islandstats.com continues the spotlight on the Bermuda National team bowlers as they head to the International Bowling Federation (IBF) World Bowling Championships in Hong Kong, China.
Name: Dennis Joell
Right Handed Bowler:
Q. On the highly technical oil patterns at international events like the World Championships, what specific adjustments have you focused on in training—both individually and in the Baker format—to ensure ball reaction and pin carry remain consistent on foreign lanes?
A. At the international level, especially in events like the World Championships, the oil patterns are far more demanding than what we typically face locally. In training, we’ve placed a strong emphasis on understanding pattern breakdown and adjusting both speed and rotation to maintain consistent ball motion and using multiple layouts and surfaces.
In the Baker format, our team focuses on communication and understanding where each player fits in and having multiple eyes on the lane to see what is happening ahead of the lane transition. That is key to maintaining a consistent ball reaction and ensuring proper pin carry across all frames.
Q. How have you balanced with the energy of the squad to build team chemistry heading into the Singles, Doubles, and Team events?
A. Team chemistry isn’t something that just happens but we have been together for a period of time and we are all pretty good friends with an understanding of each other. We’ve spent time together outside of the bowl and on the lanes which allows us to be able to have open conversations with each other. We all have one goal in mind as we know what we want to do when we get to Hong Kong.
Q. Hong Kong's Queen Elizabeth Stadium will host the event. What preparation have you done to simulate the unique conditions, atmosphere, and time difference of competing in a high-pressure Asian venue that is vastly different from Warwick Lanes?
A. Competing at Top Bowl in the newly built Kai Tak Stadium will be a new challenge, having gone as an assistant manager on the previous trip there in January I was able to see and live every ball thrown. Although not bowled at the stadium I have bowled in the World Championships previously. The time change is significantly different so we have to adjust as quickly as possible once we arrive. We’ve also done our best to replicate tournament-like pressure environments. To feel the pressure of a must make spare or strike. We know that other countries will have their support teams with them and when they strike they make noise, but our focus has to remain and we have to be prepared to silence the crowds. We've done it before and we can do it again.
Q. Team Bermuda achieved a significant milestone by reaching the Round of 16 in the IBF World Cup earlier this year; what specific, measurable team and individual performance goals have you set for the World Championships to build on that success?
A. Being there as the assistant manager and living every shot and knowing how good it felt to take on and beat the best in the world we as a team only want to feel that success again if not better it. We want to put ourselves in a position to bowl at The Queen Elizabeth Stadium where they will build two lanes outdoors to host the semi finals and finals of each discipline.
Q. Given the comprehensive schedule, which includes Singles, Doubles, Trios, and the Team of 5 event, how are you planning to manage the physical and mental workload to ensure you are sharp and peaking for the crucial final rounds, especially the demanding Baker Format match-play?
A. The management of such physical and mental fatigue has started already and we must have our bodies and minds right before we go out as it won't just click for us when we arrive there. We've prepared ourselves and we have to ensure that we respect our bodies and continue to do the necessary.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Second Spring Bowling Sees Upsets at the Lanes
IslandStats.com
Second Spring Senior Bowling action at the Warwick Lanes delivered a significant shutout victory for the league leaders, the Drifters, while several key matches resulted in upsets that shuffled the standings below the top spot.
The dominant Drifters showed why they currently sit atop the league table, securing a comprehensive 4-0 shutout win over the sixth-placed Pinsplitters. The victory allows the leaders to widen the gap at the summit, especially as the second-placed Starlites had the bye for the week.
The closest contest came between the teams vying for third place. The third-placed Blue Angels went down to the fourth-placed Last Pins in a tight match, losing 1½ to 2½. This defeat will open the door for Last Pins to gain ground in the standings.
Further down the table, the fifth-placed New Comers suffered a loss, going down 3-1 to the seventh-placed Islanders. The Islanders' victory represents a crucial move up the table and tightens the competition in the lower half of the standings.
Men’s
Scratch Game
188 Alpheus Santucci 180 Kelvin Burt 174 Elvin Thomas
Scratch Series
516 Alpheus Santucci 514 Elvin Thomas 467 Teddy Swainson
649 Kelvin Burt 644 Teddy Swainson 631 Elvin Thomas
Women
Scratch Game
192 Malikah Symonds 186 Frances Trott 167 Beatrice Smith
Scratch Series
463 Frances Trott 452 Malikah Symonds 438 Beatrice Smith
Handicap Game
245 Malikah Symonds 243 Frances Trott 236 Beatrice Smith
Handicap Series
645 Beatrice Smith 642 Joan Clarke 634 Frances Trott
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Hat-Trick of Perfection Hayward Rolls 300 Ahead of Worlds
IslandStats.com
The Bermuda National Bowling team is hitting a remarkable run of form just days before departing for the International Bowling Federation (IBF) World Bowling Championships in Hong Kong, China, with Anthony Hayward becoming the third national team member to roll a perfect 300 game in the build-up.
Hayward, one of the six players selected for the prestigious tournament, achieved his fifth career 300 game just two days before the squad is scheduled to travel.
Anthony Hayward Jr
Right-Handed Bowler:
Q.On the highly technical oil patterns at international events like the World Championships, what specific adjustments have you focused on in training—both individually and in the Baker format—to ensure ball reaction and pin carry remain consistent on foreign lanes?
A. When encountering tough lane conditions, firstly choosing the right ball is very important, knowing which cover stocks and cores of a ball that matches up best with the conditions you are bowling on can give you an advantage over an opponent.
