Birgit Pöppler leads women's qualifying at 35th European Champions Cup

    10/18/12

    2012 ECC

    German sets the tone with 1761 eight-game series on short oil (220.13 average)

    2012ECCBirgitPoppler.jpg 2012ECCHelgaDiBenedetto.jpgGerman 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.

    The current European Bowling Tour ranking leader rolled games between 202 and 239 on the short oil pattern (35ft.) to lead the field of 36 women from 35 countries with 1761 total and an average of 220.13 for eight games.

    Helga Di Benedetto (right) of Italy was second to Pöppler in Squad A with 1714 including high games of 240, 232 and 220 to finish day one in second place overall.

    2012ECCAlenaKorobkova.jpg2012ECCBigiManico.jpgAlena Korobkova (left) of Russia led the second squad on Wednesday afternoon en route to overtake third place overall with 1690 (211.25). Korobkova started her series with 234 and 233 and had a high game of 258 in the fifth game. She was the only player of Squad B who made the top 8 and the lone with an average over 200.

    Multiple Swiss champion Bigi Manico (right) was fourth with 1687 and was followed by Daria Kovalova of Ukraine in fifth place with 1663. Defending champion Krista Pöllänen was sixth with 1619 with Sandra Andersson of Sweden in seventh place at 1615.

    2012ECCIvonneGross.jpg2012ECCCarmenHaandrikman.jpgRounding out the top 8, who will advance to Sunday's finals after 24 games of qualifying, was Ivonne Gross (left) of Austria with sub-par 1575 total and an average of 196.88. Just outside the box looking in was Carmen Haandrikman (right) from the host country Netherlands, who was second to Korobkova in Squad B with 1561, good for ninth place overall.

    Most of the players struggled on the short oil pattern with the top 7 only averaging over 200. 17 players averaged less than 180 including five players who failed to average 160.

    The women will return on Thursday afternoon for the second block on long oil (40ft.). Squad A is scheduled for 1 p.m. and Squad B will take to the lanes at 6 p.m. CEST.

    2012ECCLogo.jpg The European Champions Cup 2012 takes place at bowling center Dekker, a 16-laner with Funk equipment in the city of Zoetermeer, just 15 km East of The Hague, Netherlands.

    Starting on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 42 men from 41 countries and 36 women from 35 countries roll three eight-game blocks of qualifying over four days, the first block on short oil (35 ft.), the second block on long oil (40ft.) and the third block on combined oil (one lane dressed with short oil, the other lane dressed with long oil).

    The top eight men and the top eight women after 24 games advance to the single-elimination finals in best-of-three games format. The player, who wins all three matches, will be declared the champion.

     


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    First block on short oil (35 ft.), second block on long oil (40ft.) and third block on combined oil.

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