On Saturday, four qualification squads of the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters 2024 were held at Olympia Bowling in Helsingborg, Sweden.
The third squad featured youth bowlers, with thirty-eight U21 competitors not only vying for a spot in the finals but also competing for additional prizes worth 10,000 SEK, generously sponsored by world champion Martin Blixt.
"It is nice to be able to give something back to the sport that we love, that been a part of my life and reason I'm here", Martin Blixt said to BowlingLife in an interview during the U21 squad.
Alvin Kvarnström emerged victorious in the U21 squad, scoring 1366 (227.6 avg.), which placed him fourth overall in the current qualification standings.
One of the greatest perks of competing in the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters as a young bowler is the opportunity to develop into a successful bowler both on and off the lanes. After the squad, all U21 bowlers were invited to attend a free bowling seminar conducted by Storm's International Technical Director, Matt McNiel. During the seminar, participants learned about the importance of the mental game in bowling.
"It is the best part of my job. I get to travel around the world, help people to love bowling as much as I do. That is why I always say that I got the best job in the world," Matt McNeil said to BowlingLife in an interview. "To help students grow and become better bowlers - that's the best thing I can do. It is my way of giving back to the sport, because the sport has given me so much."
If you happened to miss Matt McNiel's seminar on the mental game, don't worry! Storm's International Technical Director kindly provided us with his slides for reference. You can download the PDF version below.
In Squad 4, Hampus Nilsson scored 1262 to win the squad, while in Squad 5, the crowd was left wondering if they had been calling the wrong Larsen "Lucky." Martin's brother, Magnus Larsen, scored 1383, not only to win Squad 5 but also to surpass his brother in the overall standings by 150 pins.
The last squad of the day was highlighted by a perfect game bowled by U21 competitor Noel Haglund Torgersen of Sweden. Torgersen finished with a score of 1365, securing the victory in Squad 5.
Four qualification squads will be played tomorrow. Live-stream of the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters can be found here. Full results can be found here. Full picture gallery of each squad can be found here.
Storm Lucky Larsen Masters is the sole Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour event outside the U.S. Participants has a chance to win not only a signature Kosta Boda crystal trophy, but a PBA Tour title as well.
Over 300-player field, including dozens of bowling idols from the PBA Tour such as EJ Tackett, Kyle Troup, or Anthony Simonsen, will fill the Olympia Bowling venue from August 23rd to September 1st.
Enjoy the excitement of the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters by joining the BowlingLife Discord community and following all the on the lanes and off the lanes action from your device!
