Tore Torgersen Memories from Twenty Two years ago

Legend’s are born down Mexico way, even legends from Europe. In 1994 Norway’s Tore Torgersen really burst onto the international scene by winning the Bowling World cup in Hermosillo, Mexico. During qualifying he destroyed the field but was there a danger it could all go wrong in the final? Tore has since become that Euro legend thanks in part to his World Tenpin Masters, Weber Cup, Gold medals and of course the Mexican win.

Going into the 1994 World Cup in Mexico had you prepared for the event?

I had moved to Sweden (Helsingborg) one year earlier. I did so to try to take my game one step further since the level of competition was higher there than in Norway. Bowling was my passion and what i lived and breathed for. So yes I was very prepared for that World cup. I even qualified for a pro tournament in the USA that same week but my choice of which tournament to go to was simple.

You totally smashed the field in qualifying leading after 24 games by almost 500 pins. Confidence must have been high at this point?

I did not really reflect so much on the field, I was very focussed on my game, trying to make small adjustments to make it better game by game. Never felt I was chased.

Stretching that lead to a 610 pins after the round of 8 and into the final as top seed. After leading for pretty much the whole tournament did you fear losing it all inside the final?

At the time it was top 5 to a step leader final so it was just one game. I did not think like I could loose the World cup, my mind-set was that I could win it. Getting to that final game was just half the job, now the last half was in front of me.

My confidence must have been huge because I remember very well that I was sitting in my chair hoping for Mohammed Kalifa to strike out in the tenth frame so he would force me to strike out to win it!?

He left a 10 pin and I left a 7 pin and just needed to spare it to win.

That's it, you take the the biggest prize on the planet, What did that win mean to you?

It meant a lot to me. It was my first BIG win and it took me mentally up with the big boys. It also opened many new door like getting invited to Malaysia to bowl (was invited there for the next 10 years) made me learn to love Kuala Lumpur my favourite city in the world.

Did anything change after that win?

Like I said it opened new doors, got more opportunities to compete against the best. Took me around the World, getting new friends all over the place. And it all started in Hermosillo Mexico

Why do you think that the event is held in such high regard with bowlers globally, What are your favourite memories of the tournament?

The main reason I think is because so many nations participate, get media coverage from all parts of the World. The first time I participated in Le Mans France was amazing.. not bowling nice but got lots of new friends from the all over the globe.

Fast forward to 2000 and you make the final against Sweden's Tomas Leandersson and a chance to become a double winner in Portugal. Going into that final, was there an additional pressure of being a past champion?

Not really.. Tomas and I shared the lead throughout that tournament. But the format there of match-play in top 8 makes it more of a lottery. We met in the final and the breaks went his way, but I was happy with my second place finish.

The tournament still has a long format with pins carried over, what advice can you give to players dealing with this format?

Just stay focused and always look for the optimal solution when it comes to balls and how to attack the lanes, without to much risk taking. It’s like playing chess.. try to see what’s to come.

When you look back at your bowling career Tore, how important to you was that World cup win?

Who knows.. bowling was/is my passion so I would have gone all in no matter what but it for sure accelerated my career.

Still bowling and bowling well, what goals do you still have in the sport?

Getting closer to 50 now so trying my luck on the 50 tours is one of my goals. Being a single dad with my children half of the time makes me having to choose where to bowl a little bit more careful now. But bowling has been my life and I am where I am, who I am because if the sport of bowling...

I will try to give back as much as I can to the sport!

But an all event medal in the World championship to hang next to the three I have is my next big goal!

Any plans to try for another World Cup title?

Would be amazing:) But I need to get through the Norwegian qualifiers first. I still haven’t given up getting another chance

Finally, if you could sum up your whole World Cup experiences in one word, what would that word be?

Amazing

 Interview by Dom Gall