The BetVictor Weber Cup takes place from Monday, October 19 until Wednesday, October 21 behind closed doors at Ricoh Arena, Coventry. Fans can get involved by taking part in the Fans’ Choice votes and submitting your videos and pictures to be used on the big screens at this year’s BetVictor Weber Cup.

The BetVictor Weber Cup will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, DAZN and Matchroom.Live with full broadcast details at www.webercup.com.

Follow the BetVictor Weber Cup on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the latest on bowling’s famous Europe vs. USA battle and subscribe to Matchroom Multi Sport on YouTube to enjoy hours of classic Weber Cup matches.

Session and Match Schedule

Teams

Bill O’Neill returned for the USA as Europe saw a debut for Denmark’s Thomas Larsen.

Europe

Dom Barrett, Stu Williams, Osku Palermaa, Thomas Larsen, Jesper Svensson

USA

Chris Barnes, Bill O’Neill, Kyle Troup, Anthony Simonsen, E.J Tackett

Results

Europe

USA

Day 1 Session 1

Baker
Team Europe 212-267 Team USA

Singles
Jesper Svensson 255-268 Bill O’Neill

Doubles
Barrett/Svensson 254-289 O’Neill/Tackett

Singles
Osku Palermaa 192-255 Kyle Troup
Dominic Barrett 246-268 Anthony Simonsen

Doubles
Williams/Larsen 240-268 O’Neill/Barnes

Jesper Svensson 267-267 EJ Tackett
Roll off
XX-X9

Day 1 Session 2

Singles
Thomas Larsen 243-254 Chris Barnes

Singles
Stu Williams 202-256 Bill O’Neill

Doubles
Larsen/Svensson 278-217 Simonsen/Barnes

Singles
Dominic Barrett 203-236 Kyle Troup

Doubles
Williams/Palermaa 221-257 Troup/Tackett

Fans Choice
Jesper Svensson 256-246 Kyle Troup

Day 2 Session 1

Singles
Osku Palermaa 265-278 Anthony Simonsen

Singles
Thomas Larsen 288-278 EJ Tackett

Doubles
Barrett/Larsen 244-244 Simonsen/Tackett

Roll Off – 67-90

Singles
Jesper Svensson 267-267 Bill O’Neill

Roll Off – 60-38

Doubles
Williams/Barrett 210-254 Troup/Barnes

Fans Choice
Palermaa/Svensson 279-278 Troup/Simonsen

Day 2 Session 2

Baker
Europe 263-233 USA

Singles
Stu Williams 234-219 Chris Barnes

Singles
Osku Palermaa 202-254 Kyle Troup

Singles
Jesper Svensson 256-267 Chris Barnes

Singles
Thomas Larsen 232-256 Bill O’Neill

Doubles
Svensson/Palermaa 278-266 O’Neill/Troup

Day 3 Session 1

Singles
Dominic Barrett 257-300 Anthony Simonsen

Singles
Stuart Williams 231-288 EJ Tackett

Doubles
Jesper Svensson & Osku Palermaa 286-245 Anthony Simonsen & Bill O’Neill

Dominic Barrett & Osku Palermaa 225-278 EJ Tackett & Chris Barnes

Singles
Thomas Larsen 225-222 Kyle Troup

Doubles
Stuart Williams & Jesper Svensson 265-211 Anthony Simonsen & Kyle Troup

Singles

Jesper Svensson 289-278 Anthony Simonsen

Captains select the bowler after match 32

Day 3 Session 1

Singles
Osku Palermaa 268-256 Chris Barnes

Singles
Dom Barrett 243-226 Bill O’Neill

Singles
Jesper Svensson 235-258 EJ Tackett

Doubles
Larsen/Palermaa 257-234 Barnes/Troup

Singles
Stu Williams 256-258 Anthony Simonsen

Doubles
Svensson/Barrett 223-265 O’Neill/Tackett

Singles
Osku Palermaa 245-220 Kyle Troup

Singles
Dom Barrett 263-231 Chris Barnes

Singles
Jesper Svensson 244-278 EJ Tackett

Reports

USA CLINCH THIRD CONSECUTIVE BETVICTOR WEBER CUP

Team USA retained the BetVictor Weber Cup, beating Europe 23-18 at Ricoh Arena, Coventry, after fending off a late European fightback on what turned into a gripping final day of bowling action live on Sky Sports.

