Ladies Take Over Largest Regional Candlepin Bowling Tournament
On July 23rd, 2022 Pro-bowler Deb Regan of Epping, NH, led her team to victory in the first-ever Mixed Team Format of Outrun the Bear (OTB) Candlepin Bowling Tournament hosted by Ryan Family Amusement in Millis, Mass. This 4-person powerhouse included Team Captain Deb Regan, Dave Hodge-Mallahan, Chris Harris, and Candlepin Hall-of-Famer Craig Holbrook. To make their win even more impressive, the group earned the title without using a single buyback in any of the 10 rounds of bowling.
As a way to highlight female candlepin bowlers, the tournament created a “Female Captain” version of its notorious elimination-style format. All teams must consist of 4 players with the captain position championed by a female bowler. The captain must then create her own team by selecting her choice of men and women bowlers. In the end, 22 teams and 88 pro and semi-pro bowlers from across New England battled it out over 10 rounds of play.
Longtime fans of the sport may recognize Team Captain Regan from her many TV appearances on Channel 5 and Channel 12 in their various candlepin bowling programs. Regan joined the pro tour in the late 80s and is still adding championship titles to her resume. Some of her notable tournament appearances include the World’s Singles, several World’s Team Championships, New Hampshire’s State Singles and Doubles, and now a newly crowned Outrun the Bear Champion.
Fresh off her OTB Singles Championship title back in May, Team Captain Marissa Ewing (Franklin, MA) proves her skills once again as her team claims a 2nd place victory. At just 18-years-old, Ewing made OTB history as the youngest and first female to claim the winning title. Ewing will attend Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston, Ma this fall for their accelerated nursing program. Her teammates included Dan Finn, Keith Beaupre, and Steve Renaud Jr.
The last Outrun the Bear Tournament of the season will be the highly anticipated Singles Scratch format to take place on September 17 at Ryan Family Amusement in Millis, Ma. Among the 88 competitors already signed up include candlepin legends Tom Olszta, Amanda Carroll, Craig Holbrook, and Det Klein. This is a free event open to the general public for viewing.
The final results of the Mixed Teams handicap tournament:
1st place: Team Regan
- Deb Regan (Team Captain) – Epping, NH
- Dave Hodge-Mallahan – Saugus, MA
- Chris Harris – Quincy, MA
- Craig Holbrook - East Bridgewater, MA
2nd Place: Team Ewing
- Marissa Ewing (Team Captain) – Franklin, MA
- Dan Finn – Franklin, MA
- Keith Beaupre – Lynn, MA
- Steve Renaud Jr. – Revere, MA
3rd Place: Team Breton
- Ashlee Breton (Team Captain) – Waltham, MA
- Brittany Underwood – Rockland, MA
- Scott Douglass – Marshfield, MA
- Tim Douglass – Marshfield, MA
4th Place: Team Gooding
- Cheryl Gooding (Team Captain) – Boston, MA
- Wayne Springfield – Boston, MA
- David Brade – Boston, MA
- Kendric Payne – Boston, MA
Tournament High Single Scratch (168) – Shawn Baker
Tournament Women’s High Single Scratch (138) – Mario Johnson
Tournament Triple Strike – Chris Harris
About Outrun the Bear Tournament
Established in 2014, the elimination-style tournament is known for its high level of difficulty and praised for its challenging format. After each round, a percentage of the lowest scoring bowlers are eliminated, leaving the remaining bowlers to battle head-to-head in the final round. OTB presents 3 tournaments a year with a mix of styles (singles, doubles, teams, scratch, and handicap). The tournament was founded by husband-and-wife Dan and Caitlyn Finn of Franklin, MA, and has quickly become a fan favorite in the bowling community. Bowlers from all across New England and Canada venture out each year to partake in the region’s largest candlepin tournament.
