female qualifiers advancing to Sunday’s Group Matchplay.

They will be joined by the four All-Stars from each division of the Teams Challenge, creating a 16-player field in both male and female competitions.

The 16 qualifiers will be separated into two groups of eight, with each bowler contesting seven round-robin matches. Three points will be awarded for a win and one point for a tie, with the top two bowlers from each group advancing to the Final Four.

The semi-finals will be contested over the best of three format:

• Group A winner verses Group B runner-up
• Group B winner verses Group A runner-up

The two winners will then meet in a best-of-three final match to decide the 2026 TBA21 National Masters titles.

Sunday’s Group Matchplay begins at 8:00am, with the Final Four scheduled from 1:10pm and the title matches from 3:00pm. Presentations will follow the conclusion of the finals.

Four days of youth competition

The 2026 TBA National Youth Championships will bring together emerging athletes from across Australia and New Zealand, combining the pride of team representation with the pressure of individual championship competition.

From the opening Doubles block through to Sunday afternoon’s Masters finals, Coolangatta Tweed Tenpin will provide the stage for the next generation to compete for national honours.

Further event information, results, and Championship updates will be available through TBA’s official channels throughout the event.