Uotila beats Barrett to win his third Brunswick Ballmaster Open title

2009 European Bowling Tour #1

Tali Bowling in Helsinki, Finland (Jan. 3-11, 2008)

2009EBT01PasiUotilaDominicBarrett.jpg Pasi Uotila (left), Finland, defeated Dominic Barrett (right), England, 214-212, in the title match of the Brunswick Ballmaster Open en route to win the prestigious title and the 12.000 Euro top prize. Uotila, who became the third 3-time winner (Lasse Lintilä and Simo Vähäkorpela are the others) in the 39-year history of the event, overtook the lead in the 2009 European Bowling Tour rankings.

It was Uotila's fourth career European Bowling Tour title and the 13th consecutive victory of a Finnish bowler in the Ballmaster Open.

In the first semifinal, Barrett defeated tournament organizer Kimmo Lehtonen, Finland, 224-204, who was looking for his third Ballmaster title after 2002 and 2007. In the other match, Uotila won a low-scoring encounter against Dennis Eklund, Sweden, 184-168.

Barrett, who lost his second consecutive title match on the European Bowling Tour, pocketed 6.000 Euro. Lehtonen (left), the No. 2 seed, and Eklund (right), seeded 13th, received 3.000 Euro apiece for third and fourth place, respectively.

Nicole Sanders, Netherlands, the sole woman who reached the match play finals, finished in 8th place and overtook the lead in the EBT women's rankings.


Quarterfinal:

In the quarterfinal match between the top-ranked bowlers of the 2008 European Bowling Tour, Dominic Barrett made quick work of ranking champion, Osku Palermaa, 3-0. In the match between two Finnish national team members, 2004 Ballmaster champion Pasi Uotila won in three straight games against Petteri Salonen. 2-time Ballmaster champion and tournament organizer Kimmo Lehtonen rallied from a 1-2 deficit and defeated the only woman, Nicole Sanders, 188-186 in the deciding fifth game (3-2). Reigning World Ranking Masters champion Jari Ratia fell to Dennis Eklund, 2-3, behind a 174-172 loss in the decider.



Round of 16:

2007EBT17TobiasKarlsson2_small.jpg 2008EBT08NicoleSanders_small.jpg The top 8 qualifiers (seeded 1-8) and top 8 from Round Two (seeded 9-16) clashed in the best-best-of-five games Round of 16 in the Brunswick Ballmaster Open. The sole woman and first ranking leader in 2009, Nicole Sanders (r.), upset qualifying leader Tobias Karlsson (l.), 3-1. Belmo went out against Dom Barrett, 1-3. Dennis Eklund and Petteri Salonen came back from a 2-0 deficit to win their matches against Jussi Turtiainen and Kari Hurri, 3-2. Jari Ratia eliminated defending champion Jouni Helminen, 3-2. The sole player of the top 8 qualifiers, who survived the round was #2 Kimmo Lehtonen (3-1 vs. Or Airam). Also advancing top the quarterfinal were Pasi Uotila (3-2 vs. Robert Andersson) and defending ranking champion Osku Palermaa (3-1 vs. Mads Sandbækken).



39th Brunswick Ballmaster Open


Tali Bowling in Helsinki, Finland (Jan. 3-11, 2008)

2009EBT01PasiUotilaChampion.jpg Championship Round:
1. Pasi Uotila (pictured left), Finland, 12.000 Euro
2. Dominic Barrett, England, 6.000 Euro
3. Kimmo Lehtonen, Finland, 3.000 Euro
4. Dennis Eklund, Sweden, 3.000 Euro