The home side had trialled by nine points at one stage in the afternoon and closed the gap to four by the middle of the evening session. However, defending champions USA were able to stem the tide and EJ Tackett bowled the winning match, beating Jesper Svensson for the second time in the session to also take the MVP title.

“I had the easiest job in the world,” said captain Chris Barnes. “I have four of the top eight guys in the world to bowl with and I think a lot of guys could do ok captaining this group. They are easier to get along with, support each other and know how to do a whole load of things on the lane.

“It has been a strange event. We had a great session one but I don’t ever recall winning this without winning another session at any point. Tonight, Europe basically ran out of games and fortunately EJ pulled us out of a couple of tough matches and picked up for Kyle and I who didn’t have our best day today.”

MVP Tackett said: “This is absolutely amazing, to be MVP. The personal experience last time I was here, I bowled probably one of the worst weeks of my life, and to come here this time, bowl the way that I did, this trophy is for the team. The MVP title never crossed my mind, everything I was doing was for the team.

“This is pretty high up in my career. I have done a lot but this is one of those things that not everybody gets to do, so to be able to come back, get this, hold the Weber Cup trophy, it is pretty fantastic.

Europe had brought momentum with them from the afternoon session, which they closed out with three consecutive wins to trail 13-19.

Osku Palermaa got the hosts of to a perfect start with a 268-256 win over Chris Barnes, and captain Dom Barrett then led by example with a 243-226 over Bill O’Neill. USA were now beginning to look nervous, their lead cut to just four points.

EJ Tackett gave the defending champions some breathing space with a win over Jesper Svensson, stopping the blue tide against the man who had been Europe’s shining light with nine doubles and singles wins so far.

That meant USA needed just three points more, but Europe closed the gap again in the subsequent doubles match; Palermaa and Thomas Larsen beating Barnes and Kyle Troup.

Simonsen then beat Williams at the death; the Englishman unfortunate to leave one pin standing, allowing his opponent to strike for a point that took USA with two of the title.

Tackett and O’Neill then beat Svensson and Barrett at doubles; the European tide had well and truly been stemmed and USA needed just one more point to retrain the BetVictor Weber Cup.

Troup was next up for America and he knew that not only would a point see his nation defend their title, but it would also mean he would pip his team-mates to the MVP title. However, Palermaa had other ideas and kept Europe alive with a 245-220 win.

Captain Barrett then saw off his counterpart Barnes 263-231, but that would prove to be Europe’s final point, as Tackett then beat Svensson 244-278 to claim the MVP crown, and most importantly the 2020 BetVictor Weber Cup for Team USA.

EUROPE KEEP HOPES ALIVE AT BETVICTOR WEBER CUP

Team Europe kept their BetVictor Weber Cup hopes alive, winning four out of the seven matches played on Wednesday afternoon to trail 19-13 to Team USA at Ricoh Arena, Coventry, live on Sky Sports Main Event.

The first team to 23 points will take home the trophy, with USA aiming for a three-peat, and the defending champions had a perfect start to the final day of play.

Last summer, Anthony Simonsen was one quarter of the USA team which bowled the BetVictor Weber Cup’s first ever Baker 300. This year, he did it all by himself, bowling the eighth perfect game in Weber Cup history as he beat Dominic Barrett in the first match of the day.

“I was thankful enough to be part of a Baker 300 last year so to have my own singles one here on the Weber Cup lane is pretty special,” said Simonsen.

