Swede leads all rounds of the preliminaries and sweeps all three opponents in the best-of-three finals to seal the victory; the top eight countries in a combined point ranking qualify for the 2013 World Games
James Gruffman capped off an outstanding performance at the 35th European Champions Cup in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, by defeating Yoan Alix of France, two-games-to-none, to claim men's title. The Swede, who decided to start on long oil, easily won the game, 265-184, and sealed the victory with a 194-189 win on the short pattern. Raymond Teece, England, and Habib Gogan, Turkey, finished third and fourth, resp. The top eight countries qualified for the 2013 World Games.
Daria Kovalova of Ukraine came back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat Birgit Pöppler of Germany, two-games-to-one, en route to capture the women's title at the 35th European Champions Cup. Qualifying leader Pöppler took a 1-0 lead with a 231-188 win on the short pattern. The Ukrainian, seeded third, rebounded with a 226-199 win on long oil and defeated Pöppler in the decider, 216-211. Alena Korobkova of Russia and Carmen Haandrikman, Netherlands, finished in third and fourth place, resp.
Swede leads all three qualifying rounds to win men's qualifying by 479 pins; veterans Lintilä, Verbruggen and Grabowski take the last three spots; defending champion Thomas Gross misses the cut
James Gruffman (center) of Sweden won the men's qualifying of the 35th European Champions Cup Saturday evening at bowling center Dekker in Zoetermeer, Netherlands and leads the top 8 players into Sunday's single-elimination finals. Also advancing to the finals were Raymond Teece, England; Yoan Alix, France; Mads Sandbækken (r.), Norway; Habib Dogan, Turkey; Lasse Lintilä, Finland; Gery Verbruggen (l.), Belgium; Achim Grabowski, Germany.
German international leads all three rounds of the preliminaries to earn the No. 1 seed for Sunday's single-elimination finals; Pöppler out averages the rest of the field by at least 16 pins; Sandra Andersson of Sweden hits the cutoff number for eighth place
Birgit Pöppler of Germany led the women's preliminaries of the 35th European Champions Cup en route to earn the No. 1 seed for Sunday's single-elimination finals. Joining Pöppler in the finals were Alena Korobkova, Russia; Daria Kovalova, Ukraine; Krista Pöllänen, Finland; Carmen Haandrikman, Netherlands; Helga Di Benedetto, Italy; Marjo Pöntinen, Finland; and Sandra Andersson, Sweden.
Swede leads the 42-player field for the second consecutive block by a huge margin; defending champion Thomas Gross moves into top 8; Finland's Lasse Lintilä is the man "on the bubble" with 209.88 average
James Gruffman (l.) continued hot hand and led Squad A and the entire 42-player field on the long pattern with 1932 series and an average of 241.50. The Swede, who rolled games of 212, 257, 225, 233, 203, 279, 233 and 290, has 3859 total and an average of 241.19 for 16 games. Yoan Alix (r.) of France was 361 pins behind in second place with 3498. The men are done for today and will return Saturday for the third and last block on combined oil.
Shoots second consecutive high series to lead her nearest competitor by 230 pins and to hold a 482 pin buffer to ninth place Marjo Pöntinen, Finland, who led Squad B with the second-highest series of the day
Overnight leader Birgit Pöppler (l.) of Germany, who led the first block at the European Champions Cup in Holland with 1761 eight-game total, also fired the highest women's series on the long pattern Thursday at bowling center Dekker in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, to widen her lead after 16 of 24 games of qualifying with 3575 total and an average of 223.44. Trailing Pöppler by 230 pins to sit in second place was Daria Kovalova (r.) of Ukraine.
Swede shoots first 300 game en route to take a 92-pin lead after eight games on short oil; seven players of Squad B including leader Gery Verbruggen move into top 8
James Gruffman (pictured) led the men's qualifying in the European Champions Cup after the first qualifying round with 1927 pinfall total and an average of 240.88. The Swede, who fired the first 300 game of the Cup in Squad A on Wednesday evening remained unchallenged in Squad B on Thursday morning. Trailing Gruffman by 92 pins to sit in second place was former World and European champion Gery Verbruggen of Belgium, who led Squad B with 1835 (229.38) including high games of 266, 261 and 255.