Other cashers:
5. Osku Palermaa, Finland, 1.700 Euro
6. Jari Ratia, Finland, 1.700 Euro
7. Petteri Salonen, Finland, 1.700 Euro
8. Nicole Sanders, Netherlands, 1.700 Euro
9. Tobias Karlsson, Sweden, 1.300 Euro
10. Jason Belmonte, Australia, 1.300 Euro
11. Jussi Turtiainen, Finland, 1.300 Euro
12. Kari Hurri, Finland, 1.300 Euro
13. Robert Andersson, Sweden, 1.300 Euro
14. Jouni Helminen, Finland, 1.300 Euro
15. Mads Sandbækken, Norway, 1.300 Euro
16. Or Aviram, Israel, 1.300 Euro
17. Tero Suokas, Finland, 1.100 Euro
18. Erik Andersin, Sweden, 1.100 Euro
19. Panu Nurmilo, Finland, 1.100 Euro
20. Vesa Villman, Finland, 1.100 Euro
21. Patricia Luoto, Germany, 1.100 Euro
22. Mathias Arup, Finland, 1.100 Euro
23. Jesper Agerbo, Denmark, 1.100 Euro
24. Petri Keituri, Finland, 1.100 Euro
25. Juho Mäkelä, Finland, 1.100 Euro
26. Tore Torgersen, Norway, 1.100 Euro
27. Michael Mayer, Austria, 1.100 Euro
28. Teemu Karjalainen, Finland, 1.100 Euro
29. Kalle Huusko, Finland, 1.000 Euro
30. Stuart Williams, England, 1.000 Euro
31. Krista Pöllänen, Finland, 1.000 Euro
32. Alexander Medveditskov, Russia, 1.000 Euro
33. Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 1.000 Euro
34. Sami Salin, Finland, 1.000 Euro
35. Jarmo Ahokas, Finland, 1.000 Euro
36. Jesse Kallio, Finland, 1.000 Euro
37. Thomas Larsen, Denmark, 1.000 Euro
38. Jarno Blomberg, Finland, 1.000 Euro
39. Vallo Lees, Estonia, 1.000 Euro
40. Samuli Tiainen, Finland, 1.000 Euro
41. Lasse Lintilä, Finland, 1.000 Euro
42. Markku Petäjämaa, Finland, 1.000 Euro
43. Katja Kyllönen, Finland, 1.000 Euro
44. Jussi Lindgren, Finland, 1.000 Euro
45. Thomas Gross, Austria, 1.000 Euro
46. Juhani Tonteri, Finland, 1.000 Euro
47. Mikael Kanold, Sweden, 1.000 Euro
48. Heikki Tiainen, Finland, 1.000 Euro


2009 EBT Men's Rankings after 1/16 events


Players with position, country and ranking points

1. Pasi Uotila, Finland, 100
2. Dominic Barrett, England, 80
3. Kimmo Lehtonen, Finland, 70
4. Dennis Eklund, Sweden, 60
5. Osku Palermaa, Finland, 50
6. Jari Ratia, Finland, 48
7. Petteri Salonen, Finland, 46
8. Tobias Karlsson, Sweden, 44
9. Jason Belmonte, Australia, 42
10. Jussi Turtiainen, Finland, 40
11. Kari Hurri, Finland, 30
(tie) Robert Andersson, Sweden, 30
13. Jouni Helminen, Finland, 28
(tie) Mads Sandbækken, Norway, 28
15. Or Aviram, Israel, 26
(tie) Tero Suokas, Finland, 26
17. Erik Andersin, Sweden, 24
(tie) Panu Nurmilo, Finland, 24
19. Vesa Villman, Finland, 22
(tie) Mathias Arup, Finland, 22
21. Jesper Agerbo, Denmark, 16
(tie) Petri Keituri, Finland, 16
(tie) Juho Mäkelä, Finland, 16
(tie) Tore Torgersen, Norway, 16
(tie) Michael Mayer, Austria, 16
26. Teemu Karjalainen, Finland, 12
(tie) Kalle Huusko, Finland, 12
(tie) Stuart Williams, England, 12
(tie) Alexander Medveditskov, Russia, 12
(tie) Sami Salin, Finland, 12
31. Jarmo Ahokas, Finland, 8
(tie) Jesse Kallio, Finland, 8
(tie) Thomas Larsen, Denmark, 8
(tie) Jarno Blomberg, Finland, 8
(tie) Vallo Lees, Estonia, 8
36. Samuli Tiainen, Finland, 6
(tie) Lasse Lintilä, Finland, 6
(tie) Markku Petäjämaa, Finland, 6
(tie) Jussi Lindgren, Finland, 6
(tie) Thomas Gross, Austria, 6
41. Juhani Tonteri, Finland, 4
(tie) Mikael Kanold, Sweden, 4
(tie) Heikki Tiainen, Finland, 4
(tie) Olli Pakonen, Finland, 4
(tie) Mika Oksanen, Finland, 4
46. Olli Tiainen, Finland, 2
(tie) Ville Holmström, Finland, 2
(tie) Kristoffer Hagelberg, Sweden, 2
(tie) Peter Hellstrom, Sweden, 2
(tie) Mika Heino, Finland, 2


