1st December, Las Vegas: 2003 and 2007 world championships Team champion, Malaysia and Chinese Taipei set a strong benchmark in the first block of Women's and Men's 5-player Team event at South Point Bowling Plaza on Friday.

Sweden's Ida Andersson, Nina Flack, Cajsa Wegner, Isabelle Hultin and 2016 QubicaAMF WOrld Cup champion, Jenny Wegner got off to a good start with 1033 in their opening game to lead Team USA's Stephanie Johnson, Josie Barnes, Shannon O'Keefe, Danielle McEwan and Kelly Kulick by 18 pins.

Team USA added a superb 1048 to their 1015 opening game to take over the running as Sweden stumbled to a lowly 916 to slip behind Malaysia moving up to second. Esther Cheah, Sin Li Jane, Syaidatul Afifah, Sity Safiyah and Shalin Zulkifli posted 986 and 1029 in their first two games to trail the Americans by 48 pins.

Malaysia ended the first block with a stunning 1102 in the third game to set a benchmark of 3117 for the women's division.

Meanwhile the Chinese Taipei spinners are relishing the lane conditions favourable to them in particular. Having won a silver in the Singles and qualifying for Sunday's Trios semi-finals, Wu Hao-Ming, Xu Zhe-Jia, Chen Chien-Ju, Hsieh Chin-Liang and Chen Wu-Chi set the opening pace with 1050 to lead Mexico by 36 pins.

The Taiwanese added 1020 in the second game but shared top spot with Canada's Zachary Wilkins, Travis Cauley, Dan McLelland, Mitch Hupe and Francois Lavoie, who posted 984 and 1086 in their first two games.

Although Canada ended with a decent 979 in the third game, the had to settle for second position with a total of 3049, 92 pins behind the Taiwanese. Chinese Taipei's strong finish with 1071 took them into the lead at the end of the first block with 3141.

Germany's Andreas Gripp, Frank Drevenstedt, Pascal Winternheimer, Oliver Morig and Singles bronze medallist, Tobias Boerding finished third with 3005, 13 pins ahead of Mexico in fourth position with 2981 total.