EJ Tackett then bowled eight consecutive strikes at the start of match two, prompting memories of the back-to-back Weber Cup 300s made by Tommy Jones and Chris Barnes in 2013. Bit an eight-spare in the penultimate frame put and end to that, though for Team USA it made no difference to the result, Tackett beating Stuart Williams 231-288.

Europe’s go-to duo were next up; for the third time Osku Palermaa paired with Jesper Svensson, and for the third time they delivered, beating Simonsen and O’Neill 286-245.

The home side’s resistance, though, was again brief, and USA returned to normal service in the next match as Tackett and Chris Barnes made 278 while Barrett and Palermaa struggled to 225.

Rookie Thomas Larsen, though, has been one of his side’s positives throughout the event and responded well to a slow start against Troup to end the match with a turkey to steal a 225-222 win after the Afro Fish lost his way in the second half of the match.

Troup’s struggles continued in the next match, as he teamed up with Simonsen. The American pair could only bowl a 211, the lowest US score in the tournament, while Svensson and Williams scored 265 to get Europe to 12, still seven points behind the defending champions.

The session’s final match was a free captain’s pick; Barrett and Barnes were able to select their bowler right before the match and Svensson answered his captain’s call with a 289 against Simonsen, who bowled a 278.

That meant Europe and won three consecutive points for the first time in this year’s BetVictor Weber Cup and finally had some momentum on their side heading into the evening session.

“My heart was beating fast, I was nervous and to be able to bowl that stroke to win the game for myself and my team, that’s what the Weber Cup is about,” said Svensson. “You need a little bit of luck to come your way and this time it was on my side. That hasn’t been coming our way so far, but this game it did.

“We have such confidence in each other that we have to keep believing. It was a rough start to the day but three huge points to finish it off and we go into the break with a good feeling.”

The 2020 BetVictor Weber Cup concludes from 6pm (UK time) on Wednesday evening behind closed doors at Ricoh Arena, Coventry. The BetVictor Weber Cup is broadcast live on Sky Sports, DAZN and Matchroom.Live with full broadcast details at www.webercup.com.

USA MAINTAIN BIG BETVICTOR WEBER CUP LEAD

Team USA are closing in on a third consecutive BetVictor Weber Cup title after closing out Tuesday’s play at Ricoh Arena, Coventry with a 16-9 lead over Team Europe, live on Sky Sports.

The first team to 23 points will take home the title and Europe’s hopes of ending their current losing streak look slim with USA holding a huge advantage ahead of the final day of play.

After tying the afternoon session, Europe needed a big evening and got off to the ideal start with a 263-233 win in the Baker team match which opened the session. Then, Stuart Williams, who had struggled so far in this year’s BetVictor Weber Cup, finally got his first point on the board. He and Chris Barnes both struggled at times with the pattern, but it was the Englishman who did enough, winning 234-232 to cut USA’s lead to 13-8.

“The relief is palpable for sure,” said Williams. “Me and Chris can definitely turn off our friendship when we need to! Chris is probably struggling the most on their team, so this was definitely the battle between the two guys who have struggled! The lanes always get a little messy after the baker, and thankfully for me they were just messy enough.”

USA’s first point of the session followed as Kyle Troup bowled 254 against Osku Palermaa, who had looked good in the afternoon session but struggled with the pattern and could only manage a 202.

Barnes then made up for his earlier defeat with victory over Jesper Svensson to restore USA’s seven-point lead, and they extended that even further when Bill O’Neill beat Thomas Larsen 256-232.

“For me, I am really confident in my game right now,” said O’Neill. “I am completely in control and doing whatever I want with the ball and making a lot of really good shots. For me right now it’s about finding the spot on the lane which gives me the most mistake room so I can bowl a big game.

“I got off to a really good start there and fortunately for me Thomas made a bad shot in the middle of the game and that allowed me to go through a period of transition before I figured it out in the ninth.”

The final match of the session saw Palermaa and Svensson team up again to face O’Neil and Troup and the European pair who delivered a point at the end of the afternoon session repeated the feet at the end of the day to claw Europe back to within seven points.

