2018 USBC Senior Championships ready to get underway in Reno

ARLINGTON, Texas - More than 400 bowlers from across the United States and Canada soon will be in Reno, Nevada, in hopes of winning a national title at the 2018 United States Bowling Congress Senior Championships.

The 2018 event, which kicks off with registration and the official practice session Tuesday, will be held at the National Bowling Stadium and features two divisions - Open and Women - with six age classifications (50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75 and above).

Bowlers, who qualified for the event through their state or province's senior tournament, will bowl two three-game qualifying rounds (taking place Wednesday and Thursday), with total pinfall, including handicap, determining the top six players in each division and classification.

Those making the top six will return to the 78-lane venue Friday for the medal round. The finals will feature an additional three-game block, but players will drop their pinfall from the six qualifying games. Instead, players will receive bonus pins based on their qualifying position (50 pins for first, 40 pins for second, etc.), in addition to their three-game pinfall and handicap, to determine the winner in each division and classification.

One champion from the 2017 USBC Senior Championships, Louie Serrano of Grangeville, Idaho, will return in 2018 but will compete in a different age classification.

Serrano won the Open title in the 55-59 category at Texas Star Lanes inside of Texas Station Gambling Hall and Hotel in North Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2017 with a 714 total but will move into the 60-64 category at the NBS.

Bowlers from 47 states and four Canadian provinces are scheduled to compete this week in Reno in search of taking home part of a prize fund that exceeds $40,000.