The Masters title in the Women's European Championships remained in Sweden. In the championship match, Nina Flack (pictured) defeated Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, two-games-to-one to win the prestigious title. In the decisive game, Flack flew past her opponent, 201-149. In the semifinals Flack swept her team mate No. 1 seeded Helèn Johnsson, 2-0, while Jensen eliminated the third Swede, Diana Alfredsson, 2-1. Jensen received the silver medal while Johnsson and Alfredsson tied for bronze. Sweden won all but one gold medal of the championships and led the medal tally with four gold and three bronze medals.

The five-player team from Sweden (left) earned the gold medal in the five-player team finals Friday in the Women's European Championships in Odense, Denmark. Nina Flack, Veronica Lantto, Diana Alfredsson, Therese Forsell and All Events champion Helén Johnsson flew past Germany in the semi-finals, 1215-1089, and then defeated Finland's Mari Santonen, Laura Tuomisalo, Heidi Mannonen, Minna Mäkelä and Krista Pölllänen in the championship match, 1080-1056. Finland, who defeated Denmark in the semi-final, 1068-1018, settled for silver, while Denmark und Germany tied for bronze.

The top five players maintained their positions in Women's European Championships All Events after the first block of three games in the team event at Odense Bowling Center in Odense, Denmark. Having completed 21 out of 24 games, Helèn Johnsson (l.), leads the field with 4877 pinfall total and an average of 232.24. Johnson led the Swedish team into the top spot with 752 3-game total to become the best player of the championships on short oil with an average of 244.58 over 12 games.  Isabelle Saldjian, France, is second with 4805 with Dane Mai Ginge Jensen in third at 4694 pins.

Veronica Lantto, Therese Forsell, Nina Flack, Helèn Johnsson and Diana Alfredsson from Sweden (pictured) posted a record 3331 3-game series on short oil to take the lead in the team event in the Women's European Championships after the first of two blocks. The Swedes averaged 222.07 to overtake Denmark, which set a new record in squad 1 with 3314, by 17 pins. England is a distant third with 3175, followed by Germany with 3142 in fourth place. All 19 teams return on Friday for the second 3-game block on long oil. The top 4 teams will bowl for the medals.

Helèn Johnsson (l.), Sweden, remained atop the leaderboard in All Events after two out of three disciplines in the Women's European Championships in Denmark. With 18 out of 24 games in the books, the gold medalist in doubles leads the field of 130 women from 25 countries with 4125 pinfall total and an average of 229.17. Isabelle Saldjian (r.), France, moved from fourth to second place with 4099. The top 24 players after 24 games will advance to the Masters finals. 

No. 4 seeded Rikke Holm Rasmussen, Kamilla Kjeldsen and Anne Gales from the host country of Denmark won the gold medal in trios at the 2nd Women's European Championships in Odense. In a low-scoring affair like the doubles finals two days ago, the Danes defeated No. 3 seed. Nadege Maitre, Marylin Planchard and Isabelle Saldjian from France, 544-503, to secure the title. The French earned the silver medal. The top seeded trios, Netherlands and Germany, were eliminated in the semi-finals and tied for the bronze medal.

Lisanne Breeschoten, Marieke de Jong and Ghislaine van der Tol (l-r) posted the second-highest 3-game series on long oil en route to earn the No. 1 seed for the Trios finals in the Women's European Championships with 3889 total and an average of 216.06. Overnight leaders Germany (Hulsch, Schwarz, Pöppler) and Denmark (Holm, Kjeldsen, Gales) landed in second and fourth with 3874 and 3811. Nadege Maitre, Marylin Planchard and Isabelle Saldjian, France, finished with 683 and the highest series of the day (19649 to leap from sixth to third with 3848. Semi-finals: Denmark def. Netherlands, 649-609, and France def. Germany, 630-619.

