68 Finns kicked off the qualifying of the 43rd Brunswick Ballmaster Open Friday evening at Tali Bowling Center in Helsinki, Finland. Perttu Jussila (pictured) set the early pace with 1340 including games of 225, 200, 231, 231, 230 and 223. The Finnish national team member averaged 223.33. The Ballmaster is the season-opening event of the 2013 European Bowling Tour and the third stop of the 2013 World Bowling Tour, which started with two events at the end of 2012. Qualifying continues Saturday with squads 2 & 3.
Icelandic rolls the highest series on penultimate qualifying day; England's Dominic Barrett leads the 330-player field with 1497; Swede Jonas Olsson shoots third 300 game of the tournament in Squad 10; cut for 30th and 58th place is 1339 (229.83) and 1336 (209.33)
Hafthor Hardarsson (l.) of Iceland posted the highest six-game series on the penultimate qualifying day to jump into third place in the overall standings of the 33rd AIK International Tournament in Stockholm, Sweden. Hardarsson had games of 239, 233, 244, 220, 248 and 269 for 1453 or an average of 242.17. With 11 of 14 qualifying squads in the books, PBA champion Dominic Barrett (r.) of England leads the 330-player field with 1497.
Englishman averages almost 250 to overtake the lead in the 216-player field; Kim Lingvall, Oskar Mattsson roll the first 300 games of the tournament in Squad 6; cut for 30th and 58th place is 1341 (223.50) and 1303 (217.17)
2012 European point ranking leader Dominic Barrett (pictured) of England averaged 249.50 Thursday evening to overtake the lead in the qualifying of the 33rd AIK International Tournament at Bowl-O-Rama in Stockholm, Sweden. The PBA champion started his six-game series in Squad 7 with an 827 three-game series (269, 280 & 278) and added 254 for 1081 after four games or an average of 270.25. Barrett couldn't match his vigorous pace in the last two games finishing with 227 and 189 for 1497 total.
Swedish international member rolls 1392 series to overtake 9th place; Lars Pejstrup continues to lead the 166-player field with 1460; cut for 30th and 58th place is 1329 (221.50) and 1273 (212.17)
Mikael Kanold (pictured) of Sundbybergs IK had a 1392 series, a 232 average, Wednesday at Bowl-O-Rama in Stockholm, Sweden, to lead Squad 5 in the 33rd AIK International Tournament. The Swedish international came out the gates fast with 263 and 267, then added 226 and a pair of 235 games. With a 235 triplicate Kanold would have taken the lead but had to settle for ninth place after a 166 final game. Lars Pejstrup leads the 166-player field since the first squad with 1460 and an average of 243.33.
Tournament organizer shoots 1441 series in Squad 4; Lars Pejstrup continues to lead the 149-player field with 1460; cut for 30th and 58th place is 1322 (220.33) and 1267 (211.17)
Tournament organizer Ian Robinson (pictured) of the host bowling club AIK led the fourth qualifying squad of the 33rd AIK International Tournament on New Year's Day with 1441 en route to move into third place in the overall qualifying standings. Robinson, who averaged 240.17 average for the day, started his six-game block with 258, 224 and back-to-back 232 games. He added a huge 279 in the fifth and needed a final 236 game to overtake the lead but fell twenty pins short after finishing with 216.
Lars Pejstrup continues to lead the 128-player field after the three Early Bird squads with 1460; cut for 30th and 58th place is 1303 (217.17) and 1248 (208.00)
Swedish youth national team member Pontus Andersson (l.) led the third and last Early Bird squad of the 33rd AIK International Tournament Sunday at Bowl-O-Rama in Stockholm, Sweden en route to move into second place in the overall qualifying standings. Andersson, who bowls for Team Clan BK, started his six-game series with a huge 279 game and added 237, 222, 209, 258 and 237 for 1442 total and an average of 240.33. Squad 1 leader Lars Pejstrup (r.) held on to the lead with 1460 (243.33).
