The 10th World Youth Championships will be held from July 18-26, 2008 at Boardwalk Entertainment Center in Orlando, Florida, United States.

When the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) applied to host its first FIQ or WTBA event since the 1995 FIQ World Championships in Reno, Nev., they promised to run the event in a popular vacation destination with access to a first-class bowling center.

"Orlando was a natural choice," said Kevin Dornberger (right), at that time USBC Director of Team USA, now the COO and WTBA president, and anticipated the participation from approximately 50 countries.

"We look forward to working with Boardwalk Entertainment Center, the city of Orlando and the WTBA to make this a memorable event for everyone involved," Dornberger said in July 2006.

Almost two years later it's clear now that it was the right decision. Thus far 58 countries have announced to participate with a total of more than 350 players.

Therewith the World Youth Championships will become WTBA's biggest championship world wide in regard to participating countries and players since bowling's governing body has split the men's and women's world championships.

For comparison the 2006 WYC in Berlin, Germany drew 266 players, 165 boys and 101 girls, from 46 countries. The 2006 Men's World Championship in Korea featured 247 players from 44 countries, while the 2007 Women's World Championships in Mexico drew 225 from 43 countries.

The participating countries are (in alphabetical order):
Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Catalonia, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Guam, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Northern Ireland, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, U.S. Virgin Islands, Venezuela, Wales and the host country, the United States of America.

More than half of them (30) will send a complete team of four girls and four boys. These are Aruba, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Catalonia, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, England, Finland, Germany, Israel, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, Sweden, Ukraine, U.S. Virgin Islands, Venezuela, Wales and the United States.

9 countries Latvia, Norway, Poland, Qatar (7 players each), Chile, France, Iceland, Macau (6 players each) and Estonia (5) will send a complete boys team and up to three girls.

10 countries will send a complete boys team only. These are: Austria, Bahrain, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, Guam, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

Ireland, Northern Ireland and Guatemala will send both boys and girls but no complete team. Bulgaria, Hungary, Netherlands Antilles, Switzerland and Kazakhstan will send one or two boys, while Indonesia sends one girl only.

The World Youth Championships currently for national junior team members age 23 or younger is contested every other year, with the first event held in Manila, Philippines in 1990.

Other host cities were 1990 - Manila, Philippines; 1992 - Caracas, Venezuela; 1994 - Monterrey, Mexico; 1996 - Hong Kong; 1998 - Inchon, South Korea; 2000 - Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic; 2002 - Pattaya, Thailand; 2004 - Tamuning, Guam; and 2006 - Berlin, Germany.

The 10th installment of this great biennial tournament will be staged at Boardwalk Entertainment Center, an 80-lane, split house bowling center that has hosted numerous championships as well as serving as the home center for the University of Central Florida college bowling program.

Bowlingdigital will report live from Orlando commencing Thursday, July 17 all the way through to the Masters finals on Thursday, July 24.

The Presidium of the World Tenpin Bowling Association has designed a rule exception for the 2008 World Youth Championships in Orlando, Fla., United States concerning rule 6.6.4 and rule 6.7.4

Accordingly, all girls will play in one squad in Singles and Doubles competition. Two teams from the same federation will play on lanes close to each other to make it possible for one coach to look after all players from his federation if necessary.

According to WTBA Secretary General Christer Jonsson "the change of lanes after each game shall be arranged that each team in total plays 'over the whole center'. "