Ingunn Øien has led the qualifying in the Norwegian Open for almost a week, but Norway's European Champions Cup winner got finally beaten by Robert Andersson from Sweden in Squad 12 Friday at Veitvet Bowling Center in Oslo.

Andersson (pictured left) had games of 247, 235, 257, 246, 244 and 268 en route to overtake the lead after two-thirds of the qualifying with 1497 pinfall total and an average of 249.50. Øien, who has led the tournament since the very first squad last Saturday, fell one spot to second place.

Andersson's friend and team mate Martin Larsen (right), both are the reigning world champions in Doubles, started the day with 12 consecutive strikes on lanes 19/20 to post the second 300 game of this year's tournament.

"I did the best I could to catch up with Priscilla", Larsen joked after the 16th perfecto of his career as Dutch Priscilla Maaswinkel (left) led the squad after one game with 306 (298 plus 8 handicap).

However, the best thing for Larsen was that he now leads Andersson by two 300 games, 16 to 14.

"In one game, anything can happen," commented Andersson with a grin after the six-game block was over. He who laughs last laughs best.

Larsen and Andersson's fellow countrywoman, World Trios Champion Nina Flack (right) accomplished rolled the third 300 game of the tournament and the first by a woman in game #4 on lanes 21/22.

It was the second of her career and both came in Norway. "Perhaps I should move to Norway," said Flack, who rolled the first one in the Evje Open last year.

In the same game, Claes Gauffin (left), also from Sweden, had the front 10 before a solid 8 denied the lefty's bid for a 300 game. Gauffin spared for 289.

Besides the new leader, six more players cracked the 1400-bar in Squad 12. Dane Jesper Agerbo chalked up 1447 including high games of 278, 259 and 257 to move into sixth place. Larsen registered 1434, good for seventh place.

Flack finished 1372 and added 48 pins handicap to sit in 10th place with 1420. Norwegian women's national team member Patcharin Torgersen (right) closed out her series with a 287 game to leap into 12th place with 1410 including handicap.

Pär Svensson, Sweden, tied Torgersen but sits in 13th place due to the lower last game. Benjamin Lubitz, Germany, used two 258s in games 4 and 6 for 1405 pinfall total, good for 14th place.

Maaswinkel finished with 1373 total including handicap to move into 22nd place, while Gauffin checked in with 1362 in 24th place. Rounding out the top 10 in Squad 12 was Leonidas Maragkos, Greece, who is currently 25th with 1359.

The Norwegian Open 2007 is the 17th stop of the 2007 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's Challenger events. The tournament offers total prize money of 351.000 Norwegian Kronor, approximately 65,250 U.S. Dollar or 45.715 Euro. The winner will receive the 60.000 NOK top prize ($11,150/€7.815).

Qualifying continues on Friday, Oct. 5, with Squads 13 and 14 at 5.00 and 9.00 p.m. and runs through Saturday, October 6 with the final Squad 18 scheduled for 8 p.m. local time. (GMT +1). Qualifying will conclude with the one-game Desperado Squad around Midnight.

The top 40 players from the qualifying (cut is now 1318) will automatically advance to the finals. They will be joined by the top four players from the first weekend (combined standings of squads 1-4) not among the top 40 and the top 4 from the Desperado Squad.

The top 12 earn two byes (cut: 1410), while players ranked 13-24 (cut: 1362) will bypass the first round. The first three rounds of the final consist of four games from scratch with half of the field advancing to the next round.

Once the field is cut to the top 12, players bowl two games from scratch to cut to the top 8, then the top four, who advance to the semi-finals (No. 1 vs. No. 4, No. 2 vs. No. 3). The winners of these one-game matches will bowl for the title and the 60.000 NOK top prize.

Bowlingdigital will cover the event live from Oslo commencing Friday, October 5 all the way through to the finals on Sunday, October 7.