Dubai: DHL pipped hosts Emirates for the overall honours while Kevin Wattimena and Karen Araza picked up the individual honours at the end of the Seventh World Airline Bowling Championships that concluded on Friday.
DHL’s Butch Vargas was the pick of the lot as the experienced Filipino battled till the end before going down to Dublin-based 19-year-old Wattimena representing Aer Lingus in the men’s Masters final. It was second time lucky for Etihad Airlines’ Filipina bowler Araza as she got past KLM’s Helma Gruijthuijsen for the ladies masters’ crown. Araza had also made it to the finals in 2010, but had caved in with a sloppy show four years back.
“This time I was confident I could do it, so I just kept my focus and stuck to my game plan,” the Travel Services official from Abu Dhabi told Gulf News.
Wattimena was thrilled with what he termed his “second most important win” in his short career. A bowling alley mechanic by profession, Wattimena had won a tri-nation bowling championship involving Ireland, Scotland and England in August 2013.
The Dublin lad was under pressure after Vargas made a couple of clean strikes in the final stepladder. But the youngster kept his poise and made full use of a split from the DHL man in the seventh visit to win 188-177. “I’m just so happy to win merely because I was up against some of the best professionals in the airline industry. It’s a huge win for me and this definitely helps me to confidently move towards my next target of playing on the European Tour from January,” Wattimena disclosed.
In the battle for overall honours, hosts Emirates fell short of the target by a mere three points as DHL were crowned the new champions with 68 points. Former champions Emirates, who had surrendered their crown to Etihad Airlines in 2012, ended in second with 65 points, while SAS completed the podium with 55 points.
The formal closing and trophy presentation was scheduled to be held at Movenpick Hotel later on Saturday evening.
