29th November, Las Vegas: Korea's first trio of Kim Kyungmin, Cho Youngseon and Kang Heewon and Team USA's Shannon O'Keefe, Danielle McEwan and Kelly Kulick took a slender lead in the opening squad of the Men's and Women's Trios first block at the 2017 World Bowling Championships.

The Korean threesome only led by a slender lead of 11 pins, ahead of Sweden's first trio of Jesper Svensson, Markus Jansson and Pontus Andersson, who trailed the leader throughout the first block and settled for second with 1946.

Team USA's Chris Via, Jakob Butturff and anchored by AJ Johnson finished with 1908, a further 38 pins adrift in third.

Meanwhile, Doubles bronze medallists of Shannon O'Keefe, Danielle McEwan and Kelly Kulick gave Team USA a good start by topping the Women's Trios first block with 1910. Netherland's Maxime de Rooij, Nicole Sanders and Ghislaine Van der Tol set the early pace in the opening game but ended in fourth with 1823.

Team USA took over the running from the second game and never looked back reeling in 616, 684 and 610 to lead the block only by a slender margin of 6 pins. Germany's Janine Gabel, Tina Hulsch and Patricia Luoto did well to take up second spot with 1904.

Chinese Taipei's Wang Ya-Ting, Tsai Hsin-Yi and Huang Chiung-Yao finished third with 1827, just four pins ahead of the Netherlands. Finland's Marjo Hironen, Eliisa Hitunen and Sanna Pasanen rounded out the top four with 1814.

Squad 2 will take to the lanes for their first block after lane maintenance at 1.00pm local time while the third and final squad at 4.30pm local time. The bowlers will resume with their second block tomorrow, November 30. The top 4 men and top 4 women trios will advance to the Semi-finals which will be played on December 3.