7th November, Yancheng: Yancheng national bowler, Yang Wei snatched the lead of the Men's Singles division opening squad at the 31st Asian Intercity Bowling Championships underway at Yancheng National Training Bowling Centre.

Happy Valley's Noel Chan Tsz Hin set a cracking pace with 266 in his opening game to lead Yang Wei by 27 pins with Ernest Kwok of Hong Kong, Ko Young-Min of Jeju, Korea and Chen Jiaqing of Wuhan following closely behind.

Chan added another superb 235 in the second game to continue to lead the pack. Yang downed 233 to stay in second, 29 pins behind. Yang took over the running mid-way through the block as Chan managed only 171 to slip behind the Chinese.

Kwok rolled the championship's first 300 in the fourth game to leapfrog into the lead. A second Yancheng national, Wang Zhiyong posted two strong games in the third and fourth to move ahead of his compatriot into second spot.

Kwok finished with 205 to settle for second with 1303, just two pins behind. Ko knocked down 204 to take up third with 1294 while Wang managed only 202 to finish fourth with 1290.

Meanwhile, the Women's Senior division was also divided two squads with the first squad played at the same time. Yancheng's Li Guanghui topped the squad with 1136, 100 pins ahead of Cai Aiping of Wuhan in second with 1036.

Jia Wenxia, who was second most of the block, settled for third position with 1035 while Xue Xiushan of Yangzhou and Nyriam Hernandez of Paranaque completed the top five with 1023 and 1000 respectively.

The Men's division second squad and Women's Senior division second squad will take to the lanes after the break.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Yancheng, China.