“We bowled a very good doubles game earlier today and I’m happy we got a win once again in the last game of the session,” said Svensson after the 278-266 win. “I feel like we bowled really well today and could have easily won a couple more matches. It’s definitely a step in the right direction and something we can build off going into tomorrow. We are still very far behind but a big day tomorrow and we might be able to catch them.”

The 2020 BetVictor Weber Cup continues from 1pm (UK time) on Wednesday behind closed doors at Ricoh Arena, Coventry. Fans can get involved by heading to www.webercup.com and submitting videos and pictures to be used on the laneside screens at this year’s BetVictor Weber Cup.

The BetVictor Weber Cup is broadcast live on Sky Sports, DAZN and Matchroom.Live with full broadcast details at www.webercup.com.

USA CLOSE IN BUT EUROPE IMPROVED AT BETVICTOR WEBER CUP

Team USA edged closer to the golden 23-point mark required to retain the BetVictor Weber Cup, ending the third session 13-6 ahead despite an improved European showing at Ricoh Arena, Coventry, live on Sky Sports Main Event.

Both teams took three points from Tuesday afternoon’s session, and there were positives for Europe, especially in the performances of Jesper Svensson, Osku Palermaa and rookie Thomas Larsen.

American started on the front foot yet again, Anthony Simonsen showing exactly the form which saw him crowned MVP last year with a 278 to defeat Palermaa 265.

Larsen, who looked comfortable alongside Jesper Svensson in doubles on Monday evening, then continued his confident start with a 288 to beat EJ Tackett in the tenth frame of the day’s second match.

“EJ looked pretty unbeatable through the whole game and when I missed the first time I thought that would be it, but he threw a bad one, game me a chance and luckily I was able to take advantage of that,” said Larsen.

“It was part of our game plan for Osku to bowl the first match so I could have a good look. Osku bowled a great game and could easily have won so we just need some breaks to go our way.”

The third match saw Larsen stay on the lane, where he was joined by Dominic Barrett for a doubles clash with Simonsen and Tackett. Europe looked locked in early, but Barrett struggled in the second half of the match and USA were able to tie at 244-244 to force the roll-off. All four bowlers made strikes but when Barrett left three pins standing with his second roll-off ball, Simonsen stepped up and took full advantage, striking to give USA the win which halted any European momentum which may have been building.

Match four brought the tournament’s third roll-off, this time Svensson tying 267-267 with O’Neill and when the American left two pins standing with the second roll-off ball, the Swede swooped for a European point.

It was another false dawn for the hosts, however. The first frame of the next match saw Barrett and Williams leave an open frame against Troup and Barnes, and their struggles continued throughout the match, USA eventually taking the point 254-210.

“We did take advantage of opportunity there,” said Barnes. “We were a little shaky and there a lot of moves going on but our experience playing together in the last couple of years certainly helped us there.”

The sixth and final match of the session was the Fans’ Choice doubles match, and the online vote pitched Palermaa and Svensson against Troup and Simonsen, and the European duo stepped up with a crucial 279-278 victory, Palermaa holding his nerve to bowl the final strike and secure a 3-3 session and ensure the deficit was cut to 13-6.

The 2020 BetVictor Weber Cup continues from 1pm (UK time) on Tuesday behind closed doors at Ricoh Arena, Coventry. Fans can get involved by taking part in the Fans’ Choice vote and submitting videos and pictures to be used on the big screens at this year’s BetVictor Weber Cup.

The BetVictor Weber Cup is broadcast live on Sky Sports, DAZN and Matchroom.Live with full broadcast details at www.webercup.com.

USA OPEN UP BIG LEAD AT BETVICTOR WEBER CUP

Team USA continued their BetVictor Weber Cup dominance on Monday evening, extending their tournament lead to 10-3 at the end of day one, despite the efforts of Europe’s Jesper Svensson.

