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The 2012 Barrier Reef Motel Innisfail Open was held at the weekend, with excellent numbers and some quality bowling despite some of the most trying conditions that most of the bowlers in the field had experienced. The WTBA Tokyo pattern was laid during the event, unaltered, with the top bowlers in the nation enjoying what has started to become a rare challenge in our sport.

The tournament committee paid out an outstanding $25,000+ of prize money, owing to the large support base in 15 local sponsors, and the major sponsor of the Barrier Reef Motel, the venue that most athletes stayed at during the event.

The Qualifying stages saw some brilliant bowling from Australia’s most talented stars, and late in the day on Saturday saw the first and only 300 of the tournament from Brandon Qualischefski in game 6 of qualifying. Western Australian Michael Muir took line honours during qualifying averaging 223, closely followed by Brandon in second with 222.

The second phase of play on Sunday morning saw some brilliant bowling straight out of the blocks, with 18 bowlers vying for just 12 spots to continue on with the Matchplay phase. Local Cairns bowlers Alicia Savill and Leanne Nastasi, after doing brilliantly to make the top 18 places and be the highest placed ladies of the tournament, were the first to be eliminated with Angelo Nucifora of Ayr, Rob Kaluci of Mackay and Stephen Hunt and Tyson Jones of Townsville.

At the conclusion of Matchplay Brandon Qualischefski was crowned the winner of the $3000 prize averaging 219 with 9 matchplay wins from 12 games. Hamish Rogers of Mackay placed 2nd winning $2500 with West Aussie Matt Watson in 3rd rounding out the podium positions pocketing $2000. NQ Stalwart Robbie Buckley, after sustaining an injury in the Cairns Open two weeks prior, grinded through the pain of the weekend and amazingly finished in 4th place receiving $1500 and a well-earned few weeks off. Second time participant Jason Walsh finished in 5th place, the last of the 4 digit payouts earning himself $1000 for a weekend of fantastic bowling. Chris Watson, Shaun Dunn, George Frilingos, Darryl Alford, Michael Muir, Trent Bosel and Brendan Meads rounded out the final places in the top 12 collectively winning $5000 of the $25,000 fund.

Proprietors E-J and Mandy Starkey were ecstatic with the numbers for the event. “During these tough economic times it is tough to get sponsors, let alone bowlers to participate in these events and we were lucky enough to manage a great number of both” E-J Starkey exclaimed during the presentations. “We had a total of 89 nominations, finally settling on 75 by the end of qualifying, and for a rural event those numbers are brilliant, we are very happy”

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful sponsors for contributing during not so great times, especially in Innisfail, and we will be committed to supporting these businesses in any way we can in appreciation.

Sponsors: Major- Barrier Reef Motel Minor: Innisfail RSL, CFP Hydraulics, Goondi Autowash, Maurice Grasso Motors, Hitchings Electrical, Leading Edge Electronics Innisfail, Micale Cabinets, Moore Stephens, Rescue-1, Roscoes Piazza, KT Computer Solutions, GJ Buses, and our newest sponsor Sibby’s Bakehouse.