Brandon bowlers earn 10 medals at nationals

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This article was published 26/05/2022 (1378 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A pair of Brandon bowlers each earned five medals at the Canadian Tenpin Federation national championships in Winnipeg last weekend.

Twelve-year-old Alexis Cairns, who participated in the bantam girls division, won gold in doubles, and silver in teams, singles, all-events and team all-events, while 19-year-old Israel Potter struck gold in all-events, silver in singles, teams and team all-events, plus bronze in doubles.

The haul was especially significant for Cairns, who bowled in her first national event.

“It’s very crazy having all those and going back and reflecting on what happened, from going to provincials in the past to nationals,” Cairns said, gesturing to her medals.

Cairns finished less than three points behind Quebec’s Natacha Mai-Martel for gold in all-events, averaging 142.56 points per game. She threw a single-game high of 175, and threw 160 or more seven times.

All-events counts every pin dropped in all 18 games they bowled, regardless of what event they were participating in.

“I had a few struggles in the start,” said Cairns, whose three lowest scores came in her first four games. “On the Friday, it wasn’t great, I couldn’t make any spares. Otherwise it was very good for the rest of the days.”

There were six other teams at the event, representing Quebec, southern Ontario, northern Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

Cairns won the top prize in doubles with Chase McVicar of Winnipeg. In six games, they dropped 780 pins to top Quebec by 150 for gold.

“It was lots of fun,” Cairns said. “Him and I got along pretty well so it was fun to bowl with him.”

Despite the success, Cairns admitted it was an anxious time for her, which may have been reflected in her tough start in the national event that was held at Chateau Lanes.

“I was actually very nervous,” Cairns said. “It’s just knowing you’re going into your first one and having lots of people there who you’re going to have to compete against and not knowing how good they are.”

Still, it’s a remarkable opening act in the sport for Cairns, who has already attended multiple provincial championships as well. She began bowling at age seven when she was in Grade 2.

“My grandparents actually bowled so it was fun competing against them and a challenge,” Cairns said. “It was a fun sport to get into with lots of great people

While Cairns was beginning her national career, Potter is already well into his.

He also went to his first nationals at age 12, earning silver in the bantam boys event at the Canadian Tenpin Federation Canadian Youth Championships and a pair of silver medals in bantam singles and team combo events at the YBC Nationals in 2015.

He’s been every year since, except for 2016 when he rebuilt his swing, and the COVID-cancelled 2020 and 2021 events.

His previous gold medal came in a doubles match play event with partner Kristen Jolly of Winnipeg at the 2018 Canadian Youth Championship in Montreal.

Overall, Potter has collected an incredible 18 medals at national events during his career.

“I never really think of it as a lot because I went my first time when I was 12,” Potter said. “It’s been over so long that I’ve never really thought of it being that many.”

His biggest achievement on the weekend was winning the all-around senior boys title. His average of 223.83 over 18 games was an incredible 18 points higher average than the second-place finisher, Quebec’s Alexandre Duchesne.

“I had fairly high expectations,” Potter said. “I think I always do for myself but my main goal is to do well in singles in all events.”

It was redemption for Potter, who wasn’t happy with his performance last month at the Canadian Tenpin Federation Team Trials in Mississauga, Ont. A top-four performance would have earned him a spot on Team Canada, but he fell to eighth on the final day in his first crack at the tournament, which he can attend until he’s 22.

“Everyone is going to have bad tournaments but you need to have a good one to recover from the last one,” Potter said. “

He certainly accomplished that goal.

He said he was fairly consistent throughout, with a single-game high score of 279, which he threw twice. He earned doubles bronze with partner Brittney Rocan of Winnipeg.

“I was fairly happy with it,” Potter said of the event. “I think there were definitely some things I could have done better on but overall it was a pretty good weekend.”

Cairns, who throws with a one-handed delivery while Potter uses a unique two-handed delivery, said it was nice to have him around.

They see each other every Saturday for the morning league and occasionally run into each other at T-Birds when they are practising. She had a few questions for him before attending her first nationals.

“It’s wonderful having Israel,” Cairns said. “He’s a very good bowler and good to be around, especially since he’s bowled ever since I started bowling. Knowing him is good.”

Potter notes Cairns got an earlier start in the sport than he did and that certainly won’t hurt. He likes her potential to achieve more.

“She’s going to have a great future,” Potter said. “She’s grown a lot this year. I see her improving more and more.”

“Especially compared to me, she has a very smooth swing so she’ll be a lot more consistent,” Potter added. “She’ll be able to repeat shots a lot easier.”

Both bowlers head to YBC Nationals in July in Thunder Bay, Ont., but Potter, who is the provincial champion in his age group, also will participate in the Teen Masters event in Detroit in August, with a $60,000 scholarship up for grabs.

YBC Nationals is actually the end of the season, with tournament play starting up again in October.

“I think it will help a lot knowing what it’s like and what it’s going to be like at some other nationals,” Cairns said, adding she’s eager to go to Thunder Bay.

“I’m very excited for it.”

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