80 players test the lanes in Viernheim on Day 1 qualifying
09/10/06
The 2nd Gutperle Viernheim Open 2006 presented by STORM has started on Saturday with the first four out of 29 qualifying squads. 80 players - 65 men and 16 women - from Austria, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, United States and Germany took the lanes at Bowling Center Viernheim.
Michael Koch from Germany has set the pace with 1295 six-game total and an average of 215,83. Despite finishing with a 171-game, Koch took the lead after the first day after starting with 200, 240, 244, 218 and 222.
German international Dirk Dreyer (left) was second with 1278. Austrian international Ivonne Gross (right) is tied with Dreyer but was ranked third due to the lower last game (229-177). However Gross, who received 48 pins handicap, shot the highest game of all competitors thus far when she came out of the gates with a 279-game.
Qualifying continues through Saturday, September 16, and concludes with the one-game 'Desperado Squad' at 12.30. The top 58 qualifying leaders plus the top 6 'Desperados' (seeded 59-64) will advance to the semi-final and bowl eight games starting from scratch to cut to the top 40 for the single-elimination best-of-three-games finals.
The winner will receive the huge 25.000 Euro first-place check (approx. $31,700). These are the good news.
The bad news are that about 70 (seven-zero !!) players have cancelled their participation during the last week. Tournament director Michael Lehmann has informed us that the number of first entries declined from 440 to 370 in just three days.
As a consequence there might be some qualifying spots available on a first comes first serve basis on Friday or even Saturday, Sept. 15-16.
The 2nd Gutperle Viernheim Open 2006 presented by STORM is the 15th stop of the 2006 European Bowling Tour and one of its "Majors". With 100.000 Euro or more than US$125,000 total prize fund the Viernheim Open is the "richest event" on the EBT Tour for the second consecutive year.
In the 2005, record 418 participants - 351 men and 67 women - from 23 countries made record 944 total entries and re-entries. Champion Michael Fagan, who posted three 300-games during the event, pocketed the 25.000 Euro first prize. Kegel is the official lane maintenance provider.
Bowlingdigital will cover the event live from Viernheim commencing Thursday, September 14 all the way through to the finals on Sunday, September 17.
Standings after Squad 4
European Bowling Tour #15
Bowling Center Viernheim, Germany (Sept. 9-17, 2006)
The 2nd Gutperle Viernheim Open 2006 presented by STORM has started on Saturday with the first four out of 29 qualifying squads. 80 players - 65 men and 16 women - from Austria, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, United States and Germany took the lanes at Bowling Center Viernheim. Michael Koch from Germany has set the pace with 1295 six-game total and an average of 215,83. Despite finishing with a 171-game, Koch took the lead after the first day after starting with 200, 240, 244, 218 and 222.
German international Dirk Dreyer (left) was second with 1278. Austrian international Ivonne Gross (right) is tied with Dreyer but was ranked third due to the lower last game (229-177). However Gross, who received 48 pins handicap, shot the highest game of all competitors thus far when she came out of the gates with a 279-game. Qualifying continues through Saturday, September 16, and concludes with the one-game 'Desperado Squad' at 12.30. The top 58 qualifying leaders plus the top 6 'Desperados' (seeded 59-64) will advance to the semi-final and bowl eight games starting from scratch to cut to the top 40 for the single-elimination best-of-three-games finals.
The winner will receive the huge 25.000 Euro first-place check (approx. $31,700). These are the good news.
The bad news are that about 70 (seven-zero !!) players have cancelled their participation during the last week. Tournament director Michael Lehmann has informed us that the number of first entries declined from 440 to 370 in just three days.
As a consequence there might be some qualifying spots available on a first comes first serve basis on Friday or even Saturday, Sept. 15-16.
The 2nd Gutperle Viernheim Open 2006 presented by STORM is the 15th stop of the 2006 European Bowling Tour and one of its "Majors". With 100.000 Euro or more than US$125,000 total prize fund the Viernheim Open is the "richest event" on the EBT Tour for the second consecutive year.
In the 2005, record 418 participants - 351 men and 67 women - from 23 countries made record 944 total entries and re-entries. Champion Michael Fagan, who posted three 300-games during the event, pocketed the 25.000 Euro first prize. Kegel is the official lane maintenance provider.
Bowlingdigital will cover the event live from Viernheim commencing Thursday, September 14 all the way through to the finals on Sunday, September 17.
Standings after Squad 4