BREWER – The first-day front-runners didn’t repeat their perfect effort, but Nova Scotia-based Bowlarama did perform well enough to hold its divisional lead after two days of the Candlepin Bowling World Team Championships at Bangor-Brewer Bowling Lanes on Wednesday.

Bowlarama dropped its first points of the tournament after compiling a 24-0 record on Tuesday, but finished Wednesday’s slate with a 40-8 record and a four-game lead in the Varney GMC Division. The team’s total pinfall is 11,025.

Rick Martin was the hottest bowler for Bowlarama with a 128 average, but he had plenty of company: five other teammates – John Dickie, Gerry Buott, Danny Harvey, P.J. Tanner, and Rick Dyer – finished the day with averages of 120 or higher.

The New Hampshire All-Stars held down second place in the Varney GMC Division with a 36-12 average while Maria’s Sub and Maine Heat each went 34-14.

One of Tuesday’s upstarts, the team from the Pittsfield Bowling Center, cooled off a bit from its 22-2 opening day with a 6-18 effort that left it in sixth place in the Varney Division.

Salisbury Big Stop of New Brunswick and Team USA of Massachusetts rest atop the Holiday Inn Division with identical 36-12 records. The front-runners are trailed by Lucky 7 (32-16), MacLaughlin Truck & Trailer (28-20) and DeGraaf Enterprises (28-20).

Wednesday’s best efforts: Rich Bognanno of Maria’s Sub fired a 178 single, Russ Nealey of Maine Heat notched a 448 series, and Jim Woodsum of Vacationland Bowling Center of Saco checked in with a 129.93 average.

Monday’s Holiday Inn Division frontrunner, Vacationland, slipped to sixth with a 6-18 mark on Wednesday.

The top five teams from each 12-team division will qualify for Saturday’s final rounds, which begin at 9 a.m.