Brunswick Ballmaster Open - Finals


Top 8 qualifiers (seeded 1-8) and top 8 from Round Two (seeded 9-16). Single-Elimination Match Play, highest seed vs. lowest seed, etc. Round of 16 and 8 in best-of-five format. Semifinal and final decided in one game.




2009 EBT Women's Rankings after 1/16 events


Players with position, country and ranking points

1. Nicole Sanders, Netherlands, 100
2. Patricia Luoto, Germany, 80
3. Krista Pöllänen, Finland, 70
4. Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 60
5. Katja Kyllönen, Finland, 50
6. Piritta Kantola, Finland, 48
7. Nina Flack, Sweden, 46
8. Mari Santonen, Finland, 44
9. Nina Manninen, Finland, 42
10. Reija Lunden, Finland, 40
11. Patricia Klug, Austria, 30
(tie) Sari Ohrimovitsch-Tyynelä, Finland, 30
13. Rebecka Larsen, Sweden, 28
(tie) Rikke Holm Rasmussen, Denmark, 28
15. Heidi Manninen, Finland, 26
(tie) Heidi Thorstersen, Norway, 26
17. Cathrine Bjercke, Norway, 24
(tie) Renate Jakobsen, Norway, 24
19. Jacqueline Broinger, Austria, 22
(tie) Darya Kovalova, Russia, 22
21. Marja Hongisto, Finland, 16
(tie) Sanna Helldén, Sweden, 16
(tie) Ivonne Gross, Austria, 16
(tie) Jenni Mäkelä, Finland, 16
(tie) Hannele Impola, Finland, 16
26. Marjo Pöntinen, Finland, 12
(tie) Olga Tabachkova, Russia, 12
(tie) Suvi Leskinen, Finland, 12
(tie) Sanna Ohrimovitsch, Finland, 12
(tie) Petra Korkiamäki, Finland, 12
31. Sonja Mäkelä, Finland, 8
(tie) Julia Ruseeva, Russia, 8
(tie) Jessica Kauhanen, Finland, 8
(tie) Sanna Pasanen, Finland, 8
(tie) Irina Tikhonova, Russia, 8
36. Roosa Lunden, Finland, 6
(tie) Jessica Eder, Austria, 6
(tie) Laura Aaltonen, Finland, 6
(tie) Marija Tkacenko, Latvia, 6
(tie) Jenni Blomberg, Finland, 6
41. Natalya Shipareva, Russia, 4
(tie) Vladka Kolaric, Slovenia, 4
(tie) Jenni Styrman, Finland, 4
(tie) Merja Huopalainen, Finland, 4
(tie) Jenni Keränen, Finland, 4
46. Adina Kindzule, Latvia, 2
(tie) Mikaela Sigfrids, Finland, 2
(tie) Kristina Kryl, Russia, 2
(tie) Kati Lepistö, Finland, 2
(tie) Eliisa Hiltunen, Finland, 2


Brunswick Ballmaster Open - Final Round Two


Top 20 from Round One, five games with the pinfall from round one being carried forward. The top 8 advance to meet the top 8 qualifiers in best-of-five games Match Play.




Brunswick Ballmaster Open - Final Round One


Qualifiers 9-44 plus top 4 from the Desperado Squad, five games from scratch. The top 20 advanced with the pinfall from round one being carried forward.




Karlsson leads 48 players into Sunday's finals at Brunswick Ballmaster Open


2008EBT06TobiasKarlsson.jpg Tobias Karlsson (pictured left) from Sweden led the field of 382 players - 319 men and 63 women - from 20 countries in the Brunswick Ballmaster Open after the qualifying with 1431 six-game total and an average of 238.50.

The Swedish national squad member led the top 44 players plus the top 4 from the one-game Desperado Squad into the finals on Sunday. The top 8 players will bypass the first two rounds.

