By Jennifer Roback
Germany's Birgit Noreiks has officially added her name to the list of international players who have won a USBC Queens tiara following a dominant performance at the 2022 event.
Noreiks, who qualified as the No. 2 seed, was able to secure the win after defeating No. 3 seed Laura Plazas, 233-214, and No. 1 seed Clara Guerrero, 187-158.
“It’s amazing,” Noreiks said following the match, via PWBA. “It just happened, so I still can’t believe it. The game went by so fast. It really is amazing.”
She is now the eighth international bowler to win the title behind Ukraine’s Dasha Kovalova (2019), Singapore’s Bernice Lim (2016), Latvia’s Diana Zavjalova (2013, 2017), Colombia’s Maria José Rodriguez (2014), Australia’s Carol Gianotti (1989), Japan’s Kazue Inahashi (1984) and Katsuko Sugimoto (1981, 1982).
When asked about her winning strategy, Noreiks revealed that she wanted to play straighter angles to help with the transition, which led to the use of two different bowling balls in the finals, one on each lane.
“The guys said throw it fast and try to keep it in front of you, and that’s what I like to do,” Noreiks explained. “I was nervous if I had to move left, because I don’t feel I’m as good at doing that right now. When I saw the girls struggling while doing it, I knew I couldn’t do that because it wasn’t working. We figured out really early we were going to use two different balls to make sure I can do what I like to see, and I guess it worked.”
Previously, Noreiks made her first TV appearance at the 2016 Queens event and then went on to secure two PWBA titles in 2017 and 2021.
Noreiks not only won the tiara, but she also won the $60,000 first-place prize, the second richest top prize in women’s bowling history, PWBA notes.
The ladies of the PWBA tour will be back on the lanes later this week at the PWBA Twin Cities Open in Eagan, Minnesota, from May 26-29.