Ben Pettit

Ben Pettit (born July 26, 2007) is a national tenpin bowling champion from New Zealand known for his achievements in national and international competitions.:
==Introduction==
Ben Pettit, born in Wellington, became the youngest-ever bowler to win the New Zealand Open Men's National Bowling title at the age of 13. He has also won the New Zealand Open Men's title three years in a row.
His home bowling center is North City Tenpin in Porirua. He began his sports career at the age of three, when his older brother Will Pettit started bowling.
Ben was 11 when he adopted the two-handed bowling technique inspired by Jason Belmonte, and by the age of 13, he began winning tournaments in New Zealand. He is currently enrolled in year 12 at Hutt International Boys' School in Upper Hutt, New Zealand.
==Career achievements==
At the age of 13 years 116 days, Ben became the youngest ever to win the New Zealand Open Men's National title at Manukau Superstrike in 2021. He has now won six New Zealand national titles. Winning the New Zealand Open Men's National title three times (2021, 2022 and 2023), the U21 title once (2023), and the U18 title twice (2022 and 2023).
He is also the youngest in New Zealand to bowl a 300 game and 800 three game series at the age of 14. He has now bowled 16 games of 300 and 16 three game series' of 800. Ben held the season ending 2023 #1 rankings in the Open Men's, U21, and U18 age divisions in New Zealand. This is the first time a bowler has held all three #1 rankings simultaneously in New Zealand.
In addition to the New Zealand titles, his career open tournament wins include the Kegel Open, Auckland Classic, Bay of Plenty Open, Wellington Open, Waitakere Open, and Hawke's Bay championships. He has also won multiple U18 and U21 tournaments in New Zealand. He's also earned recognition on the international stage, representing New Zealand and securing titles such as the Australian Masters U14 title in 2021 and the U18 Australian Junior Masters title in 2022. Ben is an International Staffer with Hammer Bowling. He is also sponsored by North City Tenpin, his home bowling center where he began his bowling career and continues to train.
==International career==
Ben earned early selection to represent New Zealand at U18 and U21 levels in 2021 and later secured a spot in the New Zealand men's team for the World Cup held at Sunshine Coast in Australia at the age of 15. In the U21 World Tenpin Bowling Championship in Helsingborg, Sweden, Ben finished 37th in the singles and narrowly missed the top 16 in the world playoffs. He has also represented New Zealand at the Thailand Open, missing the match-play cut by 1 place which was 8 pins. Ben has won the Australian Masters U14 and U18 titles as well as the Sydney Bowlfest U21 title in 2023. In March 2024, Ben finished 3rd at the Kegel QLD Open, one of Australia's biggest adult-ranked events.
In August 2022, Ben anchored the New Zealand U21 Men's Tenpin Bowling Team to win the Open Men's Division of the Australian State and Franchise Teams Championship (the Rachuig Trophy). This included defeating the Hobart Franchise team that included the PBA 2021 Bowler of the Year, Kyle Troup, and Swedish #1, Jesper Svensson. Ben was #2 in the tournament All-Star Team, averaging only 0.3 less than Troup and 6.2 more than Svensson. The tournament also included some of the top-ranked bowlers in Oceania.
==Current personal bests==
* High Game: 300 (16 sanctioned games to date)
* High Three Game Series: 853 (16 sanctioned 800 series to date)
* High Four Game Series: 1,091
* High Six Game Series: 1,639
==Awards and recognition==
* Young Sportsman of The Year at Hutt Valley Sports Awards – 2022.
* Young Sportsman of The Year at Porirua City Sports Awards – 2022.
Category:2007 births
Category:Ten-pin bowling competitions
Category:People from Wellington
Category:New Zealand people