Rookie roller from Yukon scores perfect game in duckpin bowling at Canada 55+ games

Helen Dewellof Dawson City, Yukon, was on an impressive rollthis week at the Canada 55 Plus Games in Quebec City, when she scored a perfect game in duckpin bowling.

The feat was all the more remarkable because itwas her first time competing in that particularsport.

"I decided on duckpin bowling because I used to bowlcompetitively as a teenager," said Dewell. "That was 50years ago."

Duckpin bowling is similar to ten-pin bowling in that the pins are arranged in a triangle, but they'reshorter and lighter and that makesstrikes harder to achieve.

Some might call it muscle memory ... I call it a good deal of luck and concentration- Helen Dewell, duckpin bowler

No one passed that memo on to Dewell.

And Dewell had minimal training time in the lead-up to the games there's no bowling alley in her hometown of Dawson City.

"I practiced by looking for a bowling alley whenever we'd go to a town with one," said Dewell. "So I was able to bowl about three times, leading up to the games."

Dewelltossed 12consecutive strikes in her perfect game on Wednesday. Sheadmits the nerves did start to set in once she hit her sixth strike.

"It's surreal actually," said Dewell. "It was a lot of fun with my coach and my cheerleaders there to help me. Not to sound clich,but I just got in the zone."

Dewell says as the possibilityof a perfect game inched closer, the people watching her game really started to pay attention.

"That was pretty crazy," said Dewell. "A fellow bowler from Saskatchewan told me the perfect game was rare, and to enjoy it as it may only happen once in a lifetime."

Dewell was presented with a gold medal for her impeccable performance.

"Some might call it muscle memory," said Dewell. "I call it a good deal of luck and concentration."

Dewell may have had one secret weapon aiding her excellence. She's anavid gardener, andshe says she kept thinking of a phrase on one of her aprons back home: "Romaine calmand carrot on."