2009EBT01KimmoLehtonen_small.jpg Joining Karlsson in this elite club were four Finns, one Australian, one Norwegian and a second Swede.

Tournament organizer and two-time Ballmaster champion, Kimmo Lehtonen (right), was the best of 277 Finnish player in second place with 1405.

2009EBT01JasonBelmonte_small.jpg Australian two-hander Jason Belmonte (left) was the third player, who cracked the 1400-bar, with 1402.

Finns Jussi Turtiainen and Kari Hurri, who led Squads 12 and 14 on Saturday, landed in fourth and fifth place with 1397 and 1396, respectively.

2008EBT1JouniHelminen_small.jpg World Champion Robert Andersson, Sweden, finished sixth with 1386. Defending champion Jouni Helminen and Norway's Mads Sandbækken were tied at 1382.

Helminen (right) took the 7th place due to the higher last game, 237 to 201. Sandbækken, Masters champion at the 2007 European Championships, beat out Pasi Uotila, Finland, for the final spot to earn two byes by four pins.

2009EBT01MikkoPietila300.jpg Or Aviram (1338), Israel, and Valle Lees (1335), Estonia, who led squads 13 and 15 on Saturday, landed in 21st and 26th place, resp. Finn Mikko Pietilä (left) finished the qualifying with a bang as he rolled the first 300 game of the tournament in game #5 in Squad 15. However, Pietilä, who chalked up 1294 pins, missed the cut by 17pins.

Samuli Tiainen and Juho Mäkelä, both Finland, grabbed the finals spots to advance with 1311 and an average of 218.50.

2008EBT14PatriciaLuoto_small.jpg Patricia Luoto (right), Germany, was the best female bowler in 23rd place with 1337 including 48 pins handicap, the standard in EBT tournaments. Luoto was one of five women, who made the first cut.

2008ECCDianaZavjalova3_small.jpg Katja Kyllönen was 29th with 1329, followed by Krista Pöllänen (1328), both Finland, and Nicole Sanders (1327), Netherlands, in 30th and 31st place, resp. Diana Zavjalova (left), Latvia, finished in 42nd place with 1312.

2008 European ranking champion Nina Flack, Sweden, missed the cut by just nine pins and ended up in 59th place with 1302. Flack (2), Luoto and Kirsten Penny, England have won four out of the last five EBT tournaments in 2008.

2008ECCMathiasArup_small.jpg Scores in the Desperado Squad went through the roof and it took more than 256 to grab one of the four available. Finns Jesse Kallio (279), Heikki Tiainen (278) and Sami Salin (276) rolled 270-plus games and Swedish international Mathias Arup (right) grabbed the final spot with 257.

The 2009 Brunswick Ballmaster Open is the first of 16 tournaments on the 2009 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's 'Majors'. The tournament offers total prize money of 74.400 Euro or approximately 104,000 U.S. Dollar. The winner will receive the 12.000 Euro top prize. 15 per cent tax will be deducted from all foreigners but U.S. citizens.

The top 44 from the qualifying plus the top 4 from the Desperado Squad advanced to the finals on Sunday, Jan. 11. The top 8 qualifiers will bypass the first two rounds and have secured at least 1.300 Euro.

Players seeded 9-48 will bowl five games starting from scratch to cut to the top 20, who will bowl another five games with the pinfall from round 1 being carried forward. The top eight (seeded 9-16) will meet the top 8 qualifiers in the best-of-five games Round of 16. The highest seeded player bowls the lowest seeded player and so on.

Once the field is cut to the top 4, players bowl single-game matches. The winners of the semi-final matches will bowl for the title and the 12.000 Euro top prize.


Brunswick Ballmaster Open - Standings after Qualifying


The top 44 plus the top 4 from the Desperado Squad (places 45-48) advanced to the finals. The top 8 qualifiers earned two byes.




Karlsson leads the field of 361 players into final day of qualifying at Brunswick Ballmaster Open


2009EBT01TobiasKarlsson.jpg Tobias Karlsson (left), Sweden, overtook the lead in the qualifying for the Brunswick Ballmaster Open during the 10th of 15 squads Friday afternoon at Tali Bowling in Helsinki, Finland.

