Clark rolls to Sask. men’s singles title
Regina’s Doug Clark was rolling in unfamiliar territory at the Great Western Open Saskatchewan five-pin bowling championships.
Clark averaged a pinfall of 301 during qualifying en route to winning his second Saskatchewan men’s singles title on Thursday at the Golden Mile Bowling Lanes. Clark defeated Wynyard’s Jim Norkus 330-240 in the men’s final to claim his first provincial title since 2002 and a berth in the Canadian five-pin championships, May 29-June 2 in St. John’s, Nfld.
“I’ve never shot this well, ever,’’ the 42-year-old Clark said during a break in the team championships on Friday. “It’s the best series I’ve had and the best tournament so far, and I’ve been bowling since I was four years old.’’
Clark’s run to the singles title included one game in which he recorded a pinfall of 401. He followed that performance with a 415 during the men’s team competition on Friday morning. It’s only the fourth time that Clark has surpassed 400 in his fivepin bowling career.
Clark recorded perfect scores of 450 twice during league action at the Golden Mile. Clark’s 400-plus scores on Thursday and Friday were the first time he had surpassed 400 in a provincial competition. Clark compared surpassing 400 in five-pin bowling to a golfer recording an albatross (a two on a par-5).
“They aren’t very easy to do,’’ Clark said. “One or two mistakes in a game and it’s unattainable. In five-pin bowling, the head pin is the most crucial part. When you punch it, you can only hope for a spare.’’
Clark’s performance at the provincial championships is more impressive considering he has taken a step back from competitive bowling in the last five years. Clark took a break to devote more time to his new position as the senior supervisor at the Loblaws warehouse and to spend more time with his wife, Krista, and their 18-monthold daughter, Tyler.
“The challenges in my new job have taught me to not get so nervous and I don’t feel the pressure as much as I used to,’’ Clark said. “My daughter was born a year and a half ago and she’s the light of my life. I don’t feel the stress that I used to in bowling. It has really matured me as a bowler.’’
Clark has had success at the provincial and national levels. He has shared in six Saskatchewan men’s team titles. In 2007, Clark was a member of the Regina men’s team that won the Canadian title. It was the first time since 1982 that a men’s team from Regina had won a national title.
Clark is in the running to earn another provincial title with the men’s team. Regina was in first place in the men’s division after Friday’s afternoon draw with a ninepoint edge over second-place Saskatoon. Clark was also averaging 293 in the men’s team event.
Saskatoon’s Alysa Sparks won the Saskatchewan women’s singles championship by beating Moose Jaw’s Shantelle Szuch 389-255 in the final. Sparks averaged 269 en route to finishing first in the round-robin. Regina’s Michelle Zver was third after losing to Szuch in the semifinal.
The provincial championships in the men’s, women’s and mixed team events are to be decided today. The stepladder portion of the championships starts at 2 p.m. Each provincial-champion team also advances to the Canadian championships.