A fivepin bowling team from Castlegar will represent BC at the Bowl Canada Cup.
Formerly the National Classified Bowling Championships, the Bowl Canada Cup brings together both fivepin and tenpin bowlers from across the country. Theresa Oelke, Shelly Stoushnow, Tara Perepolkin, Mae Perepolkin and Teresa Milia competed at the Bowl BC Cup Provincial Finals in April to qualify to represent BC.
The provincial results were determined by pins over average, just as the national results will be. The team’s average is determined by adding up the highest league average of each bowler (who must have played at least 21 league games at the time of entry). Every pin they knock down above their average contributes to their score.
The Castlegar women’s fivepin team entered the provincials with an average of 873, and finished with +553. The Castlegar men’s team was among one of those they beat out, with the men finishing at +77.
To get to provincials in the first place, the women first had to compete in the league round at Castle Bowl against over 100 other players. The thirty bowlers that qualified in the league round were then divided onto six teams and competed against each other in the house round, with two teams qualifying for provincials.
The women’s team will now have the opportunity to represent Castlegar and BC at the national level.
Stoushnow has been playing competitively as an adult for about the past 20 years, and this isn’t her first time bowling at nationals.
“I’ve actually bowled on TV twice on TSN,” she says.
Tara and Mae Perepolkin have both competed at the national level as well, but this will be the first time for Oelke and Milia. Stoushnow feels good about their chances.
“We have a great team. I think what led to our success [at provincials] and at the house round actually is we have a lot of fun,” she says. “We have a lot of fun, and the team gets along really well. We have a lot of laughs when we bowl, which I think distracts those that are new from being nervous, which helps them bowl well.”
The Bowl Canada Cup takes place on July 9 and 10, and results will be posted in real time at bowlcanada.ca.
Individual bowler results at Bowl BC CUP 5 Pin Provincial Finals:
Shelly Stoushnow, +93
Teresa Milia, +137
Mae Perepolkin, +176
Theresa Oelke, +46
Tara Perepolkin, +100