Entries look to top 90 for 42nd QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup

Entries are heating up for the 42nd QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup, planned for Caracas, Venezuela for fourth to 10th November, and the number of countries competing looks as if it may reach the 90 mark.

Among the key names is Or Aviram of Israel, runner up last year in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This sets up the intriguing possibility of a rematch of last year's final as defending champion, Michael Schmidt from Canada, will also be taking part. Keeping it in the family, Or's sister, Mor, will be Israel's female competitor. She competed in 2004 in Singapore when she was just 16.

A very warm welcome is sure to be extended to Marco Odio of Costa Rica who will be making his 12th appearance in the event, matching the record of Mohammed Khalifa Al Qubaisi of the UAE and Philip Dunne of Ireland. Marco, who first played the event in 1983 in Mexico City, is regarded as the best bowler Costa Rica has ever produced and is planning to retire soon, meaning this will be his last Bowling World Cup.

He will be joined in representing Costa Rica by Marie Ramirez who delighted the crowd in Tegucigalpa, Honduras in 2003 when she finished in third place.

They are not the only players with a World Cup pedigree who will be returning.

Norway's Petter Hansen, a runner up in 2004 in Singapore and quarterfinalist last year will be coming back. Another quarterfinalist from last year, Lucas Legnani of Argentina, will also be competing again and Qatar's Saeed Al Hajri will return after a gap of 11 years, having finished fifth in 1994 when the event was held in Hermosillo, Mexico.

In the women's section, Colombia will be represented by Clara Juliana Guerrero, the runner up in 2000, in Lisbon, Portugal, while Puerto Rico's Yoselin Leon who finished in third place in Singapore in 2004 will also be making a welcome return, as will Scotland's Laura Rhoney who finished fifth also in 2004.

Two married couples will be competing: Marcio and Lara Jesus for the Azores, and Dejan and Gordana Radulovich of Serbia. Both countries made their QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup debuts last year.

Anne-Marie Board, QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup manager, said: "I am really looking forward to this year's event. There are so many fine players that I know the competition will be fierce but friendly, as is the tradition of this tournament."

Two newcomer countries have indicated their attendance – Cuba and Pakistan – although the names of their competitors have yet to be announced.