MarX ProShop - Ian Nakonechny

***BREAKING NEWS***
FAT GUYS AUTO PARTS RETURNS AS TITLE SPONSOR FOR BEAT THE CHAMP

The 2nd season of Beat the Champ is set to get underway on September 28th. Joining for season 2, returning as presenting sponsor is Fat Guys Auto Parts.

A huge Thank you to Angela and the whole team at Fat Guys for your continued support.

We hope to make year to just as fun and exciting as last year.

Thank you!

MarX Pro Shop Season Preview

Summer, as usual, always comes and goes so quickly. But that means a new season is almost upon us.

On the Lanes

Last year was a very successful year for our bowlers. I had the pleasure of being a part of the coaching team for Team Northern Ontario at the CTF Canadian Youth Championships, and that team put together one of the strongest performances Northern Ontario has ever seen, bringing home more hardware than ever before. I could not be prouder of the showing we got from every one of our kids.

MarX ran its 4th season of the Get New Gear League, which saw 50 bowlers sign up, a new high. Bob Cerutti came away as league champion, with 35 bowlers getting new equipment out of the league. Thank you to all who participated, and if you haven't yet, give me a call to book your appointment and get it ready for next year.

Last year, MarX Pro Shop debuted a new event series for Thunder Bay — Beat The Champ. We had 3 in-season champions crowned. Jesse Wilson, Aaron Craig and Andrew Stewart all held the belt at the conclusion of our 5 in-season events. And it was Andrew who reigned as our first-ever Grand Champion, holding the belt through the summer.

Beat the Champ is returning, with some minor refinements. We are hoping to create an even more competitive environment and crown even more champions, because who doesn't want to hold that glorious championship belt?

We do have some room to take on some additional sponsorship, so if anyone has any recommendations, I'd be happy to hear them!

See marxproshop.com for this season's schedule and any other updates.

In the Shop

This summer has been a very busy one for new releases. Since the regular season ended, the major bowling manufacturers have announced or released over 35 new bowling balls. There is definitely something for everyone in that list.

Some include:

Brunswick's new entry-level line — Fury — in 5 different colours. A new Deep Ocean Vibe, and some very promising pieces like the Warning Alert.

A returning favourite with Storm's new IQ Tour Pearl Sapphire, or a modern twist like the new Alpha Crux, revamped with modern cover and AI technology. (NO, not THAT AI.)

Motiv said goodbye to one of its all-time classics with the Jackal Ghost being discontinued. That Jackal had been in the line since January 2017, but this summer saw a new Jackal Ghost V2 with a stronger cover and the same proven Jackal Core.

We hope 26/27 will be just as successful in all aspects, and can't wait to find out what the season brings.

As always, MarX Pro Shop is your one-stop shop for all your bowling needs: Balls, bags, shoes, accessories, lessons — anything you need, I am here to help!

Amazing time to get your jerseys and look your best heading into next season! use Code:MARX010 for extra savings, and to tell them I sent you :)

We have multiple amazing Summer specials this year including this incredible deal. Head over to Bowlifi and check them out.

THE FIRST EVER BEAT THE CHAMP GRAND CHAMPION HAS BEEN CROWNED.

And it didn’t come easy.

Andrew Stewart closed out the inaugural season of Beat the Champ, presented by Fat Guys Auto Parts, by navigating one of the deepest and tightest fields we’ve seen all year—earning the title, the belt, and his place in BTC history.

A FINAL WORTHY OF THE STAGE

The Grand Finals brought together 24 of Thunder Bay’s top bowlers, including two-time event champion Jesse Wilson and a field packed with contenders who had earned their way in through a full season of qualifying.

Five games. No room for error.

And from the start, it showed.

Jesse Wilson came out firing with games of 243 and 247 to set the early pace. But the field didn’t back down. Andrew Stewart answered with a 270, while Chris Barbini followed with 265 in Game 3 to keep the pressure on.

Nick Kuper was the model of consistency through four games—hovering near the top of the leaderboard the entire way—before a tough fifth game cost him a shot at the number one seed.

Behind them, the margins were razor thin.

Just 56 pins separated 2nd through 11th place.

Rollie Turrie and Mitch Parker finished tied at 1156, good for 7th, splitting the first casher spot—something both have become all too familiar with this season. Just behind them, Glen St. Onge and Jacob Fortier tied for 9th to round out the top 10.

And still, it came down to the final frames.

THE MOMENT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

The heartbreak of the tournament belonged to Brad Jarvis.

Runner-up in BTC2, Jarvis stepped up in the final game needing a strike on his second-last shot to jump into the stepladder.

He left a 7 split.

Just like that—his run was over.

Two pins short.

THE STEPLADDER BATTLE

The final five was set:

• Andrew Stewart (1st seed)
• Nick Kuper
• Chris Barbini
• Aaron Porto
• Jesse Wilson

Stewart, as the top seed, waited—while the rest battled through one of the toughest stepladders of the season.

Jesse Wilson, battling through a knee issue, opened against Aaron Porto. Porto took control late, advancing with a 213–199 win as Wilson began to fade.

Next up, Porto faced Chris Barbini, who capitalized on his opportunity after entering the field following Aaron Craig’s withdrawal. As conditions tightened, ex*****on became everything. Barbini edged Porto 178–169 to move on.