The Swedish international closed out his six-game series with games of 258 and 267 for 1431 pinfall total, an average of 238.50, to lead the field of 361 players from 20 countries - 301 men and 60 women - into the final day of qualifying on Saturday.

2009EBT01KimmoLehtonen_small.jpg Tournament organizer Kimmo Lehtonen (right), who led the tournament since Sunday, slipped to second place with 1405. Third place belongs to Jason Belmonte, Australia, with 1402.

2008EBT08RobertAndersson_small.jpg Squad 9 leader Robert Andersson (left), Sweden, used a 278 game to move into fourth place with 1386.

Defending champion Jouni Helminen, Finland, and Mads Sandbækken, Norway, were tied at 1382 at the conclusion of the 11th qualifying squad.

2008EBT1JouniHelminen_small.jpg Helminen (right) overtook fifth place while Sandbækken was seeded sixth due to Helminen's higher last game, 237 to 201. The lefty from Norway missed the first perfect game of this year's event in game #3 by just one pin.

2009EBT01JussiLindgren_small.jpg Rounding out the top 8 are Squad 5 leader Pasi Uotila and Squad 2 leader Jussi Lindgren (left), both Finland, with 1378 and 1375, respectively.

Patricia Luoto, Germany, is the best female bowler in 17th place with 1337 including 48 pins handicap, the standard in EBT tournaments.

2008WECNinaFlack_small.jpg Another three women are currently among the top 44. The others are Krista Pöllänen, Finland (20th, 1328), Diana Zavjalova, Latvia (27th, 1312) and reigning EBT ranking champion Nina Flack, (right) Sweden (40th, 1302).

Women bowlers - Flack (2), Luoto and Kirsten Penny, England - have won record four EBT Open titles last season, all four out of the last five open tournaments in 2008.

With four qualifying squads to go, Tommi Karjalainen, Finland, is the man on the bubble in 44th place with 1293 and an average of 215.50.

The 2009 Brunswick Ballmaster Open is the first of 16 tournaments on the 2009 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's 'Majors'. The tournament offers total prize money of 74.400 Euro or approximately 104,000 U.S. Dollar. The winner will receive the 12.000 Euro top prize. 15 per cent tax will be deducted from all foreigners but U.S. citizens.

Qualifying ends on Saturday, Jan. 10 with the final Squad 15 scheduled for 8 p.m. local time (GMT +1). Qualifying will conclude with the one-game Desperado Squad at 11.30 p.m.

The top 44 from the qualifying plus the top 4 from the Desperado Squad will advance to the finals on Sunday, Jan. 11. The top 8 qualifiers will bypass the first two rounds of the finals.

Players seeded 9-48 will bowl five games starting from scratch to cut to the top 20, who will bowl another five games with the pinfall from round 1 being carried forward. The top eight (seeded 9-16) will meet the top 8 qualifiers in the best-of-five games Round of 16. The highest seeded player bowls the lowest seeded player and so on.

Once the field is cut to the top 4, players bowl single-game matches. The winners of the semi-final matches will bowl for the title and the 12.000 Euro top prize.



Belmonte overtakes second place in qualifying at Brunswick Ballmaster Open


2007BWCJasonBelmonte2.jpg Jason Belmonte (pictured left), two-handed international bowling star from Australia, rolled a high game of 259 and three games in the 240s Thursday evening at Tali Bowling to overtake the second place in qualifying for the Brunswick Ballmaster Open in Helsinki, Finland.

2009EBT01KimmoLehtonen.jpg The Aussie, who amassed 1402 pins and averaged 233.67 over six games, fell three pins short of a tie for the lead. Tournament organizer Kimmo Lehtonen (pictured right), a two-time Ballmaster champion, held on to the lead with 1405.

Belmo, who has generated plenty of buzz in the first half of the 2008-09 PBA Tour when he received two Commissioner’s exemptions, will bowl at least four open field tournaments in the second half (Denny’s Dick Weber Open, USBC Masters, Etonic Marathon Open, 66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open) and the GEICO Plastic Ball Championship TQR.

