2013 EBT

Martin Larsen (l.) of Sweden defeated tournament leader Petteri Salonen (r.) of Finland in the title match of the 9th San Marino Open, 235-207, en route to win his seventh career European Bowling Tour title and the 8.000 Euro top prize. While Salonen, who received 5.000 Euro for second place, was looking for his first EBT title, the other three finalists owned a combined 25 European Bowling Tour titles.

Stuart Williams (l.) of England won the qualifying of the 9th San Marino Open and a 1.000 Euro bonus. The six-time EBT titlist led the field of 182 players from 25 countries with 1467 pinfall total (244.50 average). Carsten Warming Hansen (r.) of Denmark, who led the penultimate squad 20 on Saturday with 1444 including high games of 289 and 279, finished his set with a 183 low game to finish qualifying in fourth place.

Stuart Williams (l.) of England continued to lead the qualifying of the 9th San Marino Open after Friday's Squads 15- to 17 with 1467 pinfall total. Four players rolled 1400-series to position themselves in the top 8, who will receive two byes at the end of the qualifying. Mark Clark (r.), United States, was the top scorer of the day in Squad 16 with 1457, including high games of 276 and a pair of 250s, to move into second place.

Stuart Williams (l.) of England and Vaggelis Krizinis (r.) from Greece battled it out for the qualifying lead in the 9th San Marino Open in Squad 14 Thursday evening at Rose'n Bowl in Serravalle, San Marino. When the dust had settled after a strike fest in the last game, Williams, who finished with 277, emerged as the squad winner with 1467 (244.50 average) with Krizinis, who finished with 296 and 276, in second place with 1442 (240.33).

Robert Andersson of Sweden and Italian Davide Spagnoli (l-r) posted the field-best 1430 series, a 238.33 average, in the 10th qualifying squad Wednesday afternoon at Rose'n Bowl in Serravalle to overtake the qualifying lead in the 9th San Marino Open. Andersson, a former World Champion and four-time European Bowling Tour titlist, took the pole position due to the higher last game, 247 to Spagnoli's 221. The qualifying winner will receive a 1.000 Euro bonus.

Norman Neumann (l.) of Germany posted the first 1400-series of the 9th San Marino Open in Squad 8 on Tuesday evening en route to move to the top of the 101-player leaderboard. Neumann rolled six consistent games between 222 and 246 for 1403, an average of 233.83, to overtake previous leader Petteri Salonen by nine pins. Six place belonged to Serge Frouvelle (r.) of France, who led Squad 7 with 1371.

Multiple European champion Petteri Salonen (pictured) of Finland, who won the qualifying of the Brunswick Italia Challenge last week, continued hot hand Monday at Rose'n Bowl in Serravalle and took over the lead in the qualifying of the 9th San Marino Open. Opposite to the Italia Challenge, the San Marino Open awards a 1.000 Euro bonus for the qualifying winner. Salonen started Squad 5 with games of 182, 216, 246 and 203 before he closed out with 268 and 279 for 1394 total and an average of 232.33.

Olivier Leroy (pictured) of Belgium rolled a 1322 series Sunday at Rose'n Bowl in Serravalle, San Marino, to lead the 9th San Marino Open after the first weekend. Leroy averaged 220.33 to beat out day one leader Andrea Domeniconi of Italy for the top spot by 17 pins. Johnny Fronville, Belgium, toppled 1303 pins to sit in third place. By virtue of leading the standings of Squads 1-4, the top three are automatically qualified for the finals if they do not finish in the top 35 at the end of the qualifying.

Marek Talpa (pictured) became the first bowler from the Czech Republic to win an European Bowling Tour title when he defeated three more experienced players in the Round Robin Match Play finals of the Brunswick Italia Challenge Sunday, July 7, at Bowling Red & Black in Asti, Italy. Talpa, Swede Robert Andersson, Alejandro Reyna from Costa Rica and Yoan Alix of France had to survive three Eliminator rounds to advance to the Round Robin finals featuring three matches with bonus pins.

The 9th San Marino Open got underway Saturday, July 6, at Rose'n Bowl in Serravalle, San Marino with the first two qualifying squads. Andrea Domeniconi (l.) of Italy set the pace in the opening squad with 1305 to lead the European Bowling Tour "gold" tournament after day one qualifying. Italians Alessandro Boschi (r.) and Thomas Gayet topped the second squad with 1283 and 1271 to take second and third place, resp.

