The 2011 Maccabi tournament took place today at Heathrow Airport bowl and there was some excellent bowling on show. With the Maccabi GB team flying out to Vienna for the European Maccabi Games in around 6 weeks this was the perfect chance to get some practice in on similar lane conditions. After the success of last year’s change of format, everyone bowled 5 games qualifying with the top 8 scratch and the top 8 handicap bowlers making it through to separate knockout finals
There were some big games shot in the qualifying rounds including a 257 and 224 from Michael Loberman, a 237 and 232 from Gary Ellis, a 220 and 244 from Jack Nesbit, a 234 from Larry Handworker, a 238 from Ritchie Kneip and a 232 from Robin Bluston as well as many other 200+ games. Gary Ellis came out on top of the handicap qualifying pinfall with 1028 scratch (205 avg) – 1153 handicap – winning the Freddie Loberman memorial trophy. Just behind him was Jack Nesbit with 1011 scratch (202 avg) – 1141 handicap and third was Michael Loberman with 1042 scratch (208 avg) – 1122 handicap
Michael Loberman took the high game handicap award for his 257 scratch (273 handicap)
Then it got down to the serious business in the shape of the head to head best of 3 elimination matches
In the handicap section top seed Gary Nesbitt, son of Maccabiah player Jack, saw off former GB representatives Ian Davis and Paul Hart to secure his place in the final. There he would meet Maccabi veteran (he wont like me saying that) Geoff Isaacs who beat Paul Sassienie and first time Maccabi tournament player Craig Grant. In a close run thing, the experience of Isaacs was enough to see off Nesbitt in 2 games and Geoff took home the Russ Rubin Trophy. Paul Hart claimed 3rd place
In the scratch knockout section, Michael Loberman who qualified 1st found himself having to dig deep with a 236 game to see off Robin Bluston (223), and a 239 game to see off Larry Handworker (224) to make his way to the final. In the other side of the draw Gary Ellis saw off Teddy Littner before an outstanding showing of 257 and 277 in the semi final against Patrik Goldberg. So for the second year running, Michael and Gary would face each other in the final. In the first game Gary had no answer to Michael’s 258 game. The second game was very even and both players had strung 3 or 4 in a row together and entered the 9th and 10th frames with it all to play for. Gary struck out to force Michael to need to strike in the 10th. He duly obliged and took the final game down 234 vs 211 to successfully defend the title he claimed last year. An excellent final and an excellent day had by all
For the full scores for both qualifying and the knockouts please click here