Four players crack the 1400-bar to lead the Early Bird standings; cut for 30 and 58th place is 1271 (211.83) and 1180 (196.67)
The 33rd AIK International Tournament got underway Dec. 26 with two Early Bird squads at Bowl-o-Rama, a 28-laner in Stockholm, Sweden. Lars Pejstrup (pictured) of Team Mariestad BK led the field of 80 Swedes after the first day of qualifying with 1460 total or an average of 243.33 for six games. Pejstrup came out of the gates quickly with a 268 game and added 214, 245, 258, 239 and 236 to lead Squad 1 by 56 pins. Qualifying continues with the third and last Early Bird Squad on Sunday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. CET.
The AIK International Tournament is one of the longest-running bowling tournaments in Europe. The 33rd edition will be held from Dec. 26 through Jan. 6, 2013 at Bowl-o-Rama, a 28-laner in Stockholm, Sweden. Once the opening event of the Swedish Super Six Tour, the AIK International is the lone international tournament on the ETBF calendar that runs over New Year's eve. The AIK offers total prize fund of 309.600 Swedish Kronor (approx. 35.820 Euro or USD47,260) with 60.000 SEK (€6,940 or $9,160) going to winner.
EBT Gold tournament offers 90.300 Euro total prize fund and a 12.000 Euro top prize PLUS a 20.000 Euro Extra Prize for a 300 game on the final day (Jan. 13); BBO is also the third stop of the 2013 World Bowling Tour and will award a PBA international title if won by a PBA member
The 43rd Brunswick Ballmaster Open is the season-opening event of the 2013 European Bowling Tour and also the third stop of the 2013 World Bowling Tour. The tournament will be held from Jan. 4-13, 2013 at 36-lane Tali Bowling Center in Finland's capital city Helsinki. Players will compete for total prize money of up to 110.300 Euro with 12.000 Euro going to the winner. Four-time PBA champion Bill O'Neill is the defending champion.
Defeats fellow countryman Tony Ranta in all-Finnish affair to win his 11th career PBA title and the 30.000 Euro top prize; Dominic Barrett (ENG) and Birgit Pöppler (GER) win men's and women's EBT Point Ranking
Fresh off his victory in the Round1 Japan Cup, Mika Koivuniemi (pictured) of Finland defeated fellow countryman Tony Ranta in the title match of the 12th Qatar Bowling Open, 544-471, en route to win his second consecutive PBA International title and the 11th PBA title of his career Saturday at Qatar Bowling Center in Doha. The two-time PBA Player led Final Round 1 & 2 to capture the No. 1 seed for the playoffs. Koivuniemi pocketed 30.000 for the victory while Ranta received 14.400 Euro for second place.
Players with country, ranking point total and number of top 50 finishes
The 2012 European Bowling Tour features 19 tournaments in 16 countries. In its 13th season, the EBT consists of two Platinum, four Gold, six Silver and seven Satellite tournaments. The total prize fund is almost one million Euro. The top 50 men and the top 50 women in each event receive ranking points. Those points will be tabulated throughout the season to determine the top 16 men and top 16 women who will compete in the sixth EBT Masters in Bratislava, Slovakia, in Sept. 2013.
Players with country, ranking point total and number of top 50 finishes
The 2012 European Bowling Tour features 19 tournaments in 16 countries. In its 13th season, the EBT consists of two Platinum, four Gold, six Silver and seven Satellite tournaments. The total prize fund is almost one million Euro. The top 50 men and the top 50 women in each event receive ranking points. Those points will be tabulated throughout the season to determine the top 16 men and top 16 women who will compete in the sixth EBT Masters in Bratislava, Slovakia, in Sept. 2013.
Pöppler seals victory in EBT women's rankings; PBA champions Fagan, Barnes, Barrett move into top 9 on final qualifying day; cut for 36th place is 1302 (217 average)
Birgit Pöppler (pictured left9 of Germany remained unchallenged Friday at the Qatar Bowling Center in Doha en route to win the qualifying of the 12th Qatar Bowling Open with 1464 total including 48 pins handicap. The German national team member, who averaged 236 scratch, leads a group of 48 players out of a field of 142 players from 26 countries into Saturday's finals. By virtue of qualifying as one of seven women for the finals, Pöppler has sealed the victory in the 2012 European Bowling Tour women's point ranking.
