Nora Johansson, 22, has competed around the world during the year with great success.
– I think I have bowled well and it is fun that it has gone well on several different fronts.
What do you see yourself as the main highlights of the year?
– Partly when I went to my first stage final on the pro tour in the USA. Then I am very proud of my championship medals and my European Tour title as well. It’s hard to choose. There are many different parts that I have managed to achieve this year.
The successes mean that she is named bowler of the year by the Swedish Bowling Association for the second year in a row.
– Great to receive the award again, says Johansson.
She started 2025 by taking bronze at the World Cup in Hong Kong. At the end of the year she was back in Hong Kong for her first WC at senior level. At first, it was a bit awkward. In doubles, Nora Johansson and Hanna Engberg were very close to the semi-finals, but they fell in a decisive tie against Singapore.
– It was really tough then. I think me and Hanna played very well so it was sad that it didn’t go our way. But we just had to try to forget and luckily we took the chance in 3-man instead.
Johansson and Engberg were joined by Anna Andersson in a 3-person team. After a raucous match play, they secured the semi-final place after victory in the last match against Mexico with 193-191. In the semi-final at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, there was a 2-0 loss against Japan and it was bronze for the Swedish trio. For both Hanna Engberg and Nora Johansson, it was their first WC medal at senior level.
– Great to win a medal. I would have been very disappointed if we didn’t come home with a medal. But then it’s a tough format at the WC and even if you’ve bowled well, you can leave empty-handed. It was something we were aware of before the championship.
What will you take with you from the WC?
– That I can trust my game. The decisions I make are usually quite good, so it’s just a matter of continuing on that track and being confident in it.
In the spring and summer, Nora Johansson made a bet on the PWBA tour in the USA and in July she reached the first stage final of her career. She thus also became the first female two-handed player to advance to a stage final on the pro tour. The step finals were played at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the arena was packed with spectators as Nora Johansson stepped into her first step final. There was a loss in the first match for Nora against Rocio Restrepo with 215-209 and she finished in fifth place.
– I am happy that I went on to the step final. It was really cool to play in the arena and it was a very nice atmosphere.
Johansson followed it all up by reaching another stage final during the tour season when in August she came third in the Pepsi Open.
Nora Johansson then continued at a high level. At the turn of August/September, she challenged the men’s players on home soil at the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters and went all the way to the top 16. The following week, she defeated all the guys when she took home the Norwegian Open in Oslo.
– I had built up a good form from the tour and then also the effort in Lucky Larsen. It certainly contributed to my winning in Oslo. I think the more you compete, the better you get.
Nora Johansson already has several competitions in her sights during the next year. She begins the year in Stockholm and the AIK International Tournament and then Ballmaster. A little further ahead, the tour awaits again, and in the eye are also the EC in June and the World Cup in October.
– I hope to reach more stage finals on the tour in the coming season and the championships are of course attractive. I love playing for Sweden, says Nora Johansson.
Female Bowler of the Year, 2025
Nora Johansson, Spader Dam, Helsingborg
Age: 21 years
From: Eksjö
Mother club: Eksjö/Ebok
Game technique: Two-handed game
Motivation:
Nora Johansson got off to a flying start in 2025 by taking bronze in singles at the World Cup in Hong Kong. At the end of the year, she was back in Hong Kong and got to make her WC debut at senior level. There it was bronze in 3-man together with Anna Andersson and Hanna Engberg. In between, she reached her first career stage final on the PWBA tour with a fifth-place finish in the PWBA Anniversary Open this summer. Nora Johansson followed it all up with another stage final when she came third in the Pepsi Open. In the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters she challenged the men’s players and went all the way to the top 16. The following weekend she beat all the guys when she took home the European Tour event in Oslo.
Merit 2025
WC bronze 3-man
Brons i World Cup singel
3:a PWBA Pepsi Open
5:a i PWBA Anniversary Open
Topp 16 i Storm Lucky Larsen Masters
Victory in the European Tour competition in Oslo – Norwegian Open
SM-gold 8-man
Listen to the Swedish Bowling podcast where this year’s bowlers are interviewed: Nora Johansson, James Blomgren and Jesper Svensson.
Bowler of the Year for the last ten years:
2024 Nora Johansson, Spades Dam/Jesper Svensson, Team Pergamon BC
2023 Anna Andersson, Spades Dam/ James Blomgren, Team Alingsås BC
2022 World Cup team Anna Andersson, Josefin Hermansson, Cajsa Wegner, Jenny Wegner/Jesper Svensson, Team Pergamon BC
2021 Joline Persson Planefors, Team X-Calibur, Partille / James Blomgren Team Alingsås
2020 Not appointed. Due to the pandemic, there was a lack of sufficient documentation.
2019 Josefin Hermansson, Team X-Calibur, Partille / Jenny Wegner, BK Femtionian, Hässleholm / William Svensson, BK Kaskad, Norrköping
2018 – Nina Flack, Team X-Calibur, Partille / Mattias Wetterberg, Team Pergamon, Partille
2017 – Jenny Wegner, BK Femtionian, Hässleholm / Jesper Svensson, Team Pergamon Partille
2016 – Jenny Wegner, BK Femtionian, Hässleholm / Jesper Svensson, Team Pergamon Partille
2015 – Jesper Svensson, Team Pergamon, Partille