Petteri Salonen (pictured) of Finland finished the qualifying of the Brunswick Italia Challenge atop the leaderboard to lead 52 players into the finals on Sunday, July 7, at Bowling Red & Black in Asti, Italy. Salonen led the 254-player field from 25 countries with 1447 and an average of 241.17. Three of the four squad leaders from Saturday, England's England's PBA champion Stuart Williams, Dominic Barrett and Mai Ginge Jensen of Denmark, positioned themselves in second thru fourth place in the overall standings.

Three men and one women moved into the top 8 in the qualifying of the Brunswick Italia Challenge in Friday's Squads 17-19 at Bowling Red & Black in Asti, Italy. Petteri Salonen of Finland continued to lead the 241 players from 25 countries with 1447 pinfall and an average of 241.17. His compatriot Nina Kovanen (pictured) became the first woman to crack the 1400-bar en route to jump into fourth place. Kovanen averaged 228.33 including high games 277 and 264 for 1370 scratch and 1418 total including handicap.

Petteri Salonen (pictured) of Finland saw his name atop the qualifying standings of the Brunswick Italia Challenge after posting a 1447 series, a 241.17 average, Thursday afternoon at Bowling Red & Black in Asti, Italy. Salonen rebounded from a slow start in Squad 14 with a near-perfect 298 and closed out with 269, 257 and 232 to overtake previous leader Marek Talpa, Czech Republic, by 20 pins. England's Stuart Williams and Swedes Robert Andersson and Martin Larsen also cracked the top 8.

Marek Talpa (l.), Czech Republic, became the first player in the 2013 Brunswick Italia Challenge who cracked the 1400-bar as he posted 1427 in the 10th qualifying squad Wednesday afternoon at Bowling Red & Black in Asti, Italy. Talpa overtook previous leader Davide Spagnoli of Italy by 64 pins. The owner of the tournament's lone 300 game so far was followed by compatriot Marco Reviglio (r.), who toppled 1352 pins in Squad 11.

Davide Spagnoli of Italy rattled off twelve consecutive strikes in the fifth game of Squad 9 Tuesday evening at Bowling Red & Black in Asti, Italy en route to overtake the qualifying lead at the Brunswick Italia Challenge. Spagnoli's six-game series was a roller coaster ride including games of 248, 187, 246, 171, 300 and 211 for 1363 and an average of 227.17. Second place belonged to PBA champion Mike Machuga, United States, who paced Squad 8 with 1314.

Marco Zorzan of Italy finished the seventh qualifying squad Monday evening at Bowling Red & Black in Asti, Italy with a big game to overtake the lead in the Brunswick Italia Challenge. Zorzan rolled games of 188, 222, 215, 219, 204 and 265 for 1313, an average of 218,83, to beat out previous leader Marco Boccato, Italy, for the top spot by two pins. Two-time PBA champion Mike Machuga (pictured), United States, added his name to the leaderboard after finishing Squad 7 with 1289, good for sixth place overall.

Italian bowlers dominated the first two days of qualifying in the Brunswick Italia Challenge currently underway at Bowling Red & Black in Asti, Italy. With five of 23 qualifying squads in the books, the Italians occupy the top eight spots on the 55-player leaderboard. Marco Boccato (l.) and Pierfranco Fanizza took the early lead with 1311 and 1301, respectively. Third place belonged to Maurizio Celli (r.) with 1282.

Paul Moor (center) of England won his 12th European Bowling Tour title in the 1st Brunswick Madrid Challenge and the 6.000 top prize Sunday at Bowling Chamartín in Madrid, Spain. In the title match, top-seeded Moor defeated Pasi Uotila (left) of Finland, 212-161, to end a four-year title drought. Uotila, who received 3.000 Euro for second place, and ninth-place Joline Persson-Planefors of Sweden overtook the lead in the EBT point rankings.

English bowlers dominated the qualifying of the 1st Brunswick Madrid Challenge finishing 1, 2 and 3. Stuart Williams (l.) won the qualifying with 1435 total and an average of 239.17 to earn a 750 Euro bonus. Dominic Barrett (r.) posted the highest six-game series Saturday at Bowling Chamartín in Madrid, Spain, but fell 19 pins short to land in second place with 1416. Rounding out the top three was Paul Moor with 1378.

Stuart Williams (pictured) posted a 1435 total (239.17 ave.) in Squad 21 Friday at Bowling Chamartín in Madrid, Spain, to widen his lead in the 1st Brunswick Madrid Challenge to 57 pins. Williams, a six-time European Bowling Tour champion and England's first PBA titlist, rolled games of 241, 233, 225, 279, 223 and 234 to improve the previous high series of 1397 by 38 pins. The qualifying winner will receive a 750 Euro bonus. Qualifying concludes Saturday with Squads 23-26 and the one-game Desperado Squad.