For the first time in a decade, men and women will compete concurrently for world titles when the World Tenpin Bowling Association World Championships get underway next week.
A total of 46 countries will compete with 222 men and 212 women making up the field of bowlers seeking world titles at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center. The opening ceremonies will take place on the night of Friday, Aug. 23 with competition set to get underway Monday, Aug. 26.
The last time the World Championships featured both the men and women in the same venue was in 2003 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Since then, the World Championships have been held every two years, alternating between men and women.
"We expect that the next two weeks at Sunset Station will be a real showcase event for the sport of bowling," WTBA President and CEO Kevin Dornberger said. "Our sport's best athletes will compete on the grandest stage we can offer."
The entire competition will be broadcast live on BOWL.com's BowlTV. Bowling fans will be able to watch live and on demand for free. The schedule is available at BOWL.com/LiveStream.
The World Championships will award medals in six events - singles, doubles, trios, team, all-events and Masters match play.
Team USA is the reigning world champion for both men and women in the coveted five-player team event.
The U.S. will return five of the six women who contributed to the winning effort in Hong Kong in 2011 with Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., Stefanie Nation of Grand Prairie, Texas, Shannon O'Keefe of Arlington, Texas and Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio joining with Missy Parkin of Fullerton, Calif.
The Team USA men's roster includes three players who led the way to gold in Munich, Germany, in 2010 - Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, S.C., and Bill O'Neill of Langhorne, Pa. Joining them on the U.S. team will be Mike Fagan of Fort Worth, Texas, John Janawicz of Winter Haven, Fla., and John Szczerbinski of North Tonawanda, N.Y.
For more information on the WTBA World Championships, visit BOWL.com/World2013.
United States Bowling Congress: The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body for the sport. USBC is a membership organization that provides standardized rules, regulations and benefits to make bowling fair and fun for everyone.
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