Svensson has been involved in all three of Europe’s wins so far, but his team-mates struggled around him as defending champions USA took a commanding lead in the annual transatlantic tenpin tussle, being staged this year behind closed doors at Ricoh Arena, Coventry, but broadcast live on Sky Sports, DAZN and Matchroom.Live.

After a brilliant 6-1 opening session, USA carried their momentum into the evening session with Captain Chris Barnes leading from the front with a 254-243 win over European rookie Thomas Larsen.

O’Neill was next out for America, facing European stalwart Stuart Williams. Both started strongly, but the wheels came off for ‘Beef Stu’ in the sixth, leaving the first of three open frames to lose 256-202 and see Europe go 8-1 down.

Denmark’s Larsen and Sweden’s Svensson gave Europe something to shout about in the third match of the evening session, dominating the US duo of Barnes and Anthony Simonsen for a 278-217 win.

“We have got to dig deep,” said Svensson. “As a team we need to perform better, we are nowhere near as good as we need to be, but I am glad me and Thomas could bowl a really good game. We both had a really good bowling action and it is the start of something that could be a comeback if the other guys can get going as well.

“We have to keep believing, there are a lot of games to go, but we need to perform better to have a chance.”

Captain Barrett, though, wasn’t able to heed that message, leaving three open frames as he laboured against Troup. The American, MVP in 2018, himself left two open frames after bad splits but still added to USA’s points tally with a 236-203 victory.

“It felt great, especially how tricky that lane was,” said Troup. “The front part of the lane was hooking extremely early and it felt good to settle in, trust my process, and make two good shots down the stretch.”

Troup remained at the lane for the final two matches of the session. He was joined by EJ Tackett for a doubles match against Williams and Palermaa, and USA opened up an eight-point advantage with a 221-257 victory for a 10-8 BetVictor Weber Cup lead.

The Fans’ Choice match was next, with Troup getting the American vote and Svensson get the nod for Europe. The Swede would probably also have been the European team’s own choice having been involved in their only two points so far, and Svensson gave his team a slim glimmer of hope with a victory over his PBA Tour roommate, meaning the day ended with USA 10-3 ahead.

“We did very well on the pattern we picked and then came out slighty ahead in the second session on the pattern they picked,” said USA captain Barnes at the end of the day’s play. “Our guys are firing off pretty good and everybody is comfortable. The guys looking for redemption certainly had a fair amount of it today.”

European captain Barrett said: “They were just too good today. They are the best bowlers in the world, the most in form. I think I have let the team down quite badly, I think Stu has a lot to do going into the rest of the event too. The first couple of points we played with Thomas didn’t go too well. It was similar for Osku, he struggled early, but we will see a lot more of Osku tomorrow. Thank goodness we have Jesper.”

The BetVictor Weber Cup is broadcast live on Sky Sports, DAZN and Matchroom.Live with full broadcast details at www.webercup.com.

INCREDIBLE AMERICA STORM TO EARLY BETVICTOR WEBER CUP LEAD

Team USA dominated the opening session of the BetVictor Weber Cup, storming to a 6-1 lead over Team Europe, live on Sky Sports Main Event. Jesper Svensson won the final match of the session on a roll-off against EJ Tackett to spare Europe an embarrassing whitewash.

The hosts had warned of the cost of the slow start they suffered in Las Vegas last year, but only fell four points behind in 2019, a deficit they could not recover from. This time the damage is deeper, but in a race to 23 there is still much work for USA to do if they are to defend their title at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

Europe had a far from ideal start; rookie Thomas Larsen leaving the third frame open before Osku Palermaa did the same in the sixth of the Baker match. That gave USA some breathing room in the tournament opener, but they barely needed it as the defending champions took the first point 267-212.

The next match was a battle of the two automatic qualifiers; Jesper Svensson and Bill O’Neill had been their continent’s highest-ranked bowlers on the 2020 PBA Tour Points List.

‘Real Deal’ O’Neill last bowled at the BetVictor Weber Cup in 2015 and struggled both that year and the year before. In his opening match of this year’s event, though, he had none of those issues. Svensson had a perfect first half of the match but four consecutive spares from the sixth reduced his score to 255, while O’Neill took the point with 268.

