Echigo, Takekawa victorious at NHK Cup 45th Japan All-star Invitational Championships
05/18/11
College students Takuma Echigo (l.) of Nagoya Sangyo University and Hikaru Takekawa (r.) of Asahi University captured the men's and women's titles in the NHK Cup 45th Japan All-Star Invitational Championships which were held from May 13-15, 2011 JFE Chiba River Lanes, a 64-laner with Brunswick wooden lanes in Chiba-Shi, Chiba-Ken, Japan.
Click on the image to enlarge it.
The NHK Cup Japan All-Star Invitational Championships are the most prestigious individual championships in Japan. This year's championships were held as a charity event for the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami victims and drew 245 players, 131 men and 114 women.
In a high-scoring women’s division championship match, top seeded Takegawa (pictured right), representing Gifu prefecture in the championships, defeated long-time Japan national team member and No. 3 seed, Haruka Matsuda, Hokkaido, 257-227, to win the coveted title for the first time in her career. Takegawa had the high game of the championships (290) while Matsuda posted the highest three-game series (768).
The men's final was an all IBAJ (Intercollegiate Bowling Association of Japan) affair with top seeded Echigo (pictured left) and third-seeded Yuki Tsutsumi squaring off. Echigo sealed his first victory in the NHK Cup with a 205-174. Tsutsumi earned the high series award for a 791 three-game set. Yuto Hiraoka, IBAJ and Mitsuji Nishinou, Nagasaki shared the high game award with 290 games.
Only elite players such as previous champions, adult and youth national team members, players who represented Japan in WTBA or ABF official championships, prize winners in official Japan Bowling Congress championships and bowlers, who bowled more than 1000 games in JBC approved tournaments within the year, are qualified for the prestigious championships in the following year. The men’s and women’s champions are considered the best bowlers in Japan.
The NHK Cup 45th Japan All-Star Invitational Championships was the 23rd event since the Japan Broadcasting Corporation NHK (Nihon Hoso Kyokai), a quasi-national broadcasting corporation, granted the Cup. Both championship matches - men and women - are broadcasted nationwide by NHK every year. This is the only bowling tournament that is broadcasted live in Japan.
All players bowled nine games of qualifying with the top 48 men and the top 30 women advancing to the next round to bowl another 6 games. The top 12 men and women after 15 games qualified for round robin match play. Players received 10 pins bonus for each win and 5 for a tie.
The top 3 players in each division advanced to the TV stepladder finals (No. 2 vs. No. 3, winner vs. No. 1, one-game matches). The top six men and the top six women were the prize winners.
Championship Round:
1. Takuma Echigo (right), IBAJ
2. Yuki Tsutsumi, IBAJ
3. Toshihiko Takahashi, Gifu
* IBAJ = Intercollegiate Bowling Association of Japan
Playoff Results:
Semifinal Match: #3 Tsutsumi def. #2 Takahashi, 219-208
Championship Match: #1 Echigo def. Tsutsumi, 205-174.
Top 6 after Match Play:
Five games plus position round (2 games). Players with position, province, pinfall, bonus and grand total. The top 3 advanced to the stepladder final.
1. Takuma Echigo, IBAJ, 1707, 60, 1767
2. Toshihiko Takahashi, Gifu, 1636, 30, 1666
3. Yuki Tsutsumi, IBAJ, 1584, 50, 1634
Missed Cut:
4. Toshiyuki Teshima, Miyagi, 1585, 40, 1625
5. Shusaku Asato, Gifu, 1538, 50, 1588
6. Nobuhito Fujii, Kanagawa, 1552, 10, 1562
Click on the image to enlarge it.
Championship Round:
1. Hikaru Takekawa (right), Gifu
2. Haruka Matsuda, Hokkaido
3. Natsuki Sasaki, Yamanashi
Playoff Results:
Semifinal Match: #3 Matsuda def. #2 Sasaki, 205-197
Championship Match: #1 Takekawa def. Matsuda, 257-227.
Top 6 after Match Play
Five games plus position round (2 games). Players with position, province, pinfall, bonus and grand total. The top 3 advanced to the stepladder final.
1. Hikaru Takekawa, Gifu, 1621, 60, 1681
2. Natsuki Sasaki, Yamanashi, 1602, 40, 1642
3. Haruka Matsuda, Hokkaido, 1594, 40, 1634
Missed Cut:
4. Mina Kakizoe, Wakayama, 1571, 40, 1611
5. Yukari Honma, Hokkaido, 1560, 30, 1590
6. Mari Kimura, Tokushima, 1515, 40, 1555
Click on the image to enlarge it.
