PBA stars Koivuniemi, Voss set the pace in 32nd Ciutat de Barcelona

07/16/10

2010 European Bowling Tour #12

Bowling Pedralbes in Barcelona, Spain (July 13-18, 2010)

2010EBT10MikaKoivuniemi2.jpg2009VOBrianVoss2.jpg8-time PBA champion Mika Koivuniemi (pictured left), Finland, and 25-time PBA champion Brian Voss (right), Kennesaw, Ga., USA, set the pace in the qualifying of the 32nd Trofeu Internacional Ciutat de Barcelona at Wednesday at Bowling Pedralbes in Barcelona, Spain.

Defending champion and 4-time European Bowling Tour titlist Koivuniemi led Squad 2 with 1390 pinfall total and an average of 231.667 for six games en route to overtake the lead in the overall qualifying standings. Koivuniemi, one of two multiple EBT champions this season (Brunswick Ballmaster Open; 7th Istanbul Bowling Open) had games of 207, 258, 191, 278, 209 and 247.

Voss, the PBA Player of the Year 1988 and 2005 Ciutat de Barcelona champion, led Squad 3 with 1347 to move into second place. Voss, who won the Czech Open last week, had games of 224, 222, 258, 204, 213 and 226.

2010EBT11YoanAlix.jpg2010EBT11PriscillaMaaswinkel.jpgAs one of the 15 squad leaders, Koivuniemi and Voss are automatically qualified for the finals on Sunday. Joining the PBA pros in the finals was Hans Snelting, Netherlands, who led Squad 1 on Tuesday with 1340. Snelting slipped to third place.

Yoan Alix (left), France, is the best non-Squad leader in fourth place with 1329. Priscilla Maaswinkel (right), Netherlands, currently the No. 3 in the European women's ranking, is the top female bowler thus far in 8th place with 1297 including 48 pins handicap, a standard for women on the European Bowling Tour.

PBA exempt player Chris Loschetter, who has won his first EBT title last Sunday in the 6th Storm San Marino Open, sits in 9th place with 1292.

2010CiutatBarcelonaLogo_small.jpgThe 32nd Trofeu Internacional Ciutat de Barcelona will be held from July 13-18, 2010 at Bowling Pedralbes in Barcelona, Spain and offers total prize fund of 60.000 Euro with 12.000 Euro going to the winner. Women receive 8 pins handicap each game. a standard for women on the European Bowling Tour

The tournament is the 12th stop of the 2010 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "Gold" tournaments. 150 ranking points are on the line for the winner of the men's and women's rankings in Barcelona, respectively.

Since the Ankara Open and the Austria Challenge have been cancelled, the 2010 EBT Tour consists of 19 events - 2 EBT Platinum tournament (formerly Premier), 6 EBT Gold tournaments (formerly Major), 7 EBT Silver tournaments (formerly Challenger) and 4 EBT Satellite tournaments (new category).

2009EBT09JoshBlanchard2.jpg2010EBT05KirstenPenny.jpgIn the 2009 title match Koivuniemi, seeded second, flew past No. 1 seeded Josh Blanchard, United States, 289-197, to win the 31st edition of the Trofeu Internacional Ciutat de Barcelona and the 12.000 Euro top prize. Sixth place finisher Kirsten Penny (right), England, won the women's rankings.

Qualifying continues until Saturday, July 17th. A total of 48 players will advance to the finals on Sunday: The 15 squad leaders plus the top 27 from the overall qualifying standings (if any player wins more than one squad 28 or more) and an additional six women.

Those 48 players will carry forward 50 per cent of their qualifying total and bowl four games to cut to the top 24, who will bowl another four games to cut to the top 3 for the stepladder finals. The No. 3 seed bowls No. 2 and the winner takes on No. 1 to determine the champion. All stepladder matches are one-game matches.

 


Qualifying Standings after Squad 3

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