Manitoba’s best 5-pin bowlers rolling in Winnipeg

The best of the best of Manitoba bowlers were making their bid to roll into the history books in Winnipeg this weekend vying for a chance to take part in the Canadian Nationals later this year.

With all forty tournament spots booked, St. James Lanes will be a busy place this weekend as members of the Manitoba Five-Pin Bowlers Association gathered for its championship tournament.

And at the end of this weekend 18 people across three teams – men’s, women’s, and mixed – will be selected to represent Manitoba at the 2023 Canadian Open Championship in Edmonton running May 31st to June 3rd.

The association’s president Len Isleifson says while five-pin was created to ensure everyone could enjoy the sport recreationally, competition at St. James is anything but leisurely.

“What we’re doing here with the Manitoba Five-Pin Bowlers Association is creating more of a competition for bowlers who are a little bit more serious, have a little bit more ‘oomph’ in the game as you can say to get those strikes and spare, and really expands on their ability to bowl and to represent Manitoba,” said Len Isleifson, President of the Manitoba Five Pin Bowlers Association.

Isleifson says the event is also a chance to bring the community together again after a pandemic-induced slump, saying the tournament had to turn some would-be competitors away, with the impressive showing helping spur growth in the sport.

“We gotta support the elite, right? You gotta support the elite to make the sport work,” said Mike Devenney, owner of St. James Lanes.

Long-time owner of St.James Lanes Mike Devenney says bowling businesses in the city work closely with organizations like the Manitoba Five-Pin Bowlers Association, saying the partnership is one aimed at supporting the sports elite prospects, which he has watched grow over the decades.

“We teach them to enjoy the game rather than just play the game. And as we see them get stronger, it’s really nice to see them become Canadian champions, which we hope some of them will.”

Devenney also stressed that the lanes are open to members of the public who want to come and watch the fast-paced, five-pin action, saying some insight into the sport’s elite may inspire others to pick up a ball and compete.

“We always love people to come and watch, because it’s not just coming out and throwing a bowling ball, it’s a chance to see how good you can be and how good you can get.”