Five players move into the top 9 on Thursday; PBA stars have entered the tournament; cut for 36th place is now 1289 (214.83 average)
Birgit Pöppler (pictured) of Germany rolled a 1416 series in Squad 12 on Thursday afternoon en route to overtake the qualifying lead in the 12th Qatar Bowling Open with 1464 total including 48 pins handicap. The current European Bowling Tour women's point ranking leader averaged 254 for the last five games to leap eight spots and to pace the field of 132 players from 25 countries. Qualifying continues Friday, Dec. 14 with Squads 15-17 and concludes with the Desperado Squad
slated for 11 p.m. Arabia Standard Time.
Hareb Al-Mansoori holds on to the lead; three players of Wednesday's Squads 9-11 crack the top 9; cut for 36th place is now 1232 (205.33 average)
Thomas Larsen (l.) of Denmark averaged 226 and toppled 1356 pins, the highest series in Wednesday's qualifying at the 12th Qatar Bowling Open, en route to move into second place in the overall standings. Larsen tied Squad 1 leader Aumi Guerra (r.) of the Dominican Republic, who slipped to third place due to the lower last game. Hareb Al-Mansoori, UAE, continued to lead the field of 109 players from 23 countries with 1371 (228.50).
Squad 6-8 leaders move into the top 9 Tuesday; Hareb Al-Mansoori holds on to the lead; cut for 36th place is now 1208 (201.33 average)
Hareb Al-Mansoori held on to the lead in the 12th Qatar Bowling Open after Tuesday's qualifying squads 6, 7 & 8. The UAE bowler leads a field of 86 bowlers, 79 men and seven women, from 19 countries with 1371 and an average of 228.50. Moving into third, fourth and fifth place on the third day of competition were squad leaders Shaker Al-Hassan (l.), UAE; Ryan Lalisang (r.), Indonesia; and John Guldbaek, Denmark.
Al-Mansoori, Pöppler & Mortensen are automatically qualified for the finals on Saturday, Dec. 15; four women are in the top 9 after five squads; cut for 36th place is 1176 (196 average)
Hareb Al-Mansoori (l.), UAE, posted a 1371 series in the fourth qualifying squad to move to the top of the leaderboard in the 12th Qatar Bowling Open Monday in Doha. Another two players of Squad 4 posted the second and third-highest series Tuesday to earn a spot in Saturday's finals. Current European Bowling Tour women's point ranking leader Birgit Pöppler (r.) was second with 1341 and Jimmy Mortensen of Denmark was third with 1331.
Guerra and second place Hussain Al-Suwaidi are automatically qualified for the finals on Saturday, Dec. 15; EBT "Platinum" tournament is also the second stop of the 2013 World Bowling Tour and will award a PBA international title if won by a PBA member
The 12th Qatar Bowling Open, a European Bowling Tour and World Bowling Tour event, is underway. 60 players from 14 countries, 58 men and two women, helped usher in the 125.000 Euro "Platinum" event at the Qatar Bowling Center in Doha on Sunday. Two-time World Cup champion Aumi Guerra (pictured left, 1356) of the Dominican Republic and Hussain Al-Suwaidi (1319), UAE, set the pace in the first two of 17 qualifying squads and earned automatic berths in the finals on Saturday, Dec. 15.
"Platinum" tournament will decide EBT men's and women's ranking winners; tournament is also the second stop of the 2013 World Bowling Tour and will award a PBA international title if won by a PBA member
The 12th Qatar Bowling Open is the 19th and last event of the 2012 European Bowling Tour and one of only two EBT "Platinum" tournaments this season. The tournament will be held from Dec. 9-15, 2012 at 32-lane Qatar Bowling Center. Players will compete for total prize fund of 125.000 Euro with 30.000 € going to the winner. As the Qatar Open is also the second event of the 2013 World Bowling Tour, the tournament will also award a PBA international title if won by a PBA member.