2009EBT01JarnoBlomberg.jpg 2009EBT01JesperAgerbo.jpg Finns Pasi Uotila (1378), Jussi Lindgren (1375) and Jarno Blomberg (left, 1361) fell one spot to third, fourth and fifth place, respectively. Squad 7 leader Jesper Agerbo (right), Denmark, sits in sixth place with 1354.

Rounding out the top 8, who will receive two byes in the finals, are Panu Nurmilo (1353) and Petteri Salonen (1348), both Finland.

Places 9-11 belonged to players from Squad 8. Reigning World Ranking Masters champion Jari Ratia checked in with 1346, immediately followed by Tero Suokas, both Finland, with 1341 and 2008 European Bowling Tour ranking runner-up Dominic Barrett, England, with 1339.

2008EBTPatriciaLuoto.jpg Patricia Luoto (left), Germany, is the best female bowler in 12th place with 1337 including 48 pins handicap, the standard in EBT tournaments. Three more women are currently among the top 44. The others are Krista Pöllänen, Finland (13th, 1328), reigning EBT ranking champion Nina Flack, Sweden (26th, 1302) and Reija Lunden, Finland, who sits in 44th place with 1271.

Women bowlers have won record four EBT Open titles last season, all four out of the last five open tournaments in 2008.

The 2009 Brunswick Ballmaster Open is the first of 16 tournaments on the 2009 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's 'Majors'. The tournament offers total prize money of 74.400 Euro or approximately 104,000 U.S. Dollar. The winner will receive the 12.000 Euro top prize. 15 per cent tax will be deducted from all foreigners but U.S. citizens.

Qualifying continues on Friday with Squads 9, 10 and 11 and runs through Saturday, Jan. 10 with the final Squad 15 scheduled for 8 p.m. local time (GMT +1). Qualifying will conclude with the one-game Desperado Squad at 11.30 p.m.

The top 44 from the qualifying plus the top 4 from the Desperado Squad will advance to the finals on Sunday, Jan. 11. The top 8 qualifiers will bypass the first two rounds of the finals.

Players seeded 9-48 will bowl five games starting from scratch to cut to the top 20, who will bowl another five games with the pinfall from round 1 being carried forward. The top eight (seeded 9-16) will meet the top 8 qualifiers in the best-of-five games Round of 16. The highest seeded player bowls the lowest seeded player and so on.

Once the field is cut to the top 4, players bowl single-game matches. The winners of the semi-final matches will bowl for the title and the 12.000 Euro top prize.



No changes atop the leaderboard after Squad 6 in Brunswick Ballmaster Open


2009EBT01KimmoLehtonen_small.jpg Long-time Finnish international Kimmo Lehtonen (left) continued the lead the qualifying of the Brunswick Ballmaster Open after Squads 5 and 6 on Tuesday. The tournament organizer and Ballmaster 2-time champion had a 1405 series on Sunday, an average of 234.17 over six games, to sit atop the 233 player field.

2008EBT15PasiUotila_small.jpg Fellow Finnish international and 2004 Ballmaster champion Pasi Uotila (right) had six games between 221 and 236 to lead Squad 5 with 1378 pinfall total and to leap into second place in the overall qualifying standings.

2009EBT01JussiLindgren_small.jpg Squad 2 and 1 leaders, Jussi Lindgren (left) and Jarno Blomberg, slipped to third and fourth place with 1375 and 1361, respectively.

2008EBT15KristaPollanen_small.jpg Panu Nurmilo is fifth (1353) with another Finnish national team member, Petteri Salonen, in sixth (1348). Krista Pöllänen (right) remained the best female bowler in 7th place with 1328 including 48 pins handicap, the standard in EBT tournaments.

Rounding out the top 8 is Markku Petäjämaa with 1323.

2009EBT01JuhaniTonteri_small.jpg Finnish youth national team member Juhani Tonteri (left), 21, led the sixth of 15 qualifying squads on Tuesday afternoon with 1311 including a high game of 268 en route to jump into 11th place in the qualifying standings.

Toni Jokinen, all from Finland, currently holds the 44th and last spot to advance with 1242 or an average of 207.00. Swede Vesa Ronti is the best foreigner in 48th place with 1226.

