Al-Hashemi wins qualifying in 10th Qatar Bowling Open

    12/18/10

    2010 European Bowling Tour #18

    Leads a field of 39 men and 9 women into the finals on Saturday and Sunday

    2010MWCSayedIbrahimAlHashemi.jpg2010BucharestStuartWilliams.jpgSayed Al-Hashemi (pictured left) remained unchallenged during the last three qualifying squads Friday at Qatar Bowling Center in Doha, Qatar en route to win the qualifying of the 10th Qatar Bowling Open.

    The UAE national team member led the field of 142 players from 24 countries with 1464 six-game total and an average of 244. Places two through five belonged to European bowlers.

    PBA exempt player Stuart Williams, England (right) had games of 207, 279, 237, 245, 231 and 237 to lead Squad 17 and to jump into second place in the overall qualifying standings with 1436 (239.33).

    Mai Ginge Jensen (left), Denmark, became the sole woman to win one of the 17 qualifying squads (Squad 15 has been cancelled) when she rolled games of 216, 241, 213, 290, 216 and 211 in Squad 16 for 1387 scratch, a 231.17 average, and added 48 pins women handicap to land in third place overall with 1435 total.

    2010EBT05MaiGingeJensen.jpg2010EBT10JimmyMortensen.jpgDominic Barrett, England, who has already sealed the victory in the 2010 European Bowling Tour men's ranking, slipped to fourth place with 1420 (236.67). Fifth place belonged to Dane Jimmy Mortensen (right) with 1404. Mortensen is vying for a 1.000 Euro bonus as he still owns the sole 300 of the tournament.

    Rounding out the top 6, who earned two byes for the finals was Naif Oqab, UAE with 1399. The next six players earned one bye. Tore Torgersen, Norway was seventh with 1398) and was followed by PBA champion Patrick Healey, United States (8th, 1397), 2009 Qatar Open champion Remy Ong (9th, 1393), Finland's two-hander Osku Palermaa (10th, 1389) and the top local bowler, Mansoor Al-Awamy in 11th place with 1384).

    2010BWCHelenJohnsson.jpg2010EBT15NinaFlack.jpg12th place belonged to Jenny Johansson, Sweden, who chalked up 1383 including handicap. Out the 16 women in the field nine made the first cut. Besides Jensen and Johansson, Joline Persson-Planefors, Sweden, (14th, 1375), Helén Johnsson, Sweden, (left, 25th, 1345), Britt Brøndsted, Denmark, (30th, 1329), Nina Flack, Sweden, (right, 32nd, 1326) and Krista Pöllänen, Finland, (37th, 1315) finished in the top 38 who earned automatic berth in the finals.

    Khalil Al-Mothen, Qatar and Mark Buffa, Canada were tied for 38th and last place at 1311 or an average of 218.50. Al-Mothen advanced due to the higher last game, 233 to 222.

    201011PBAMikaKoivuniemi.jpg201011PBAChrisBarnes.jpgJoining the top 38 in the finals were two players each from a separate standings of Squad 1-2, 3-4 and 5-6 (total six players). The last four spots went to the top 4 from the one-game Desperado Squad, equally shared by two men and two women. Johan Helldén, Sweden was the leading desperado with a 265 game and was followed by compatriot Ida Andersson (265 including handicap), Adil Lootah, UAE (259) and Kamilla Kjeldsen, Denmark (253 including handicap).

    Among the finalists are PBA champions Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, (left, 15th, 1367), Mike Fagan, United States, (18th, 1360) and Chris Barnes, United States, (right, 27th, 1335).

    2010EBTLogo_small.jpg The 10th Qatar Bowling Open is the 18th and last stop of the 2010 European Bowling Tour and one of only two "Platinum" events of the 2010 EBT season. The tournament will be held from Saturday Dec. 11 through Sunday Dec. 19, 2010 at 32-lane Qatar Bowling Center in Doha, Qatar and offers total prize fund of 120.000 Euro with 30.000 Euro going to the winner.

    Since the Ankara Open and the Austria Challenge have been cancelled and the English Open has lost its EBT status, the 2010 EBT Tour consists of 18 events - 2 EBT Platinum tournament (formerly Premier), 6 EBT Gold tournaments (formerly Major), 6 EBT Silver tournaments (formerly Challenger) and 4 EBT Satellite tournaments (new category).

    2010BevidaStormRemyOng.jpg2010EBT05BrittBrondsted.jpgRemy Ong (pictured left), Singapore, is the defending champion. In an all-lefty title match, Ong edged Peter Ljung, Sweden, 416-414, to win the 2009 Qatar Open. Third-placed Britt Brøndsted (right), Denmark, won the women's ranking.

    Qualifying ended on Friday, Dec. 17 after 17 squads (Squad 15 has been cancelled) and the single-game "Desperado Squad". A total of 48 players - the top 38 qualifiers and the top 2 each from Dec. 11-13 squads plus the top 4 from the Desperado Squad - advanced to the finals on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 18-19, 2010.

    The top 6 qualifiers will bypass the first two rounds, while places 7-12 will receive one bye. The other 36 players will bowl six games from scratch with the top 18 advancing to the second round. Those 18 plus qualifiers 7-12 will bowl another six-game block from scratch. Both rounds will be played on Saturday. The top 10 will join the top six qualifiers in Round 3 on Sunday.

    Those 16 will bowl six games from scratch to cut to the top 8, who will bowl another six games with the pinfall from Round 3 being carried forward. The top 4 after 12 games will advance to the championship round (two-game matches decided by total pinfall).

    No. 1 bowls No. 4 and No. 2 meets No. 3. The winners will advance to the championship match to bowl for the title and the 30.000 Euro top prize (approx. 43,865 U.S. Dollar). The runner-up will be consoled with 15.000 Euro.


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    2010 Qatar Open - Standings after Qualifying


    The top 38 qualifiers and the top 2 each from Dec. 11 (places 39-40), Dec. 12 (places 41-42) and Dec. 13 (places 43-44) squads plus the top 4 from the Desperado Squad (places 45-48) advance to the finals.

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