For the third consecutive year, Leanne Barrette made a major impact on the final standings at the United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships. Barrette won her fourth title in the past three years and her fifth overall as Ebonite Bowlers Map of Roseville, Calif., won the Classic Team title with 3,210 at this year's Women's Championships, which concluded its 82-day run Monday in suburban Charlotte, N.C.

For the past two and a half months thousands of women bowlers have contributed to a very worthy cause by participating in a "Bowl for the Cure" raffle at the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships. Nearly $21,000 was raised for Susan G. Komen For the Cure through a raffle during each team squad at Northcross Lanes in Huntersville, N.C. Participants donated $1 to help cure breast cancer and a chance to win a shiny pink "Bowl for the Cure" Viz-a-Ball.

Pamela Gunn's 644 set powered Ladies on the Roll I of Alexandria, Va., into first place in Division 1 team competition (846-945 average) at the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships. With only four days remaining in the 82-day Women's Championships, Ladies on the Roll I leads second place VA FL Friends of Palm Coast, Fla., who shot 2,798 and led for much of the tournament.

Unwavering teamwork and support from more than 100 fellow Chicago-area bowlers helped guide Latin Flava of Chicago to first place Friday in Division 2 team at the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships. Latin Flava took the Division 2 (746-845 team average) team lead with a 2,731 total. With only two weeks remaining in the 82-day event, the energetic squad from the Windy City figures to do a lot of scoreboard watching and fingernail biting.

As the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships enters the homestretch, the Kentucky Ladies of Bowling Green made their bid to cross the finish line first in Division III Team, Thursday at Northcross Lanes. The Kentucky Ladies, a squad made up of four athletes from the Bluegrass State of Kentucky and one from just across the border in Tennessee, moved into first place in Division III (651-745 team average) after posting a score of 2,435 on team games of 791, 818 and 826.

Lori Tapparo of Strasburg, Colo., has her fingers crossed. With only three weeks left in the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships, Tapparo is one of only two competitors with top three scores in three events. As each day passes, Tapparo, an avid bowler for 16 years, knows she is a little closer to accomplishing a great feat.

When Florence Grant of Blackfoot, Idaho, first picked up a bowling ball in the early 1950's, little did she know that she was about to introduce generations of her family to a sport that would bind them even closer together. Flash forward some 55 years, Grant was part of a team of four generations in her family competing in the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships.

A career-high series that moved an Akron, Ohio bowler into first place in Division 4 Singles, highlighted several standings changes at the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships. Connie Parson of Akron, participating in her first Women's Championships with a 129 average, vaulted to the top in Division 4 Singles (130 and under) after posting a 589 series. Parson rolled games of 223, 180 and 186 to take first place by 35 pins.

Perfect strangers joined forces Saturday to take over first place at the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships. Vivian Thompson of Blowing Rock, N.C., and Angela Anstrom of Charlotte, N.C., shot a 981 series, earning the top spot in Division 4 Doubles competition at AMF Carolina Lanes in Matthews, N.C. Thompson fired a 579 series while Anstrom contributed 402.

The timing could not have been better. As 89-year-old Mini Tvaska of St. Petersburg, Fla., was telling reporters how she was once a high school cheerleader, the public address announcer called her name and told a cheering, admiring crowd at the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships that Tvaska was tying the record of 61 years of participation at the championships. This former cheerleader was now the new, reigning queen.

As the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships reaches the halfway point, several standings changes highlighted competition Sunday and Monday at Northcross Lanes in Huntersville and AMF Carolina Lanes in Matthews. The Women's Championships, which is the largest participatory sporting event in the world for women, will continue through July 2.

Sally Lynn's career-best 662 series powered Rollin' Along of Mundelein, Ill., into third place in Division 1 team competition Saturday at the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships. "We're on top of the world," team captain Farruggia said. "We've never placed this high in any of the Women's Championships we've bowled in before. It pays off going and going each year and having the camaraderie we have. We came in thinking 'We can do it.'"

What do you get when you have 30 Bermuda athletes in Charlotte for the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships?
You get a great group of competitors having a lot of fun. And oh yes, you do get one loud complaint.
Turn up the heat!

Vi Bonomo's bowling career began in 1942 in a small six-lane center in upstate New York where she had to set her own pins. Sixty-five years later, the technology of bowling is a bit more advanced, but the 81-year-old Bonomo of Utica, N.Y., is still rolling strikes and converting spares, still smiling, laughing and high-fiving fellow bowlers. Bonomo's bowling career reached a grand milestone Sunday as she competed in her 50th United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships at AMF Carolina Lanes in Matthews, N.C.

New leaders emerged in the Classic Doubles and Singles events at the USBC Women's Championships on Friday at AMF Carolina Lanes. Liz Johnson and Susan Jeziorski-Smith took the lead in Classic Doubles, combining for 1,385. Meanwhile, Tiffany Stanbrough moved into the Classic Singles lead with 745.