The 2009 Brunswick Ballmaster Open is the first of 16 tournaments on the 2009 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's 'Majors'. The tournament offers total prize money of 74.400 Euro or approximately 104,000 U.S. Dollar. The winner will receive the 12.000 Euro top prize. 15 per cent tax will be deducted from all foreigners but U.S. citizens.

Qualifying continues on Thursday with Squads 7 and 8 and runs through Saturday, Jan. 10 with the final Squad 15 scheduled for 8 p.m. local time. (GMT +1). Qualifying will conclude with the one-game Desperado Squad at 11.30 p.m.

The top 44 from the qualifying plus the top 4 from the Desperado Squad will advance to the finals on Sunday, Jan. 11. The top 8 qualifiers will bypass the first two rounds of the finals.

Players seeded 9-48 will bowl five games starting from scratch to cut to the top 20, who will bowl another five games with the pinfall from round 1 being carried forward. The top eight (seeded 9-16) will meet the top 8 qualifiers in the best-of-five games Round of 16. The highest seeded player bowls the lowest seeded player and so on.

Once the field is cut to the top 4, players bowl single-game matches. The winners of the semi-final matches will bowl for the title and the 12.000 Euro top prize.



Lehtonen cracks 1400-bar to take the qualifying lead in Helsinki


2009EBT01KimmoLehtonen.jpg Tournament organizer Kimmo Lehtonen (left) overtook the lead in the qualifying for his Brunswick Ballmaster Open Sunday afternoon at Tali Bowling in Helsinki, Finland. The 2-time Ballmaster Open champion (2002, '07) became the first player in this year's event to crack the 1400-bar in the 4th of 15 qualifying squads.

The lefty had games of 242, 212, 212, 257, 235 and 247 to lead the field of 211 players with 1405 six-game total and an average of 234.17. Lehtonen, who did not bowl for a long time due to injury, is practicing for the High Roller and USBC Masters.

2009EBT01SamuliTiainen.jpg Previous leader Jussi Lindgren slipped to second place with 1375, with Squad 1 leader Jarno Blomberg in third at 1361.

16-year-old Samuli Tiainen (right), son of long-time Finnish international and national coach Olli Tiainen, beat his father in Squad 3 by four pins, 1311 to 1307, to sit in 9th place after two days of qualifying. His father and coach is 11th.

Krista Pöllänen, all from Finland, is the best female bowler in 6th place with 1328 including 48 pins handicap, the standard in EBT tournaments. Swede Vesa Ronti is the best foreigner in 37th place with 1226.

Teemu Asplund, Finland, currently holds the 44th and last spot to advance with 1216 or an average of 202.67.

The 2009 Brunswick Ballmaster Open is the first of 16 tournaments on the 2009 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's 'Majors'. The tournament offers total prize money of 74.400 Euro or approximately 104,000 U.S. Dollar. The winner will receive the 12.000 Euro top prize. 15 per cent tax will be deducted from all foreigners but U.S. citizens.

Qualifying runs through Saturday, Jan. 10 with the final Squad 15 scheduled for 8 p.m. local time. (GMT +1). Qualifying will conclude with the one-game Desperado Squad at 11.30 p.m.

The top 44 from the qualifying plus the top 4 from the Desperado Squad will advance to the finals on Sunday, Jan. 11. The top 8 qualifiers will bypass the first two rounds of the finals.

Players seeded 9-48 will bowl five games starting from scratch to cut to the top 20, who will bowl another five games with the pinfall from round 1 being carried forward. The top eight (seeded 9-16) will meet the top 8 qualifiers in the best-of-five games Round of 16. The highest seeded player bowls the lowest seeded player and so on.

Once the field is cut to the top 4, players bowl single-game matches. The winners of the semi-final matches will bowl for the title and the 12.000 Euro top prize.




Lindgren, Blomberg are the early leaders in Brunswick Ballmaster Open


2009EBT01JarnoBlomberg.jpg 2009EBT01JussiLindgren.jpg 139 players, 134 from Finland, 4 Russians and 1 Swede, took on the lanes Saturday at Tali Bowling in Helsinki, Finland, in the first two qualifying squads in the 39th Brunswick Ballmaster Open, the season opener of the 2009 European Bowling Tour.

