Svein Ã…ke Ek, Patcharin Torgersen, win 2010 Norwegian Championships

05/12/10

Norway

Mads Sandbækken, Patcharin Torgersen qualify for 46th QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup

2010NORCSveinAkeEk.jpg2010NORCPatcharinTorgersen.jpgSvein Åke Ek (pictured left), Vågan BK (BK means bowling club), and Patcharin Torgersen (right), Solli BK, claimed the men's and women's singles title in the 2010 Norwegian Championships. Torgersen won another gold in Doubles with Ine Lorentzen, while Svein Roger Olsen and Thomas Fagerstrøm, Solli BK, secured the men's title.

The 2010 Norwegian Championships was held from May 4-9 in Hønefoss, a small city 50 km north of Oslo, but drew record 308 players - 68 woman and 240 men.

Hønefoss Bowlingcenter has 16 synthetic Brunswick lanes. The 39ft long oil pattern (pdf file) was made by a Kegel Phoenix mod C. As the alleys weren't in a sport condition the center staff used more oil to keep them uniform for the players which made the condition very challenging—to say the least. The result was an unusual low-scoring event.

The Championships kicked off with the men's and women's Doubles competition. Patcharin Torgersen (1283) and Ine Lorentzen (1185) of Solli BK cruised to the women's title with 2468 12-game total and an average of 205.66. The duo outaveraged their nearest competitor by more than 23 pins.

Newly married Ann Louise Haugen Andersen and Renate Jakobsen, Evje BK, took the silver medal with 2185 (182.08) due to Andersen's final game of 262. Grethe Andersen and Trine Smevig Horgen, Solli BK, finished third with 2162 (180.16).

The men's title went to Svein Roger Olsen and Thomas Fagerstrøm, Solli BK. Long-time Norwegian national team member Olsen had a strong finish with games of 228 and 222 to help grab the title with 2393 199.42.

Simen Lehmann and Aleksander Halvorsen, Gokstad BK, were a distant second with 2290. Bjørn Einar Rudshagen and Gjermund Mathiesen, Solør BK, were mere two pins behind to earn the bronze medal with 2288.

The top 32 woman and the top 64 men from the Doubles event bowled another 6-game series to cut to the top 16 woman and 32 men.

Andersen used a 288 high game to move into second place behind leader Torgersen, while Kim Andre Olsen led the men's field with 2400 (200 avg.). Team Norway anchor Petter Hansen added 1255 to the 1077 from doubles to rocket from 58th to 7th place with 2332.

Hansen added another 1291 in the quarterfinal to lead the top 12 men into round robin match play. Svein Ã…ke Ek, VÃ¥gan BK, took the 12th and last spot to advance. On the women's side, Torgersen and Andersen pulled away and led the top 8 women into match play

They never looked back. Torgersen earned the No. 1 seed (who must be defeated twice to win the title) for the three-player stepladder finals with 5082 including bonus pins, an average of 198.48 over 25 games. Andersen was second with 4954.

Irene Kragh Eckell beat out Heidi Thorstensen and Monica Lislien for the third and last spot by 19 and 22 pins, 4632-4613-4610.

2010NORCKraghEckellTorgerseHaugenAndersen.jpgThe opening match between No. 2 Andersen and No. 3 Eckell was decided in the final frame when Eckell got a split which she was unable to convert to hand the win to Andersen, 193-174. Andersen carried the momentum into the title match and easily topped Torgersen, 202-161, to force the decider. Torgersen rebounded with a solid game to wrap up the title, 180-165.

L-R Eckell (3rd), champion Torgersen, and Andersen (2nd).

In the men's division the leaderboard changed after each game in the position round. When the dust had settled Ek had leaped 11 spots to earn the No. 1 seed for the stepladder with 5972 including 200 bonus and an average of 199.03. His last five games were 233, 214, 236, 235 and 233.

Defending champion, 2009 winner Bjørn Einar Rudshagen , Solør BK, had the field-best 199.07 average but had to settle for second place with 5938 including 165 bonus. Thomas Fagerstrøm, Solli BK, used the highest bonus of all 12 players (225) to beat out team mate Aleksander Kvinnesland for the third spot by 14 pins, 5902-5888.

2010NORCRudshagenEkFagerstrom.jpgFagerstrøm denied Rudshagen's bid for back-to-back titles in the opening match, 187-177, for the right to bowl Ek for the title. Ek and Fagerstrøm were deadlocked after 10 frames, 184-184, and the winner of that match was decided in a one-ball roll-off. If Ek wins, he was the champion. If Fagerstrøm wins, he forced a deciding second game.

Starting first, Fagerstrøm missed the head pin and felled only 6 pins. An easy task for Ek, actually, but the youngster also missed the head pin but was fortunate to get a 7-count to claim the title, 7-6.

L-R Rudshagen (3rd), champion Ek, and Fagerstrøm (2nd).

2010 Norwegian Championships was also the last of seven qualifying events for the 46th QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup. Mads Sandbækken and Patcharin Torgersen will represent Norway from Oct. 15-24, 2010 at Bowling 300 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Information by Erik Garder. Photos and results Sven Tore Iversen.

2010 Norwegian Championships - Men's Stepladder Final


Championship Round:
1. Svein Ã…ke Ek, VÃ¥gan BK, 184 (1 game)
2. Thomas Fagerstrøm, Solli BK, 371 (2 games)
3. Bjørn Einar Rudshagen, Solør BK, 177 (1 game)

Playoff Results:
Semifinal: #3 Fagerstrøm def. #2 Rudshagen, 187-177
Championship: #1 Ek def. Fagerstrøm in roll-off, 7-6, after a 184-184.

 


2010 Norwegian Championships - Women's Stepladder Final


Championship Round:
1. Patcharin Torgersen, Solli BK, 341 (2 games)
2. Ann Louise Haugen Andersen, Evje BK, 560 (3 games)
3. Irene Kragh Eckell, Larvik BK, 174 (1 game)

Playoff Results:
Semifinal: #2 Andersen def. #3 Eckell, 193-174
Championship: Andersen def. #1 Torgersen, 202-161
and in the decisive match Torgersen def. Andersen, 180-165.

 


Men's top 12 - Standings after Round Robin Match Play


The top 3 advance to the stepladder finals

 


Women's top 8 - Standings after Round Robin Match Play


The top 3 advance to the stepladder finals

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