Canadian Mark Buffa (pictured left) rolled a 1747 8-game series on the long oil pattern on Friday to move into the lead after two out of three blocks in the American Zone Ranking Final at Cibao Bowling Center in Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic.

Buffa, who had 1751 on the short pattern on Thursday, leads the 36-player men's division with 3498 pinfall total and an average of 218.63 over 16 games. Last year's ranking final winner Lucas Legnani, Argentina, posted the field-best 1841 series (230.13 average) to jump from 9th to second place with 3493.

Day one leader Rafael Medina (right), Venezuela, slipped to third place behind a sub-par 1530 performance on the long pattern (1530) with a total pinfall of 3420. With the final 8-game block to go, Ildemaro Ruiz, Venezuela, holds the 8th and final place to qualify fort he World Ranking Masters with 3323 or an average of 207.69.

Alicia Marcano (left) held on to the lead in the women's division with 3495 pinfall total and an average of 218.44. The Venezuelan national team member felled 1656 pins on Friday and was one of just three players in the 21-player field, who managed a 200-plus average on the 43ft. long pattern.

Trailing Marcano by 178 pins to sit in second place is Sofia Granda (right), Guatemala, who added 1538 pins to the 1779 on short oil for 3317 pinfall total. Alicia's sister Karen Marcano remained in third place with 3263 behind a 1544 series on the long pattern.

Yoselin Leon, Puerto Rico, sits in 8th place with 3153 and an average of 197.06.

The American Zone Ranking Final 2009 concludes the 2008 Pan American Bowling Confederation (PABCON) ranking season. Since 2006, PABCON, formerly the WTBA American Zone, is divided geographically into five regions, North, Central, Caribbean, South 1 and South 2.

The top 12 men and the top 12 women from the 2008 rankings in each of the five regions qualified for the American Zone Ranking Final to determine the top 8 men and 8 women, who will represent America in the 2009 World Ranking Masters in Naples, Italy.

All players will bowl 24 games over three days, 8 games on the short oil pattern on Thursday, eight games on the long oil pattern on Friday and eight games on dual lane condition (short/long) on Saturday. The 24-game total will determine the final standings.