Jussi Lindgren (left) led the field after the first qualifying day with 1375 six-game total and an average of 229.17. The Finn had six games between 202 and 249 in Squad 2 to beat out Squad 1 leader Jarno Blomberg (right) for the top spot by 14 pins. Blomberg checked in with 1361 after finishing with high games of 255 and 279.

2008BWCKristaPollanen2.jpg Third place belonged to Panu Nurmilo (1353) with Petteri Salonen in fourth (1348). Long-time Finnish national team member Krista Pöllänen (left) is the top-ranked woman after the first day in fifth place with 1328 including 48 pins handicap, the standard in EBT tournaments.

Rounding out the top 8 were Markku Petäjämaa, tournament organizer Kimmo Lehtonen (both 1323) and Jarmo Ahokas (1312).

The cutoff number for 44th place is currently 1174 (Sanna Ohrimovitsch).

Vesa Rontti from Sweden was the top foreigner in 104th place with 1048. Russians Anastasya Tihonova (1004), Matvienko Konstantin (997), Stepan Polyansky (979) and Vitaly Lyutov (788) landed in 127th, 128th, 134th and 139th place, respectively.

The 2009 Brunswick Ballmaster Open is the first of 16 tournaments on the 2009 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's 'Majors'. The tournament offers total prize money of 74.400 Euro or approximately 104,000 U.S. Dollar. The winner will receive the 12.000 Euro top prize. 15 per cent tax will be deducted from all foreigners but U.S. citizens.

Qualifying runs through Saturday, Jan. 10 with the final Squad 15 scheduled for 8 p.m. local time. (GMT +1). Qualifying will conclude with the one-game Desperado Squad at 11.30 p.m.

The top 44 from the qualifying plus the top 4 from the Desperado Squad will advance to the finals on Sunday, Jan. 11. The top 8 qualifiers will bypass the first two rounds of the finals.

Players seeded 9-48 will bowl five games starting from scratch to cut to the top 20, who will bowl another five games with the pinfall from round 1 being carried forward. The top eight (seeded 9-16) will meet the top 8 qualifiers in the best-of-five games Round of 16. The highest seeded player bowls the lowest seeded player and so on.

Once the field is cut to the top 4, players bowl single-game matches. The winners of the semi-final matches will bowl for the title and the 12.000 Euro top prize.



2009 European Bowling Tour starts with the 39th Brunswick Ballmaster Open


2008EBT1ChampionJouniHelminen.jpg The 2009 European Bowling Tour traditionally starts with the Brunswick Ballmaster Open at Tali Bowling in Helsinki, Finland. The 39th edition of the prestigious event will get underway on January 3 at 11am with the first of 15 qualifying squads. 363 players from 21 countries have registered.

Finland's Jouni Helminen (pictured) is the defending champion. In the 2008 Ballmaster title match, Helminen defeated American Tim Mack, 223-189, to win the title and the 10.000 Euro top prize.

Heading into its 10th season, the 2009 European Bowling Tour features 16 tournaments (4 Challengers, 11 Majors and 1 Premier) in 13 countries: Finland, Spain, Turkey (two each), Austria, Denmark, England, France, Luxembourg, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, San Marino and Slovenia.

The 2009 Brunswick Ballmaster Open is one of the Tour's 'Major' events. The tournament offers total prize money of 74.400 Euro or approximately 104,000 U.S. Dollar. The winner will receive the 12.000 Euro top prize. 15 per cent tax will be deducted from all foreigners but U.S. citizens.

Qualifying runs through Saturday, Jan. 10 with the final Squad 15 scheduled for 8 p.m. local time. (GMT +1). Qualifying will conclude with the one-game Desperado Squad at 11.30 p.m.

The top 44 from the qualifying plus the top 4 from the Desperado Squad will advance to the finals on Sunday, Jan. 11. The top 8 qualifiers will bypass the first two rounds of the finals.

Players seeded 9-48 will bowl five games starting from scratch to cut to the top 20, who will bowl another five games with the pinfall from round 1 being carried forward. The top eight (seeded 9-16) will meet the top 8 qualifiers in the best-of-five games Round of 16. The highest seeded player bowls the lowest seeded player and so on.

Once the field is cut to the top 4, players bowl single-game matches. The winners of the semi-final matches will bowl for the title and the 12.000 Euro top prize.