Defending men's champion Aviv Alfital and Tali Itshak captured the men's and women's individual titles in the 2011 Israel National Championship which concluded last weekend at Petach-Tikva Bowling center.

36 men and 10 women played six games on short oil, 6 games on long oil and 8 games on dual lane condition (left lane long, right short oil) to cut to the top 8 who determined the champions in single-elimination best-of-three games format.

L-R Second place Liat Vizenfeld (Holon) and Lior Koren (Holon), champions Aviv Alfital (Holon) and Tali Itshak (Super Strike). and third place Nati Volfart (Ramat Gan), Ron Berlov (Hutzot), Shir Azulay (Holon) and Sarit Mizrahi (Super Strike). Photo by Ishay Shimon. Click on the image to enlarge it.

The men's championship match was a rematch of last year's finale with No. 3 seed, Lior Koren and Alfital, seeded seventh, squaring off. Alfital saved his best for last and swept Koren, 234-212 and 241-193, to win his second consecutive national title.

Itshak led the women's qualifying to earn the No. 1 seed for the playoffs, went the distance against No. 2 seed, Liat Vizenfeld. Itshak flew past her opponent in the first game, 252-168, but dropped the second, 191-215, before she wrapped up the title with a slim three-pin win in the decider, 182-179. It was the first national title for Itshak.

Both champions will represent Israel in the European Champions Cup August 15-22 at Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland.

 

Men's Finals (Best-of-three games)

Quarterfinal
#5 Nati Volfart def. #4 Omer Necushtan, 2-1
158-189, 199-160, 218-181
#7 Aviv Alfital def. #2 Gal Shemer, 2-0
196-161, 196-176
#3 Lior Koren def. #6 Israel Tener, 2-0
203-157, 226-216
#8 Ron Berlov def. #1 Or Aviram, 2-0
185-171, 257-218

Semifinal
Alfital def. Volfart, 2-1
190-173, 184-225, 224-211
Koren def. Berlov, 2-0
233-163, 246-217

Championship:
Alfital def. Koren, 2-0
234-212, 241-193.

 

Women's Finals (Best-of-three games)

Quarterfinal
#5 Shir Azulay def. #4 Sara Aviram, 2-0
190-176, 204-191
#2 Liat Vizenfeld def. #7 Rona Gil, 2-1
155-127, 183-185, 224-193
#3 Sarit Mizrahi def. #6 Edva Eliav, 2-1
202-216, 258-192, 169-162
#1 Tali Itshak def. #8 Hana Duanis, 2-0
173-156, 214-200

Semifinal
Vizenfeld def. Mizrahi, 2-1
201-197, 181-183, 203-158
Itshak def. Azulay, 2-1
171-180, 149-140, 181-134

Championship:
Itshak def. Vizenfeld, 2-1
252-168, 191-215, 182-179.