10th anniversary of the European Bowling Tour Platinum tournament to be held at Dream-Bowl Palace in Munich, Germany, March 19 to 24, 2013
Valcke Bowling and Brunswick have announced today that the Brunswick Euro Challenge, a European Bowling Tour Platinum event and Europe's richest tournament, will move from Paris, France, to Munich, Germany, in 2013. The 10th anniversary tournament will be held from March 19 to 24 at 52-lane Dream-Bowl Palace in suburban Munich. The tournament schedule has been adjusted due to the new location and registration will open December 15.
68 Finns kicked off the qualifying of the 43rd Brunswick Ballmaster Open Friday evening at Tali Bowling Center in Helsinki, Finland. Perttu Jussila (pictured) set the early pace with 1340 including games of 225, 200, 231, 231, 230 and 223. The Finnish national team member averaged 223.33. The Ballmaster is the season-opening event of the 2013 European Bowling Tour and the third stop of the 2013 World Bowling Tour, which started with two events at the end of 2012. Qualifying continues Saturday with squads 2 & 3.
Hafthor Hardarsson (l.) of Iceland posted the highest six-game series on the penultimate qualifying day to jump into third place in the overall standings of the 33rd AIK International Tournament in Stockholm, Sweden. Hardarsson had games of 239, 233, 244, 220, 248 and 269 for 1453 or an average of 242.17. With 11 of 14 qualifying squads in the books, PBA champion Dominic Barrett (r.) of England leads the 330-player field with 1497. 
Mikael Kanold (pictured) of Sundbybergs IK had a 1392 series, a 232 average, Wednesday at Bowl-O-Rama in Stockholm, Sweden, to lead Squad 5 in the 33rd AIK International Tournament. The Swedish international came out the gates fast with 263 and 267, then added 226 and a pair of 235 games. With a 235 triplicate Kanold would have taken the lead but had to settle for ninth place after a 166 final game. Lars Pejstrup leads the 166-player field since the first squad with 1460 and an average of 243.33.
Tournament organizer Ian Robinson (pictured) of the host bowling club AIK led the fourth qualifying squad of the 33rd AIK International Tournament on New Year's Day with 1441 en route to move into third place in the overall qualifying standings. Robinson, who averaged 240.17 average for the day, started his six-game block with 258, 224 and back-to-back 232 games. He added a huge 279 in the fifth and needed a final 236 game to overtake the lead but fell twenty pins short after finishing with 216.
Swedish youth national team member Pontus Andersson (l.) led the third and last Early Bird squad of the 33rd AIK International Tournament Sunday at Bowl-O-Rama in Stockholm, Sweden en route to move into second place in the overall qualifying standings. Andersson, who bowls for Team Clan BK, started his six-game series with a huge 279 game and added 237, 222, 209, 258 and 237 for 1442 total and an average of 240.33. Squad 1 leader Lars Pejstrup (r.) held on to the lead with 1460 (243.33).
The 33rd AIK International Tournament got underway Dec. 26 with two Early Bird squads at Bowl-o-Rama, a 28-laner in Stockholm, Sweden. Lars Pejstrup (pictured) of Team Mariestad BK led the field of 80 Swedes after the first day of qualifying with 1460 total or an average of 243.33 for six games. Pejstrup came out of the gates quickly with a 268 game and added 214, 245, 258, 239 and 236 to lead Squad 1 by 56 pins. Qualifying continues with the third and last Early Bird Squad on Sunday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. CET. 
The AIK International Tournament is one of the longest-running bowling tournaments in Europe. The 33rd edition will be held from Dec. 26 through Jan. 6, 2013 at Bowl-o-Rama, a 28-laner in Stockholm, Sweden. Once the opening event of the Swedish Super Six Tour, the AIK International is the lone international tournament on the ETBF calendar that runs over New Year's eve. The AIK offers total prize fund of 309.600 Swedish Kronor (approx. 35.820 Euro or USD47,260) with 60.000 SEK (€6,940 or $9,160) going to winner.
