11/06/05
Column
Everything in Vienna was special
By John Jowdy
Foreign bowlers have come a long way, particularly in top-level competition. For example, Europeans players have a full schedule of events that feature tournaments in excess of $100,000.
A number of these tournaments have lured American players; amateurs and pros alike. Unlike some tournaments held in the USA, particularly the PBA and megabucks events that place restrictions on entries, the European games are open to anyone. This includes the top stars on the PBA tour, attested by the fact that Brian Voss, Robert Smith, and a number of other professional players participated in several tournaments during this year's European Bowling Tour season.
The EBT employs a ranking system for determining the top bowler of the year. The top 50 men and the top 50 women of each of the twenty EBT tournaments receive ranking points - one point for 50th place and 50 points for first place in regular tournaments. "Major" tournaments offer double ranking points. How does it compare to what we do?
The Columbia 300 Vienna Open is one of the major tournaments on the European Bowling Tour. This prestigious event is the product of Vienna wine retailer and avid bowling fan, Wolfgang Lohschmid (pictured). Lohschmid and his crew worked hard to attract the best players possible.
To attract the most attention for his tournament and his sponsors, Lohschmid always invites Herbert Bickel, editor of www.bowlingdigital.com - one of the most popular bowling websites in the world - to cover the tournament live from Vienna.
Players, promoters, and leading bowling officials recognize Herbert Bickel throughout the bowling community. During his coverage of the World Ranking Masters at the Kegel facility in Florida earlier this year, Bickel met Dick Evans and recognized his stature as perhaps the most prolific bowling writer in America.
After returning to Europe, Bickel persuaded Lohschmid to invite Dick Evans as his guest to cover the tournament for the American public. Evans, who had no desire to travel to Europe alone, talked about whether I might be interested in going to Vienna.
I contacted Wolfgang Lohschmid and recommended the promotion of several bowling clinics that might possibly enhance the event. He agreed with my suggestion and also invited my wife Brenda and I as his special guests.
The results of the tournament have been well documented. Osku Palermaa (pictured), the sensational young two-handed, no- thumb bowling whiz from Finland, won the event.
Palermaa is hardly a stranger to die-hard American bowling fans. He displayed his proficiency on American soil when he appeared on the televised finals of the US Open in 2004. Although he lost his match against Walter Ray Williams Jr., 228-198, to finish fifth, he left a lasting impression and gave a new meaning to thumb-less bowling.
In the opening match of the stepladder format finals of the Vienna Open, Osku defeated Team USA star David Haynes. Haynes (pictured) got off to a poor start. He was unable to register a strike in his first six frames and found himself in dire straits. He switched balls in the seventh frame and immediately began to strike. However, he was unable to completely close the gap and lost to the young Finn.
Palermaa then went on to capture the title by besting another outstanding Finnish star, Lasse Lintilä. Like Palermaa, Lintilä is highly regarded by American bowlers who participate in megabucks events. Lintilä has captured TWO of these high-paying events during the past two years. In the championship match, Osku topped another Finn, tournament leader Petri Mannonen, to claim his second EBT title of the season.
However, this story is more than about the results of the Vienna Open. This is a story concerning the hospitality, the congeniality and warmth of many Europeans who have embraced bowling as an international sport; particularly in welcoming these three Americans and making our visit so pleasurable, and rewarding.
Our story begins when we decided to see Switzerland and Germany on our way to Austria by train. Yes, I mean train. For those unfamiliar with European travel, one can purchase a Eurail pass that permits essentially unlimited travel throughout Europe at one set fee. Our starting point was Zurich, Switzerland.
As we moved through the area with the backdrop of the Alps we saw small towns nestled in between rolling hills and cows with large bells around their necks standing in the front yards; everything you picture Switzerland to be. Quiet beauty everywhere.
A couple of highlights include the day we took a tram ride over two miles high to the Schilthorn Mountain. At Schilthorn's peak (pictured) there is an uninterrupted 360-degree panorama of over 200 mountain peaks which can be enjoyed by relaxing in the revolving restaurant.
Click here to view the panorama.
As we descend the mountain there are the spectacular Trümmelbach waterfalls. The Trümmelbach Falls are fed by the melting snow and ice from the glaciers. The melted water cascades over the cliffs dropping straight down a mile or more of the solid stone faces. Before arriving in Vienna, we spent another extraordinary day in Salzburg (pictured), home of one of the world's most famous composers, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Our Salzburg visit included a Sound of Music Tour.
We were overwhelmed by the splendor of the most beautiful country your eyes could ever see. The landscape is as breathtaking as it was in the movie, understandably so ... because this is where the major portion of the movie was shot.