A day after a disappointing defeat in the doubles finals at the 2008 Women's European Championships Germany's Tina Hulsch and Patricia Schwarz rebounded Tuesday to take the lead in the trios event after three games on short oil condition. Hulsch and Schwarz, who won bronze in the 2006 WEC trios event, teamed up with Birgit Pöppler to roll a 2076 3-game total on games of 718, 713 and 645 to lead the 39 trios from 24 countries with a 230.67 average. All trios will return on Wednesday for the second 3-game block on long oil. The top four trios after six games will advance to the finals.

Helèn Johnsson, gold medalist in Doubles at the Women's European Championships currently underway in Odense, Denmark, leads the field of 130 women in All Events after 12 of 24 games. The multiple Swedish champion averaged 236.08 for her 12 games, six on short and six on long oil, and felled 2833 pins. Second place belongs to Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, with 2756 (229.67). Norwegian standout Ingunn Øien is third with 2719 (226.58).  The top 24 players from All Events will advance to the best-of-three games Masters final, which will conclude the championships on Saturday, June 14.

Nina Flack and Helèn Johnsson (l-r), Sweden, who lead the doubles competition since day one flew past No. 2 seeded Tina Hulsch/Patricia Schwarz, Germany, 411-299, to win the first gold medal in the 2008 Women's European Championships in Odense, Denmark. The Germans received the silver medal. Semi-final losers Therese Forsell/Diana Alfredsson, Sweden, and defending champions Mai Ginge Jensen/Anja Ginge Jensen, Denmark, tied for bronze. The Championships continue on Tuesday and Wednesday with the Trios event.

Overnight leaders Nina Flack and Helèn Johnsson (l.) maintained the lead in the Doubles event  to earn the No. 1 seed for the finals at the Women's European Championships in Odense, Denmark. They will meet their teammates Therese Forsell and Diana Alfredsson in the first semi-final match. In the other match,  Tina Hulsch and Patricia Schwarz (r.) from Germany will meet Mai and Anja, Ginge Jensen, Denmark, who are targeting to defend their title from 2006.

The 2008 Women's European Championships started on Saturday with the Doubles event. Sweden's Helèn Johnsson and Nina Flack (l.), members of the gold medal trio in the 2007 Women's World Championships, took a dominating 2004-pin lead after the first block on short oil with 2897 pinfall total, an average of 241.42. Johnsson led the way with 1546 and Flack added 1351. Second place belongs to Zara Glover and Lisa John (r.) from England, who chalked up 2693 (224.42). All 62 doubles will bowl six more games on long oil. the top 4 will advance to the finals.

The 2008 Women's European Championships will take place at Odense Bowling Center in Odense, Denmark from June 6-15, 2008. The event will be played on dual lane condition (short and long oil pattern). Maximum six women from each of the 50 member federations of the European Tenpin Bowling Federation are allowed to participate. However, the preliminary schedule is based on 30 teams as mere 22 federations have sent a team to the inaugural WEC in Böblingen, Germany, in the year 2006. Players will compete for medals in Doubles, Trios, Team, All Events and Masters.

Mads Sandbaekken from Norway, the reigning World Youth Championships Masters champion, swept four-time European champion Petteri Salonen, Finland, two-game-to-none to end the 2007 Men's European Championships at Plus Bowling in Vienna, Austria, with victory in the Masters competition. Sandbaekken, who turned 20 during the MEC last week, won the first game 230-226 and sealed the victory when she struck eight times in the first nine frames of game #2, 229-209. Salonen earned the silver medal while Mike Quarry, England and Dennis Eklund, Sweden shared the bronze.

Bowlingdigital in co-operation with Flavio Cuva and Bigi Manico has produced some videocasts with interviews of three national team coaches, Mats Karlsson (Norway), Tomas Leandersson (Sweden), Sami Konsteri (Finland), Christer Backe (Denmark), Eric Courault (France) as well as with players Kai Günther (Germany) and Marco Reviglio (Italy) during the 2007 Men's European Championships at Plus Bowling in Vienna.