In the semifinal, Barbini built an early lead against Nick Kuper—but back-to-back splits on lane 3 turned the match. Kuper took over and advanced with a 219–186 win.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

And then, the final.

Andrew Stewart vs. Nick Kuper. Two games. Total pinfall.

With the lanes breaking down and pressure at its peak, Stewart leaned on experience and control—making the right moves, staying ahead of transition, and never giving the match away.

Final score: 492–404.

The belt.
The title.
The first name etched into Beat the Champ history.

SEASON BY THE NUMBERS

The inaugural season of Beat the Champ delivered in every way:

• 89 bowlers participated in league qualifying
• Average of 4 entries per bowler
• 59 competitors in BTC events
• $5,795 paid out in regular prize money
• Over $1,500 in side pots awarded
• 22 different bowlers cashed
• 13 bowlers reached a stepladder final

FULL RESULTS & COVERAGE

All scores can be found here:
https://www.marxproshop.com/beat-the-champ-1/btc-gf

The stepladder finals will be available on YouTube later today.

THANK YOU

A huge thank you to everyone who made this first season a success:

Presenting Sponsor: Fat Guys Auto Parts
Supporting Sponsors: Pioneer Construction, Fisher Wavy Concrete
Host Venue: Mario’s Bowl and their staff for delivering a first-class experience all season long

FINAL PRIZE LIST

Andrew Stewart — $1,010.00
Jesse Wilson — $860.00
Aaron Craig — $585.00
Nick Kuper — $570.00
Aaron Porto — $400.00
Brad Jarvis — $400.00
Mitch Parker — $337.50
Chris Barbini — $290.00
Dave Zahodnik — $160.00
Steve Martyn — $155.00
Larry Metcalf — $140.00
Rollie Turrie — $125.00
Jani Lehtila — $100.00
Aaron Woolley — $95.00
Glen St. Onge — $95.00
Lionel Laprade — $95.00
Amanda Chepesiuk — $85.00
Joe Kolodziejak — $70.00
Derek Shaffer — $60.00
Trenton Martyn — $60.00
Austin Porto — $55.00
Jacob Fortier — $47.50

If this was year one… year two is going to be a problem.

Congratulations to Andrew Stewart our inaugural Beat the Champ Grand Champion.

Andrew was the final champ of the season, and rode that momentum to to the Grand Finals!

Full write up and stepladder on YouTube tomorrow! Thank you to our sponsors for a great first season! We hope to keep it going next year!

LESS THAN A WEEK OUT.
THE BELT IS WAITING.

The inaugural Beat the Champ Grand Finals — Presented by Fat Guys Auto Parts — are here.

April 19th at Mario’s Bowl.
Everything that’s been building all season is about to collide.

This isn’t just another tournament.
This is the final chapter.

THE CHAMPION’S PATH HAS CHANGED

For months, one name sat at the top of the mountain — Aaron Craig.
The reigning force. The standard. The target.

But now, he won’t be there.

And just like that… everything shifts.

Jesse Wilson vs. Andrew Stewart.
Two proven threats. Two completely different paths.
One shot to become the Last Champ Standing — and claim the #1 seed in the Grand Championship Match.

No shortcuts. No controversy.
Earn it or go home.

THE FIELD IS SET — AND IT’S STACKED

24 bowlers. One belt.

This is the deepest field Beat the Champ has seen all season:

Jesse Wilson (212)
Andrew Stewart (200)
Dave Zahodnik (199)
Mitch Parker (206)
Lionel Laprade (203)
Joe Kolodziejak (202)
Dan Erreca (203)
Kimmo Parkkari (191)
Glen St. Onge (190)
Jacob Fortier (187)
Brad Jarvis (187)
Tim Melnick (185)
Larry Metcalf (184)
Aaron Woolley (184)
Rollie Turrie (183)
Jani Lehtila (180)
Nick Kuper (174)
Vern Allan (171)
Lisa Kleinssasser (171)
Austin Porto (169)
Aaron Porto (166)
Faith Hayden (158)
Rob Craig (152)
Chris Barbini (212)

FROM THE OUTSIDE… TO THE MOMENT

All season long, he hovered on the edge.

Close calls. Missed cuts. Just short.

Now?

Chris Barbini (212) is in the field — stepping into the biggest stage of the season.

THE FORMAT THAT DECIDES EVERYTHING
5 games of qualifying — no hiding, no easing in
Champions battle within the field to determine the Last Champ Standing
Top scores advance to the stepladder
One survives
One earns the belt
WHAT’S ON THE LINE

1st — $830
2nd — $570
3rd — $290
4th — $265
5th — $230
6th — $205
7th — $155

But let’s be honest…

This isn’t about the money.

It’s about the belt.
It’s about the title.
It’s about being the one name that closes the first season of Beat the Champ.

POWERED BY OUR PARTNERS

This season doesn’t happen without the support behind it.

Beat the Champ is proudly presented by Fat Guys Auto Parts, whose commitment has helped elevate this event from an idea into one of the most exciting competitive series in the region.

With additional support from our partners, this event has grown into something bigger than expected — bigger fields, bigger moments, and a championship worthy of the stage.

FINAL WORD

All the storylines…
All the entries…
All the shots taken since October…

It all comes down to this.

April 19th. 2PM. Mario’s Bowl.

No more chasing.
No more waiting.

Time to find out who the Champ really is.