Fortunately for us, leaving those wonderful places for Vienna was no let down. Vienna is different from any place we've ever been. It is absolutely beautiful in its' own uniqueness. The indescribable grandeur, the opulence of past years, and the breathtaking scenery is truly magnificent. But, I digress. Upon our arrival into Vienna, Wolfgang Lohschmid met us personally at the train station. After a short visit to the bowling tournament site, he took us to a quaint restaurant and introduced us to genuine Austrian cuisine that featured "Wiener Schnitzel". Wolfgang was quick to point out that "Wiener" means Viennese style as the Wiener Schnitzel was originated in Vienna, Austria and all other countries serving this entree were mere imposters. It was delicious!
Following dinner, Wolfgang accompanied us to the Hotel Ananas Wien (pictured) the event host hotel. Ananas, a four-star hotel, is a standard stop for most Vienna Open participants from other countries. The commute between the hotel and the Vienna Open site can be done by private car, subway, or taxi.
The Ananas is very clean and comfortable and included a breakfast buffet that surpasses any I have ever seen, an offering that is included in the price of your room. Featured in a huge buffet style are eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, many sliced cold cuts unique to Europe; fresh fruits of every kind, yogurts, cereals, a large variety of European cheeses, all the various drinks you could desire, good coffee, and a numerous assortment of breads and cakes.
When I look back on the Open, one thing stands out in my mind. Without doubt, Lohschmid is the most tireless, hardest working tournament director I have ever seen in my 50 years of tournament coverage. Although a very competent staff aided Wolfgang, he was relentless in his pursuit of perfection for the tournament.
For example, he, or one of his staff members personally greeted every visiting bowler at the airport or train station. He also saw that transportation was provided for visitors on their departures. He personally started EVERY squad and, I might add, ON TIME. When he wasn't directing traffic for the tournament, he was constantly glued to his cell phone or seeing that everyone was being attended to. From our observation, he slept less than four hours per day.
In addition to all his tournament activities, Wolfgang, made all the arrangements for four bowling clinics to be conducted by this author, three of which were held in another bowling establishment; and he was there to jump start each one.
About 30 bowlers who did not engage in the tournament came specifically to participate in the three-day clinics. They came from Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Russia. (Russian bowlers did participate in the Open as well). It was one of the most rewarding experiences in my coaching career.
The majority of the students spoke some English, thereby making my task a bit easier. But most of all, every student displayed a sincere desire to learn and improve their games.
The picture shows the John Jowdy and his wife Brenda (far left) with the students of one of the clinics. They thirst for proper bowling instructions. Their willingness to conform to my suggestions was heartwarming and gratifying. The smiles on their faces and sighs of contentment made my visit as memorable as any clinics I've ever been associated with.
This includes seminars I've conducted all over America, (including Hawaii) Japan, the United Arab Emirates, and the Caribbean Islands. As a matter of fact, the head honcho of the Russian delegation offered me a handsome sum to coach the Russian team for a week in the spring of 2006 ... a proposition I am considering.
Wolfgang's special assistant, Alexander Seidl, coach of Vienna's youth bowlers, invited me to spend several hours instructing his Boy's Bowling Club. My time with this group was unforgettable. Bringing smiles to the faces of these boys was an extra special part of my stay in Vienna. Their love of bowling beamed in their faces throughout their lessons as well as the entire Open events. They were darn good bowlers as well.
The picture shows young Rowby Rodriguez proudly presenting his shirt full of autographs from participants in the Vienna Open. Also, another unexpected pleasure came from Alex and his wife Manuela, who took us to Grinzing, one of Vienna's outside districts in the Vienna Forest; a secret the Viennese do not share easily. You drive through quaint town of Grinzing (pictured) on the way up the mountain. We saw no tourists or interest in tourism there; it is the "real deal".
The mountain has a legend that has been passed down through centuries. It concerns the love of a man for his intended wife and the beautiful cathedral he built for her at the very top of the mountain. We had a 360-degree view of the entire area of Vienna Austria, including the famous Donau River. This was a very special experience for us.
When I try to put all of this together in my mind, all I can say is everything in Vienna was special. The people of Vienna, the Vienna sights, the food, the tournament, the participants, the fans, and most of all, Alexander and Manuela Seidl, Herbert Bickel, and promoter par excellence, Wolfgang Lohschmid.
Editor's note: Tournament organizers, who are interest to learn more about the possibilities to make arrangements for bowling clinics to be conducted by John Jowdy, please use the top right menu bar to contact us.
| back... |  |
