Sarit Mizrahi, Ben Slutzki win the titles in 2013 Israeli National Championships

    05/19/13

    Israel

    Duo will represent Israel at the 2013 European Champions Cup

    2013IsraelNCSaritMizrahi.jpg2013IsraelNCBenSlutzki.jpg Sarit Mizrahi (pictured left) of Nesher club and Ben Slutzki (right) of Petach-Tikva club won the women's and men's individual titles at the 2013 Israeli National Championships which were held at Petach-Tikva bowling center.

    The duo will represent Israel at the 2013 European Champions Cup October 21-28 at BNC Bowling Center in Bratislava, Slovakia.

    72 players participated in the 24th running of the Israeli Individual National Championships. All players bowled 20 games of qualifying over five days on two different lane conditions to determine the top 8 men and top 8 women for the single-elimination finals.

    Mizrahi, who led the women's qualifying and men's qualifying leader Omer Nehushtan of SuperStrike club were seeded into the championship match, while second-seeded Tali Itzhak and Asaf Morad were seeded into the women's and men's semifinals.

    The quarterfinals and semifinals were contested in best-of-five game format on long and medium lane conditions while the championship match featured three games on dual lane condition with the total pinfall to determine the winner.

    In the women's finale Mizrahi and No. 6 seed, Shahaf Antin of Ramat-Gan club, were tied at 445 after two games while the defending champion, fourth-seeded Sara Aviram-Harlap of SuperStrike club (326), was already out of the race for the gold medal.

    Mizrahi finished the third game with four consecutive strikes for 223 and 668 total to claim her fifth national title after 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2009. Antin (622) and Harlap (468) finished second and third, respectively.

    L-R Shahaf Antin (2nd), champion Sarit Mizrahi and Sara Aviram-Harlap (3rd). Click image for larger view. Photo Ishay Shimon.

    Slutzki, seeded fifth in the men's finals, swept No. 6 Tair Shechter in the quarterfinals before he came back from a 1-2 deficit to oust former European Champions Cup winner Or Aviram, seeded fourth, in the semifinals, three-games-to-two.

    In the first championship match at the Israeli Nationals, Slutzki started with games of 196 and 219 and closed out the third game with six consecutive strikes for 235 to defeat top-seeded Nehushtan and No. 8 seed Aviv Alfital of Ramat-Gan club, 650-618-590, en route to lift the men's trophy for the first time in his career.

    L-R Omer Nehushtan (2nd), champion Ben Slutzki and Aviv Alfital (3rd). Click image for larger view. Photo Ishay Shimon.

     


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    2013 Israeli National Championships - Men's Finals

     


    2013 Israeli National Championships - Women's Finals

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