Swede out averages his nearest competitor by more than 30 pins to take commanding 245-pin lead in the men's qualifying after the first squad
James Gruffman (l.) fired the first 300 game of the European Champions Cup Wednesday evening at Dekker Zoetermeer en route to take a commanding lead as Squad A has completed the first block of qualifying on short oil. The Swede used the perfecto and a pair of 260s for 1927 eight-game total, an average of 240.88, and out averaged the next-closest competitor, Mark McQueen (r.) of Scotland (1682) by more than 30 pins.
German sets the tone with 1761 eight-game series on short oil (220.13 average)
German national champion Birgit Pöppler (l.) led the women's qualifying at the 35th European Champions Cup after the first block Wednesday at Bowling center Dekker in Zoetermeer, Netherlands. Pöppler totaled 1761 pins, an average of 220.13 for eight games on short oil (35ft.). Helga Di Benedetto of Italy was second with 1714. Alena Korobkova (r.) of Russia led Squad B to overtake third place with 1690.
Bowling Center Dekker in Zoetermeer, Netherlands (Oct. 15-22, 2012)
The European Champions Cup 2012 will be held from Oct. 17-21 in the city of Zoetermeer, just 15 km East of The Hague. Including defending champions Thomas Gross of Austria (l.) and Finland's Krista Pöllänen (r.), 42 men from 41 countries and 36 women from 35 countries will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals at bowling center Dekker Zoetermeer, a 16-laner with Funk equipment.
As reported earlier, the organizing committee of the 2012 European Champions Cup had to move the ECC to another center as Bowling Zuiderpark in The Hague, Netherlands, where the event originally should take place, has ceased operations. The Netherlands Bowling Federation has announced today that the ECC will be held at bowling center Dekker (pictured), a 16-laner with Funk equipment in the city of Zoetermeer, just 15 km East of The Hague.
Dutch Bowling Federation looking for an alternative
The Dutch Bowling Federation (NBF), host federation of the 2012 European Champions Cup, has announced that the host center, Bowling Zuiderpark in The Hague, ceased operations due to financial reasons. This means that the ECC 2012 schedule3d for Oct. 15-22 cannot be
conducted at Bowling Zuiderpark as announced by the organizing committee
in the bulletin. 42 member countries had confirmed participation in the ECC.
German's Gabel, Iceland's Hardarson shoot highest block on long oil
Joline Persson Planefors of Sweden continued to lead the women's division of the 34th European Champions Cup while Russia's Ivan Semenov took the pole position in the men's division after the second block of qualifying Thursday at Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland. Germany'Janine-Manuela Gabel had the highest eight-game series on the long oil pattern with 1738 and the higher last game (279). Hafthor Hardarson, Iceland, posted the field-best 1841 series, an average of 230.13.
4/38 women and 2/40 men average over 200 on short oil
Anthony Fabre of France and Swede Joline Persson Planefors took the lead in the men's and women's division of the 34th European Champions Cup after the first round of qualifying Wednesday at Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland. Just four women and only two men bowled over par (based on a 200 average) for eight games on the 35 feet short oil pattern. Qualifying continues Thursday with the second eight game block on the 45 feet long oil pattern.
The 34th European Champions Cup will be held at 20-lane Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland from August 15-21, 2011. The ECC features the national champions or ranking leaders - one man and one woman per country - of the European Tenpin Bowling Federation member federations plus the defending champions, Svein Åke Ek of Norway and Finland's Krista Pöllänen. All players will bowl 24 games preliminaries to cut to the top 8, who will determine the champions in best-of-three games single-elimination match play finals.
Rollhouse Bowling Center in Ankara, Turkey (Oct. 25-31, 2010)
Norwegian youngster Svein Åke Ek and longtime Finnish national team member Krista Pöllänen captured the men's and women's title in the 33rd European Champions Cup Saturday afternoon at Rollhouse Bowling Center in Ankara, Turkey. Ek defeated Sweden's Dennis Eklund in the deciding third game of the men's finale in best-of-three format, 239-212. Pöllänen,swept Marija Tkacenko, Latvia, two-games-to-none to win the women's crown.
