Martin Larsen (left) from Sweden was the sole player in the qualifying of the Brunswick Euro Challenge, who reached the 1400-plateau en route to win the qualifying at Plaza Bowling in Saint Maximin, France.

The 3-time world champion overtook the lead in squad 12 out of 22 with games of 267, 238, 230, 255, 212, 246 and 1448 six-game total and an average of 241.33 and remained unchallenged for the final 10 squads.

Jason Belmonte (right), the two-hander from Australia, led until squad #12 and finished in second place with 1398.

PBA champions Mike Fagan and Sean Rash landed in third and fourth place with 1390 and 1383, respectively. Pasi Uotila, Finland, was fifth with 1382.

Next were 2003-04 PBA Player of the Year Mika Koivuniemi (left), Finland, and former PBA exempt bowler Tore Torgersen, Norway, who led the penultimate qualifying squad with 1378 and 1363.

Trailing Torgersen by seven pins to finish in 8th place was Erik Andersin, Sweden, with 1356. Missy Bellinder (right), United States, was the sole women among the top 16 in 9th place with 1348 including 48 pins handicap, a standard on the European Bowling Tour.

Rounding out the top 10 was Shaun Ng (left) from Singapore with 1344. Former world champion Tim Mack, United States held 11th place at 1338, with fellow countryman Ronnie Russell, one of the 64 exempt players on the 2007-08 PBA Tour, in 12th at 1332.

Multiple European champion Petteri Salonen (right) from Finland, Canadian Corey Clayton and squad 22 leader Jesper Agerbo, Denmark, tied at 1325. Salonen ( 248) was seeded 13th, Clayton 14th and Agerbo 15ht (193) based on the higher last game rule.

Rounding out the top 16, who will bypass the first round of the finals on Sunday morning and will make a minimum 540 Euro, was Osku Palermaa (left), Finland with 1323 or an average of 220.50.

Besides Agerbo another five players waited until the last squad to secure berth in the finals: 24. Thomas Gross, Austria, 1302; 27. Olli Hossi, Finland, 1300; 28. Tina Hulsch, Germany, 1299; 29. Ghislaine van der Tol, Netherlands, 1297 and 50. Bo Winther Pedersen, Denmark, 1267.

Alex Cavagnaro, United States and Habib Dogan, Turkey, hit the cutoff number for 52nd place with 1263 (210.50) and beat out three players - Zara Glover and Nicki Ainge, both England, and Thomas Jensen, Denmark - by just one pin fort he 52nd and final qualifying post.

To view more pictures from the 2008 Brunswick Euro Challenge go to Bowlingdigital's Photo Album or watch our latest videos .

The Brunswick Euro Challenge is the fifth stop on the 2008 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "majors". The BEC offers total prize fund of 90,000 Euros (currently approx. $136,500) and offers special prizes that will be given in categories such as youth encouragement, "B" bowlers and ladies.

The 2008 Brunswick Euro Challenge sponsored by Brunswick Bowling is organized by Brunswick distributor Valcke Bowling.

A total of 64 players qualified for the finals starting on Sunday at 9 a.m. The top 16 players received one bye into step 2 and will seeded 1-16.

The following 48 players will qualify for step 1:
- Players positioned 17-52 in the qualifying
- the top 6 from a separate standing for the squads conducted March 7-9, who were not among the top 52: Olivier Leroy, Belgium; Anne Lorraine Gales, Denmark; Jimmy Ravez, Belgium; Gery Verbruggen, Belgium; Yoan Alix, France; Gery Hacquin, Belgium.
- the top 6 from the Desperado Squad: Martina Beckel, Germany; Zara Glover, England; Mark Siders, United States; Kai Guenther, Germany; Jolanda Visser, Netherlands; Arttu Sadeharju, Finland.

Those 48 will bowl six games starting from scratch to cut to the top 16 , who will meet the top 16 qualifiers in the first match play round. Match play is best-of-three games single-elimination. The field will be cut to 16, 8 and then four, who will determine the champion in a stepladder final.


Bowlingdigital will cover the event live from Paris with updates after each squad and round, respectively, and exclusive video footage commencing Thursday, March 13 all the way through to the finals on Sunday, March 16.