Bowlers beware. More oil patterns are coming your way and a West Virginia bowling center served as a site for the USBC and Bowling Proprietors Association to test those patterns.

The patterns are called USBC Red, White and Blue. Dunbar Bowling Center in Dunbar, W.Va., and Red Bird Lanes in Duncanville, Texas are where the two groups watched how shots reacted on the three conditions. USBC and BPAA data indicate all three patterns passed both difficulty and fairness standards.

During testing, the USBC Red pattern played at the same level of difficulty as each bowling center's standard house shot based on each bowler's 2008-09 average. The results for the White and Blue patterns also have fallen in line with USBC and BPAA's predicted and intended ranges. These results were observed in all participating bowlers regardless of average.

USBC Red is intended to be the most forgiving condition, USBC White is expected to be more challenging and USBC Blue should be the most difficult. USBC Sport Bowling conditions continue to be the most challenging level of oil patterns.

"Further analysis is required, but, right now, the Red, White and Blue patterns are exhibiting the degrees of difficulty and fairness that were intended," USBC Technical Director Steve Kloempken said.

The next round of tests have begun at two centers in Texas and one in Idaho. Additional centers have expressed interest and will be brought online as test sites as soon as they are equipped to do so.

If the latest round of testing yields acceptable results, the Red, White and Blue patterns will be made available for local and state tournament use in Spring 2010 and for the Fall 2010 league season.

As part of the effort to gain attention for the new patterns, USBC is sponsoring a stop on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour. The Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open will be held Dec. 7-13 in Wichita, Kan. The finals will be on ESPN on Jan. 3.

DUKE WINS: Hall of Famer Norm Duke won his 33rd career PBA title in a unique ESPN telecast last Sunday that told the story of the PBA Cheetah Championship from beginning to end. Duke ended an amazing run by non-exempt player Ryan Ciminelli to win the best-of-seven match, 4-1.

ESPN's Kenny Mayne narrated the documentary-style format. Viewers got a look at qualifying and the match play rounds leading up to the finals. Snippets with players gave viewers a look they normally can't get unless they attend a PBA event.

Ciminelli, a left-hander, led the Tour Qualifying Round to get into the 72-man field. He then led the qualifying and went 3-0 in match play to make the finals. He beat Duke, 226-212, in the first game, but the veteran then took control, winning the next four matches, 236-228, 257-213, 236-193, and 258-205.

The Cheetah Championship was the first Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour event ever to incorporate a best-of-seven-format in the title match.

WOMEN RETURN: The PBA Women's Series presented by BOWL.com returns Sunday, Nov. 15, during the telecast of the Viper Championship on ESPN at 1 p.m. This is the third year for this series. Lynda Barnes will take on Liz Johnson for the title. They'll lead off the show followed by the men semifinals matching Ryan Ciminelli against Michael Haugen Jr. and Rhino Page against Steve Jaros. Ciminelli came through the Tournament Qualifying Round. The winners meet for the title.

WOMEN'S TURN: Sunday, Nov. 15, is the deadline to enter the Huntington USBC Women's Championship scheduled Nov. 21-22 at Ceredo Lane. Team event is Saturday at 11 a.m. The shift for singles and doubles is Sunday at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $20 per event with $4 for all-events (optional). Entry forms are at area centers. Entry deadline is Nov. 14.

COLONIAL EVENT: No-Tap Handicap Singles Tournament at 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 15, at Colonial Lanes. Entry fee $20. Call 304-697-7100 or visit www.coloniallaneswv.com.

WEST VIRGINIA SENIORS: USBC West Virginia State Seniors wraps up Sunday, Nov. 15, today at Dunbar Bowling Center.

David Walsh covers bowling for The Herald-Dispatch. Call him at 526-2730. His e-mail is dwalsh@herald-dispatch.com.

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