Top 8 men and women determine the champions in single-elimination best-of-three finals
Arturs Levikins (pictured left), Latvia and Nadine GeiĂźler, Germany led the preliminaries of the 33rd European Champions Cup at Rollhouse Bowling Center in Ankara, Turkey and earned the No. 1 seed for Saturday's single-elimination finals in best-of-three game format.. Levikins will take on 2008 ECC champion Thomas Gross, Austria,in the Round of 8, while GeiĂźler meets Shahaf Antin, Israel,in the women's Round of 8.
Germany's Nadine GeiĂźler continues to lead the women's division
Svein Åke Ek (l.), Norway, averaged 224.13 on the 44 ft. long lane conditioning pattern Thursday at Rollhouse Bowling Center in Ankara, Turkey to overtake the lead in the men's division of the 33rd European Champions Cup. Krista Pöllänen (r.), Finland led all players men and women on long oil with 1819 (227.38 avg.) to leap one spot into second place with 3477. All players will return on Friday for the last 8-game block on dual lane condition before the cut to the top 8.
Average over 221 to take the lead after the first block on short oil
The 33rd European Champions Cup got underway on Wednesday at 24-lane Rollhouse Bowling Center in Ankara, Turkey when 74 players - 39 men and 35 women - from 38 of the 49 members of the European Tenpin Bowling Federation (ETBF) bowled eight games on the short lane conditioning pattern. 2007 ECC champion Marco Reviglio (l.), Italy and Nadine GeiĂźler (r.), Germany averaged over 221 to take the early lead in the men's and women's division.
Rollhouse Bowling Center in Ankara, Turkey (Oct. 25-31, 2010)
Ahmet Recep Tekcan, President of the Turkish Bowling Federation, and Sinem Aydın Devrim, CEO of the host Rollhouse Bowling Center, have released the first and final bulletin for the 2010 European Champions Cup to be held in Ankara, Turkey from Oct. 25-31, 2010. The 2010 ECC will be staged at 24-lane Rollhouse Bowling Center, host of the Ankara Open, a European Bowling Tour Gold tournament (Sept. 18-26, 2010). Entry deadline is June 15, 2010.
James Gruffman capped off an outstanding performance at the 35th European Champions Cup in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, by defeating Yoan Alix of France, two-games-to-none, to claim men's title. The Swede, who decided to start on long oil, easily won the game, 265-184, and sealed the victory with a 194-189 win on the short pattern. Raymond Teece, England, and Habib Gogan, Turkey, finished third and fourth, resp. The top eight countries qualified for the 2013 World Games.
Daria Kovalova of Ukraine came back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat Birgit Pöppler of Germany, two-games-to-one, en route to capture the women's title at the 35th European Champions Cup. Qualifying leader Pöppler took a 1-0 lead with a 231-188 win on the short pattern. The Ukrainian, seeded third, rebounded with a 226-199 win on long oil and defeated Pöppler in the decider, 216-211. Alena Korobkova of Russia and Carmen Haandrikman, Netherlands, finished in third and fourth place, resp.
James Gruffman (center) of Sweden won the men's qualifying of the 35th European Champions Cup Saturday evening at bowling center Dekker in Zoetermeer, Netherlands and leads the top 8 players into Sunday's single-elimination finals. Also advancing to the finals were Raymond Teece, England; Yoan Alix, France; Mads Sandbækken (r.), Norway; Habib Dogan, Turkey; Lasse Lintilä, Finland; Gery Verbruggen (l.), Belgium; Achim Grabowski, Germany.
Birgit Pöppler of Germany led the women's preliminaries of the 35th European Champions Cup en route to earn the No. 1 seed for Sunday's single-elimination finals. Joining Pöppler in the finals were Alena Korobkova, Russia; Daria Kovalova, Ukraine; Krista Pöllänen, Finland; Carmen Haandrikman, Netherlands; Helga Di Benedetto, Italy; Marjo Pöntinen, Finland; and Sandra Andersson, Sweden.
James Gruffman (l.) continued hot hand and led Squad A and the entire 42-player field on the long pattern with 1932 series and an average of 241.50. The Swede, who rolled games of 212, 257, 225, 233, 203, 279, 233 and 290, has 3859 total and an average of 241.19 for 16 games. Yoan Alix (r.) of France was 361 pins behind in second place with 3498. The men are done for today and will return Saturday for the third and last block on combined oil.