The 43rd Brunswick Ballmaster Open is the season-opening event of the 2013 European Bowling Tour and also the third stop of the 2013 World Bowling Tour. The tournament will be held from Jan. 4-13, 2013 at 36-lane Tali Bowling Center in Finland's capital city Helsinki. Players will compete for total prize money of up to 110.300 Euro with 12.000 Euro going to the winner. Four-time PBA champion Bill O'Neill is the defending champion.
The 2012 European Bowling Tour features 19 tournaments in 16 countries. In its 13th season, the EBT consists of two Platinum, four Gold, six Silver and seven Satellite tournaments. The total prize fund is almost one million Euro. The top 50 men and the top 50 women in each event receive ranking points. Those points will be tabulated throughout the season to determine the top 16 men and top 16 women who will compete in the sixth EBT Masters in Bratislava, Slovakia, in Sept. 2013.
Birgit Pöppler (pictured left9 of Germany remained unchallenged Friday at the Qatar Bowling Center in Doha en route to win the qualifying of the 12th Qatar Bowling Open with 1464 total including 48 pins handicap. The German national team member, who averaged 236 scratch, leads a group of 48 players out of a field of 142 players from 26 countries into Saturday's finals. By virtue of qualifying as one of seven women for the finals, Pöppler has sealed the victory in the 2012 European Bowling Tour women's point ranking.
Birgit Pöppler (pictured) of Germany rolled a 1416 series in Squad 12 on Thursday afternoon en route to overtake the qualifying lead in the 12th Qatar Bowling Open with 1464 total including 48 pins handicap. The current European Bowling Tour women's point ranking leader averaged 254 for the last five games to leap eight spots and to pace the field of 132 players from 25 countries. Qualifying continues Friday, Dec. 14 with Squads 15-17 and concludes with the Desperado Squad
slated for 11 p.m. Arabia Standard Time. 
Thomas Larsen (l.) of Denmark averaged 226 and toppled 1356 pins, the highest series in Wednesday's qualifying at the 12th Qatar Bowling Open, en route to move into second place in the overall standings. Larsen tied Squad 1 leader Aumi Guerra (r.) of the Dominican Republic, who slipped to third place due to the lower last game. Hareb Al-Mansoori, UAE, continued to lead the field of 109 players from 23 countries with 1371 (228.50). 
Hareb Al-Mansoori held on to the lead in the 12th Qatar Bowling Open after Tuesday's qualifying squads 6, 7 & 8. The UAE bowler leads a field of 86 bowlers, 79 men and seven women, from 19 countries with 1371 and an average of 228.50. Moving into third, fourth and fifth place on the third day of competition were squad leaders Shaker Al-Hassan (l.), UAE; Ryan Lalisang (r.), Indonesia; and John Guldbaek, Denmark.
The 12th Qatar Bowling Open, a European Bowling Tour and World Bowling Tour event, is underway. 60 players from 14 countries, 58 men and two women, helped usher in the 125.000 Euro "Platinum" event at the Qatar Bowling Center in Doha on Sunday. Two-time World Cup champion Aumi Guerra (pictured left, 1356) of the Dominican Republic and Hussain Al-Suwaidi (1319), UAE, set the pace in the first two of 17 qualifying squads and earned automatic berths in the finals on Saturday, Dec. 15.
The 12th Qatar Bowling Open is the 19th and last event of the 2012 European Bowling Tour and one of only two EBT "Platinum" tournaments this season. The tournament will be held from Dec. 9-15, 2012 at 32-lane Qatar Bowling Center. Players will compete for total prize fund of 125.000 Euro with 30.000 € going to the winner. As the Qatar Open is also the second event of the 2013 World Bowling Tour, the tournament will also award a PBA international title if won by a PBA member.
Valcke Bowling and Brunswick have announced today that the Brunswick Euro Challenge, a European Bowling Tour Platinum event and Europe's richest tournament, will move from Paris, France, to Munich, Germany, in 2013. The 10th anniversary tournament will be held from March 19 to 24 at 52-lane Dream-Bowl Palace in suburban Munich. The tournament schedule has been adjusted due to the new location and registration will open December 15.