The prestigious BowlingGP France Jeune 2024 concluded on Sunday at Bowling Plaza, Saint-Maximin Creil.
Nearly 160 youth bowlers, divided into individual categories across four age groups—Trifling (Under 14), Younger (Under 17), Junior (Under 21), and Senior (Under 25)—competed in this European Youth Bowling Tour event.
In the Trifling (U14) division, Denmark’s Niklas Lomholt set the pace early as the qualification leader and never looked back. Dominating from start to finish, he clinched the title with a commanding 231-193 victory over Belgium’s Jef Reusens in the final. France’s Valentin Ruault and Ireland’s Finn McKeown rounded out the top finishers, sharing third place after a hard-fought semifinal.
The Younger (U17) division delivered one of the most thrilling finals of the tournament. France’s Raphael Durivault edged out his compatriot, Thomas Laymet-Carre, in a high-stakes match that ended with a nail-biting 248-240 score. Fellow French bowlers Timéo Dujardin and Jeremy Taillard put up strong performances to secure joint third place.
In the Junior (U21) division, the spotlight shone brightly on Milan Scheffer of the Netherlands. During the qualification, not only did he roll the tournament’s first perfect game, but he also set a new national record with a six-game total of 1619. In a breathtaking final, Scheffer eked out a narrow victory over Ireland’s Hannah Masterson, winning by just two pins—183-181. France’s Tom Lefebvre and Alexandre Pedejouan shared third place after their impressive runs.
The Senior (U25) division saw a stellar performance from France’s Hugo Bonnefoy, who captured the title with a steady 195-167 win over Beejée Westerdijk of the Netherlands. Adding to France’s success, Jade Caplain and Enzo Franco delivered strong showings to claim a well-deserved joint third place.