Overnight leader Birgit Pöppler (l.) of Germany, who led the first block at the European Champions Cup in Holland with 1761 eight-game total, also fired the highest women's series on the long pattern Thursday at bowling center Dekker in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, to widen her lead after 16 of 24 games of qualifying with 3575 total and an average of 223.44. Trailing Pöppler by 230 pins to sit in second place was Daria Kovalova (r.) of Ukraine. 
James Gruffman (l.) fired the first 300 game of the European Champions Cup Wednesday evening at Dekker Zoetermeer en route to take a commanding lead as Squad A has completed the first block of qualifying on short oil. The Swede used the perfecto and a pair of 260s for 1927 eight-game total, an average of 240.88, and out averaged the next-closest competitor, Mark McQueen (r.) of Scotland (1682) by more than 30 pins.
German national champion Birgit Pöppler (l.) led the women's qualifying at the 35th European Champions Cup after the first block Wednesday at Bowling center Dekker in Zoetermeer, Netherlands. Pöppler totaled 1761 pins, an average of 220.13 for eight games on short oil (35ft.). Helga Di Benedetto of Italy was second with 1714. Alena Korobkova (r.) of Russia led Squad B to overtake third place with 1690.
The European Champions Cup 2012 will be held from Oct. 17-21 in the city of Zoetermeer, just 15 km East of The Hague. Including defending champions Thomas Gross of Austria (l.) and Finland's Krista Pöllänen (r.), 42 men from 41 countries and 36 women from 35 countries will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals at bowling center Dekker Zoetermeer, a 16-laner with Funk equipment.
As reported earlier, the organizing committee of the 2012 European Champions Cup had to move the ECC to another center as Bowling Zuiderpark in The Hague, Netherlands, where the event originally should take place, has ceased operations. The Netherlands Bowling Federation has announced today that the ECC will be held at bowling center Dekker (pictured), a 16-laner with Funk equipment in the city of Zoetermeer, just 15 km East of The Hague.
The Dutch Bowling Federation (NBF), host federation of the 2012 European Champions Cup, has announced that the host center, Bowling Zuiderpark in The Hague, ceased operations due to financial reasons. This means that the ECC 2012 schedule3d for Oct. 15-22 cannot be
conducted at Bowling Zuiderpark as announced by the organizing committee
in the bulletin. 42 member countries had confirmed participation in the ECC. 
Joline Persson Planefors of Sweden continued to lead the women's division of the 34th European Champions Cup while Russia's Ivan Semenov took the pole position in the men's division after the second block of qualifying Thursday at Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland. Germany'Janine-Manuela Gabel had the highest eight-game series on the long oil pattern with 1738 and the higher last game (279). Hafthor Hardarson, Iceland, posted the field-best 1841 series, an average of 230.13. 
Norwegian youngster Svein Åke Ek and longtime Finnish national team member Krista Pöllänen captured the men's and women's title in the 33rd European Champions Cup Saturday afternoon at Rollhouse Bowling Center in Ankara, Turkey. Ek defeated Sweden's Dennis Eklund in the deciding third game of the men's finale in best-of-three format, 239-212. Pöllänen,swept Marija Tkacenko, Latvia, two-games-to-none to win the women's crown.
Arturs Levikins (pictured left), Latvia and Nadine GeiĂźler, Germany led the preliminaries of the 33rd European Champions Cup at Rollhouse Bowling Center in Ankara, Turkey and earned the No. 1 seed for Saturday's single-elimination finals in best-of-three game format.. Levikins will take on 2008 ECC champion Thomas Gross, Austria,in the Round of 8, while GeiĂźler meets Shahaf Antin, Israel,in the women's Round of 8. 
Svein Ă…ke Ek (l.), Norway, averaged 224.13 on the 
Ahmet Recep Tekcan, President of the Turkish Bowling Federation, and Sinem Aydın Devrim, CEO of the host Rollhouse Bowling Center, have released the first and final bulletin for the 2010 European Champions Cup to be held in Ankara, Turkey from Oct. 25-31, 2010. The 2010 ECC will be staged at 24-lane Rollhouse Bowling Center, host of the Ankara Open, a European Bowling Tour Gold tournament (Sept. 18-26, 2010). Entry deadline is June 15, 2010.