To the average person, they just see a shine ball with three holes in it for their fingers, but to the person that takes this sport a little bit more serious knows that it’s more complex than that. There are three types of balls, 1. Polyester(plastic) 2. Reactive resin 3. Urethane
In training we try different balls and alter the surface of them to get the right reaction we are looking for and depending on the condition, a Dull ball may be preferred to a shiny one and vise versa.
With this 46ft oil pattern that we will be bowling on, the key thing will be to try and play from straighter angles to start.
Q. How have you balanced with the energy of the squad to build team chemistry heading into the Singles, Doubles, and Team events?
A. We have a great bunch of guys within the national training program, most of us have know each other coming straight up through the Jr league together so the chemistry is already there, but for the guys that I will be traveling with, I have been there once before, and we know what’s expected of us. During league nights we all have our friendly rivalries but once we put on our national colors, we all are one.
Q. Hong Kong's Queen Elizabeth Stadium will host the event. What preparation have you done to simulate the unique conditions, atmosphere, and time difference of competing in a high-pressure Asian venue that is vastly different from Warwick Lanes?
A. As far as preparing for the change in time zone, I’m not entirely sure if you can prepare for that, I will have to take it as it comes, but I know the faster I can adjust the better off I’ll be.
Q. Team Bermuda achieved a significant milestone by reaching the Round of 16 in the IBF World Cup earlier this year; what specific, measurable team and individual performance goals have you set for the World Championships to build on that success?
A. Hopefully the preparation we have had can set us up for another successful run in the tournament, we know with the likes of Team USA, Canada, Maylasia and Sweden it will be very Challenging but we have to put our best foot forward and grid, obviously our main goal will be to medal but if we can secure more positions in the round of 16 or better the world will be looking at us.
Q. Given the comprehensive schedule, which includes Singles, Doubles, Trios, and the Team of 5 event, how are you planning to manage the physical and mental workload to ensure you are sharp and peaking for the crucial final rounds, especially the demanding Baker Format match-play?
A. We know that we must take it ball by ball and not get too far ahead of ourselves, looking around at other scores will only add more pressure on us, we must stick to our game plan, and everything will be fine. It’s a saying in bowling: Make your spares, the strikes will come. So, if we can keep games clean and minimize mistakes, we know we could be in contention.
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Bowling Spotlight - Lamar Richardson & Perfect Game
IslandStats.com
Bermuda National Team bowler Lamar Richardson has delivered a thunderous final statement ahead of the International Bowling Federation (IBF) World Bowling Championships, rolling his 14th career 300 game just hours before the squad prepares to travel.
Richardson, is one of the most decorated bowlers in the country, boasting multiple wins at the Bermuda Open and USBC events, alongside Island Games medals. His 14 career perfect games are a testament to the consistency he brings to the high-pressure environment of international play.
Name: Lamar Richardson
Q. On the highly technical oil patterns at international events like the World Championships, what specific adjustments have you focused on in training—both individually and in the Baker format—to ensure ball reaction and pin carry remain consistent on foreign lanes?
A. Adjustments are key. Knowing when and how to move on the lane is always a huge factor. Also, knowing what ball we should be throwing. All bowling balls do something slightly different and an ever-changing oil pattern requires us to be sharp and know when and how to get the best out which ever ball we are throwing.
Q. How have you balanced with the energy of the squad to build team chemistry heading into the Singles, Doubles, and Team events?
A. The team has been in training since the early part of summer. Chemistry is really not an issue when it comes to this team. We bowl together all the time and we know each other's strengths and weaknesses which will play a big role in knowing how to help each other in Hong Kong.
Q. Hong Kong's Queen Elizabeth Stadium will host the event. What preparation have you done to simulate the unique conditions, atmosphere, and time difference of competing in a high-pressure Asian venue that is vastly different from Warwick Lanes?
A. The Queen Elizabeth Stadium is where the finals will be held, not the qualifying. Should we make it to the finals, adjusting to lanes built in a stadium is something we will discuss in our team meeting prior.
Q. Team Bermuda achieved a significant milestone by reaching the Round of 16 in the IBF World Cup earlier this year; what specific, measurable team and individual performance goals have you set for the World Championships to build on that success?
A. One goal we have set is to make it to the next round in any one of the 4 events. When LeVinc qualified for the Round of 16 in January at the World Cup, it was amazing for him and this team. We would definitely like to use that as motivation to improve our standing on the world stage. We have some members making their debut at these World Championships so it will be a bit of a baptism by fire, but we are ready and I am confident we will perform well.
Q. Given the comprehensive schedule, which includes Singles, Doubles, Trios, and the Team of 5 event, how are you planning to manage the physical and mental workload to ensure you are sharp and peaking for the crucial final rounds, especially the demanding Baker Format match-play?
A. I think getting acclimatized as quick as possible will play a part. Travelling to the other side of the world (12hrs ahead) with only two days before competition starts is not ideal but is something we will deal with. Plenty of rest between events and doing things that take our minds off of bowling when not in competition usually help with the mental strain that comes with competing at such a high level for hours at a time. As bowlers, being able to "turn on" and "turn off" the mental focus in between shots and in between events is a part of our training. As with most things in life things do not always go as plan but we train for as many of these scenarios as possible.
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Commercial Bowling League Round-Up
IslandStats.com
In Commercial Bowling League action at the Warwick lanes saw the second placed team Horseshoe Bay Rollers have a Bye.
Eighth placed Pin Heads defeated ninth placed Butt & Vallis 3 - 1, while third placed Who Gives A Split upset the league leaders Strike Force 3 - 1.
Sixth placed Spare Parts upset fourth placed Too Legit To Split 3 - 1, and the match between fifth placed Sweet Life and seventh placed Secret Weapons ended in a 2 - 2 draw.
