Christine Gablek (pictured right), Austria (Group A), Eija-Liisa Lähdemäki, Finland (B), and Nina Torgersen, Norway (C) captured the gold medals in Women Singles in the 2010 European Senior Bowling Championships in Vienna, Austria.

It was the first gold medal in the championships for the host country and for Norway while Finland took the second gold medal in as many events. The other events, Women Trios, Men Singles, Men Doubles and Men Trios will conclude on Thursday.

Christine Gablek had a slow start in Group A (50-57 years) with games of 151 and 181. The Austrian closed out the event with 214, 279, 213 and 216 to cruise to the title with 1254 six-game total and an average of 209. Gablek was the sole of 88 players who cracked the 1200-bar (200 average).

Terttu Kohtanen, Finland, was 57 pins behind to earn the silver medal with 1197 (199.5). The bronze medal went to Gablek's fellow countrywoman, Eva Bittner, who checked in with 1188 (198.0).

Eija-Liisa Lähdemäki secured the second title for Finland (the first came in Women Doubles Group C) in Group B (58-64 years) when she finished atop the 105-player leaderboard with 1217 pinfall total including a 252 game and an average of 203.8.

Claudine Malard, France, was mere 9 pins behind to take the silver medal with 1208 (201.3). Doubles gold medalist Yvette Murrath, Belgium, was another 41 pins behind Malard to capture the bronze medal with 1167 (194.5).

In the 65 and over Group C, Nina Torgersen finished her series with a 219 high game to beat out previous leader Irmeli Nenonen, Finland, for the gold medal by just one pin.

Group C bowlers receive one pins handicap for each full year over 65. Torgersen, 66, had 1162 scratch (193.6 average) and added six pins handicap for 1168. Nenonen, 72, had 1125 and added 42 pins to earn silver with 1167.

Kaisu-Leena Lummaa, 71, Finland, used a high game of 224 to capture the bronze medal with 1155 including 36 pins handicap.

Women's All Events (non-medal event) lead changed hands in Group A and B on Wednesday.

Former Belgian national team member Liliane Vintensovertook the lead in Group A with 3559 18-game total and an average of 197.7. Vintens, president of the recently founded International Seniors Bowling Tour, had 1185 in Singles (4th place), 1201 in Doubles and 1173 in Trios.

Her team mate Yvette Murrath leads Group B with 3700 pinfall and an the field-best average of 205.6. Kaisu-Leena Lummaa, Finland, remained atop Group C with 3485 including handicap or a scratch average of 187.6.

Vintens and Murrath teamed up with Murrath's doubles partner Chris Wouters to set the pace in the Trios event with 3617 pinfall total and an average of 200.9. Murrath led the team with 1330. Vintens added 1173 and Wouters contributed 1114.

The Women Doubles event was already decided on Tuesday. Sara Aviram and Rhona Gill, Israel, claimed the gold medal in Group A with 2429 pinfall total and an average of 202.4.

Yvette Murrath and Chris Wouters, Belgium, finished atop Group B with 2338 (194.8) and Tytti Vainikka and Hellevi Sairanen, Finland, teamed up to win gold in Group C with 2269 pinfall total including handicap.

On the men's side, long-time Finnish national team member Teemu Raatikainen (pictured left) averaged 224.2 to shoot into the lead in Singles Group A with 1345 six-game total. The former European champion, who has won three silver medals at two World Championships, had games of 203, 170, 211, 268, 214 and 279.

Bo Heden, Sweden, and Rosario Bellamonte, Italy, held on to the lead in Group B and C with 1386 and 1306 (including 7 pins handicap each game), respectively.

John Bosch and Peter Cleven, Netherlands, averaged 233.1 Wednesday to take a commanding 124-pin lead in Doubles Group A with 2797 pinfall total. Bosch had games of 237, 211, 289, 268, 239 and 276 for a huge 1520 series and Cleven added 1277.

Finns Kari Komulainen (1453) and Juhani Hoppula (1214) continued to lead in Group B with 2667 and an average of 222.3. Jack Navarro and Alain Aubert, France, target gold in Group C with 2604 pinfall total or a scratch average of 210.

Wolfgang Kadensky, Wolfgang Wondratsch and Hubert Lang continued to lead the men's Trios event (no age groups) with 3961 pinfall total or an average of 220.1. Kadensky led the way with 1359 including five games between 212 and 250. Wondratsch added 1335 including high games of 245 and 258 and Lang contributed 1267.

John Bosch and Finns Kari Komulainen and Markku Pennanen shook up the leaderboard in All Events. Bosch used his 1520 series in Doubles to shoot into the lead in Group A with 3892 18-game total and an average of 216.2. Komulainen had 1259 in Singles, 1453 in Doubles and 1417 in Trios to lead Group B with 4129 and the field-best 229.4 average. Pennanen topped Group C with 3704 and an average of 205.8.

936 senior bowlers - 287 women and 649 men - from 21 countries have invaded Austria's capital city to compete in the six-day event for gold, silver and bronze medals in Singles, Doubles, Trios and Masters.

The participating countries are Belgium, Catalonia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the host country of Austria.

Each division, men and women, is divided into three age groups. Group A is for players from 50-57 years of age, Group B includes players 58-64 years of age and players who are 65 years and older will compete in Group C. The age on the day of competition will be used to determine the age group.

All players will bowl six games each in Singles, Doubles and Trios over three days.

The men's and women's Singles will be held at Plus Bowling, home of the EBT gold Vienna Open and host of the 2007 Men's European Championships. The men's and women's Doubles competition will be staged at Brunswick Bowling Hernals, while Brunswick Bowling Prater will host the men's and women's Trios event.

Doubles and Trios may consist of players from different age groups. The Doubles must compete in the age group of the youngest player in the team while there are no age groups in Trios, just men and women Trios. Mixed teams, men and women in one team, are not allowed.

The organizing committee is allowed to form "international teams" in Doubles and Trios of players from different countries who haven't found any partners from their own country. Other than booster teams, the international teams will compete for the medals.

Participants in Group C will receive 1 pin bonus per game for each full year over 65 years (for example, a 70-year-old gets five 5 handicap per game).

The top 6 players in each group after 18 games (Singles, Doubles, Trios) will advance to the Masters finals at Plus Bowling on Friday, June 25th. The finalists will bowl five games round robin match play with the All Events total (no medals will be given in All Events) being carried forward. 20 pins bonus per win, 10 for a tie. Additional 5 pins bonus for games from 200-249 and 10 pins bonus for 250-300.

 

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Current Standings - Men's Division (pdf files)

Singles Men A
Singles Men B
Singles Men C

Doubles Men A
Doubles Men B
Double Men C

Trios Men

All Events Men A
All Events Men B
All Events Men C

 

Current Standings - Women's Division (pdf files)

Singles Women A Final Standings
Singles Women B Final Standings
Singles Women C Final Standings

Doubles Women A Final Standings
Doubles Women B Final Standings
Double Women C Final Standings

Trios Women

All Events Women A
All Events Women B
All Events Women C