High Game Award:
Men: 290 - Yuto Hiraoka, IBAJ and Mitsuji Nishinou, Nagasaki
Women: 290 - Hikaru Takekawa, Gifu
High Series Award:
Men: 791 - Yuki Tsutsumi, IBAJ
Women: 768 - Haruka Matsuda, Hokkaido
Japan
College students win Japan's most prestigious individual titles from top seed
College students Takuma Echigo (l.) of Nagoya Sangyo University and Hikaru Takekawa (r.) of Asahi University captured the men's and women's titles in the NHK Cup 45th Japan All-Star Invitational Championships which were held from May 13-15, 2011 JFE Chiba River Lanes, a 64-laner with Brunswick wooden lanes in Chiba-Shi, Chiba-Ken, Japan. Click on the image to enlarge it.
The NHK Cup Japan All-Star Invitational Championships are the most prestigious individual championships in Japan. This year's championships were held as a charity event for the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami victims and drew 245 players, 131 men and 114 women.
In a high-scoring women’s division championship match, top seeded Takegawa (pictured right), representing Gifu prefecture in the championships, defeated long-time Japan national team member and No. 3 seed, Haruka Matsuda, Hokkaido, 257-227, to win the coveted title for the first time in her career. Takegawa had the high game of the championships (290) while Matsuda posted the highest three-game series (768). The men's final was an all IBAJ (Intercollegiate Bowling Association of Japan) affair with top seeded Echigo (pictured left) and third-seeded Yuki Tsutsumi squaring off. Echigo sealed his first victory in the NHK Cup with a 205-174. Tsutsumi earned the high series award for a 791 three-game set. Yuto Hiraoka, IBAJ and Mitsuji Nishinou, Nagasaki shared the high game award with 290 games. Only elite players such as previous champions, adult and youth national team members, players who represented Japan in WTBA or ABF official championships, prize winners in official Japan Bowling Congress championships and bowlers, who bowled more than 1000 games in JBC approved tournaments within the year, are qualified for the prestigious championships in the following year. The men’s and women’s champions are considered the best bowlers in Japan.
The NHK Cup 45th Japan All-Star Invitational Championships was the 23rd event since the Japan Broadcasting Corporation NHK (Nihon Hoso Kyokai), a quasi-national broadcasting corporation, granted the Cup. Both championship matches - men and women - are broadcasted nationwide by NHK every year. This is the only bowling tournament that is broadcasted live in Japan.
All players bowled nine games of qualifying with the top 48 men and the top 30 women advancing to the next round to bowl another 6 games. The top 12 men and women after 15 games qualified for round robin match play. Players received 10 pins bonus for each win and 5 for a tie.
The top 3 players in each division advanced to the TV stepladder finals (No. 2 vs. No. 3, winner vs. No. 1, one-game matches). The top six men and the top six women were the prize winners.
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NHK Cup 45th Japan All-Star Invitational Championships - Men's Division
Championship Round:1. Takuma Echigo (right), IBAJ
2. Yuki Tsutsumi, IBAJ
3. Toshihiko Takahashi, Gifu
* IBAJ = Intercollegiate Bowling Association of Japan
Playoff Results:
Semifinal Match: #3 Tsutsumi def. #2 Takahashi, 219-208
Championship Match: #1 Echigo def. Tsutsumi, 205-174.
Top 6 after Match Play:
Five games plus position round (2 games). Players with position, province, pinfall, bonus and grand total. The top 3 advanced to the stepladder final.
1. Takuma Echigo, IBAJ, 1707, 60, 17672. Toshihiko Takahashi, Gifu, 1636, 30, 1666
3. Yuki Tsutsumi, IBAJ, 1584, 50, 1634
Missed Cut:
4. Toshiyuki Teshima, Miyagi, 1585, 40, 1625
5. Shusaku Asato, Gifu, 1538, 50, 1588
6. Nobuhito Fujii, Kanagawa, 1552, 10, 1562
Click on the image to enlarge it.
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NHK Cup 45th Japan All-Star Invitational Championships - Women's Division
Championship Round:1. Hikaru Takekawa (right), Gifu
2. Haruka Matsuda, Hokkaido
3. Natsuki Sasaki, Yamanashi
Playoff Results:
Semifinal Match: #3 Matsuda def. #2 Sasaki, 205-197
Championship Match: #1 Takekawa def. Matsuda, 257-227.
Top 6 after Match Play
Five games plus position round (2 games). Players with position, province, pinfall, bonus and grand total. The top 3 advanced to the stepladder final.
1. Hikaru Takekawa, Gifu, 1621, 60, 16812. Natsuki Sasaki, Yamanashi, 1602, 40, 1642
3. Haruka Matsuda, Hokkaido, 1594, 40, 1634
Missed Cut:
4. Mina Kakizoe, Wakayama, 1571, 40, 1611
5. Yukari Honma, Hokkaido, 1560, 30, 1590
6. Mari Kimura, Tokushima, 1515, 40, 1555
Click on the image to enlarge it.
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High Game/High Series Awards
High Game Award: Men: 290 - Yuto Hiraoka, IBAJ and Mitsuji Nishinou, Nagasaki
Women: 290 - Hikaru Takekawa, Gifu
High Series Award: Men: 791 - Yuki Tsutsumi, IBAJ
Women: 768 - Haruka Matsuda, Hokkaido
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