Mampote gets ready to welcome the 42nd QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup with a record breaking 102 countries entered

It's "All systems go" with just less than four weeks to the opening ceremony of the 42nd QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup in Caracas, Venezuela. The tournament will take place from November 4-10, 2006 in the 40-lane center in Mampote, just outside Caracas.

The final line up in Venezuela could well beat the record of 95 participating nations in Singapore 2004.

Anne-Marie Board, QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup Manager, commented: "The magnificent center at Mampote is being refurbished and equipped with our state-of-the-art machinery and scoring system. The conditions for bowlers and fans alike will be superb.

"I am really looking forward to this event and to welcoming old and new friends alike and I am sure we will have an excellent tournament."

Among those who can expect a very warm welcome are two players who hold the record for the most appearances – Aida Granillo of El Salvador will be competing for an amazing 16th time, while Mohammed Khalifa Al Qubaisi is not only competing for the 13th time, but of course he is also a returning champion, having won the title in 1988 in Guadalajara.


Or Aviram (left) of Israel will also be coming again, setting up the intriguing possibility of a rematch of last year's final as defending champion Michael Schmidt (right), Canada, will be competing. Or has recently become the first Israeli to win a major international title, having won the European Champions Cup in Riga, Latvia, in September. His sister, Mor, will be Israel's female competitor. She competed in 2004 in Singapore when she was just 16.

Marco Odio of Costa Rica will be making his 12th appearance in the event. 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 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, 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.

Two newcomer countries have indicated their attendance – Cuba and Pakistan – although the names of their competitors have yet to be announced. Bolivia will be making a welcome return after nearly 30 years' absence.