“That was a really big game for us,” said O’Neill as USA took a 2-0 lead. “I know it’s really early but it’s a big game for me mentally and for us going up against arguably their best player. So to come out with the win and the way that I did, I’m really happy.”

O’Neill was then joined on the lane by another bowler looking for Weber Cup redemption, EJ Tackett, and they bowled nine strikes out of ten to finish with 289 to beat Dominic Barrett and Jesper Svensson, who bowled 254.

At 3-0 down, the pressure was piled on Osku Palermaa, who started slowly at last year’s Weber Cup but needed to dig Europe out of an early hole against Kyle Troup.

But the Finnish bowler was struggling to get comfortable on the lane and could only amass 192, while Troup, who switched balls after the first two frames, finished on 255 to guarantee the session would be won by USA.

Captain Barrett was next out for Europe but a 246 wasn’t enough to beat Anthony Simonsen’s 268; the Texan showing no signs of the jetlag he’d been suffering since arriving in the UK on Friday.

“There was a lot of expectation on me as MVP but throughout the practice sessions I haven’t really felt that comfortable,” said Simonsen after the match. “I’m not really a practice guy but once I got a bit of adrenaline going through me, the jetlag kind of settled down a little bit and I was fortunate enough to bowl a good game.”

A 268-240 doubles win for O’Neill and Chris Barnes over Williams and Larsen took USA to a commanding 6-0 lead, and a chance to make history with an unprecedent 7-0 first session win should Tackett beat Svensson in the closing match of the afternoon.

And the American looked set to make it seventh heaven but he left the 9-pin in the final frame, allowing Svensson to strike and force a roll-off. Both bowlers made strikes with their first roll-off ball, but Tackett couldn’t repeat with his second and Svensson got Europe on the board with a 60-39 roll-off win.

The 2020 BetVictor Weber Cup continues from 6pm (UK time) on Monday evening, running until Wednesday, October 21 behind closed doors at Ricoh Arena, Coventry. Fans can get involved by taking part in the Fans’ Choice votes and submitting your videos and pictures to be used on the big screens at this year’s BetVictor Weber Cup.

The BetVictor Weber Cup is broadcast live on Sky Sports, DAZN and Matchroom.Live with full broadcast details at www.webercup.com.

ALL COVID-19 TESTS NEGATIVE AT BETVICTOR WEBER CUP

Covid-19 testing is now complete at the BetVictor Weber Cup and Matchroom Multi Sport can confirm that all tests returned negative results. The BetVictor Weber Cup begins at 1pm, live on Sky Sports Main Event

Players, officials and staff were throat and nasal swab tested on arrival at the event. All those tested remained in isolation until the results were confirmed the following day. Strict rules on social distancing and hygiene remain in place, in line with government guidelines. All those who were tested will now remain inside the ‘event bubble’ and will not leave until the conclusion of the event.

Players are competing under Elite Sports Person Exemptions and were met on arrival to the UK and driven directly to the venue for Covid-19 testing. All players were also tested before travelling to the UK and were only allowed to board their flights after receiving a negative test result.

The BetVictor Weber Cup will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, DAZN and Matchroom.Live with full broadcast details at www.webercup.com.

Be On The BetVictor Weber Cup Big Screens!

Due to current restrictions around spectators at live sports events, this year’s BetVictor Weber Cup will unfortunatelty take place behind closed doors – but you can still be there, on the big screens!

This year, large screens will flank the world-famous Weber Cup lane at Ricoh Arena, Coventry, and we are giving fans the chance to have their videos and pictures displayed on them!

Get creative; send us your selfies and celebration videos and don’t forget to download and print your own Team Europe or Team USA fan boards and include a personal message in your pictures and videos!

Submit your videos & photos now!

Download Your Fan Boards (click to download!)

Team Europe Fan Board

Team USA Fan Board