Starting the penultimate qualifying squat at the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open in seventh place with 1416, just four pins ahead of eighth place which guarantees a first-round bye for Sunday's finals, 16-time PBA champion and last year's VO runner-up,
Tommy Jones (pictured), United States, improved by 33 pins to leap two spots into fifth place with 1449 and an average of 241.50 for six games.
Joonas Jähi of Finland leads the 263-player field from 26
countries, 67 women and 196 men, since Squad 7 with 1473 and an average
of 245.50.
In a championship match between two of the best two-handed players in the world, Jesper Svensson of Sweden waited until the last frame to celebrate a 223-209 victory over Finland's Osku Palermaa to win the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open Sunday evening at Plus Bowling in Vienna, Austria. It was the fifth career European Bowling Tour title for Svensson, who became the first multiple champion on the 2015 Tour and received 7.000 Euro top prize for his victory. 
Six-time European Bowling Tour champion Stuart Williams (l.) of England averaged 241.67 in the second round of the finals at the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open to lead the top 18 players into the third and final six-game round before the cut to the stepladder finals this afternoon at Plus Bowling in Vienna, Austria. Williams, who carries over 1450 pins, holds a 23-pin buffer over second-place Thomas Larsen (r.) of Denmark, who toppled 1427 pins.
Lauriane Celie (l.) of France and Sweden's Joline Persson Planefors (r.) paced a field of 56 players as the finals of the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open got underway on early Sunday morning at Plus Bowling in Vienna, Austria. Celie totaled 1389 including eight pins handicap per game, an equality handicap provided to women in all European Bowling Tour events, while Persson Planefors had 1384, lead the top 22 players into the second round.
Although Squad 14 was delayed by half an hour due to a server shutdown which at affected the tournament computer system at the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open, Pasi Uotila (pictured) of Finland averaged 240.83 for six games to jump into fifth place in the qualifying standings with 1445. The three-time Ballmaster Open winner (2000, '04 & '09), who is eagerly waiting for his first victory in Vienna, rolled games of 237, 223, 255, 215 and 236 before he closed out the set just four hours after the practice shots with a huge 279.
Francois Louw (r.) of South Africa averaged 243 in the first squad on Saturday morning (13th overall) to leap into third place in the qualifying of the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open and to take the lead in Doubles together with Thomas Gross (l.) of Austria on 2822. Starting the day in fourth place with 1445, Louw came out of the gates commandingly posting games of 258, 268, 245 and 255 before he closed out with modest 207 and 225 to leap one spot with 1458 total.
There were no changes at the top of the leaderboard in the last squad on Friday night at the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open as just five bowlers managed to surpass the 1300-mark. Finland's Joonas Jähi (l.) was never in danger to lose the top spot and continued to lead the 252-player field from 25 countries with 1473 (245.50 ave.). Gwen Hugon (r.) of France led Squad 12 with 1373 total and moved into 17th place in the overall qualifying standings.
Stuart Williams (r.) became the fourth player in the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open who achieved perfection when the Englishmen reeled off twelve strikes in the second game of Squad 11 Friday evening at Plus Bowling. The six-time European Bowling Tour champion improved on his 1419 from Squad 8 by three pins. Williams, who remained in fifth place in the overall qualifying standings, joined forces with his compatriot Dom Barrett (l.) to move to top of the Doubles leaderboard with 2809 total.
Denmark's Britt Brøndsted (l.) and Dino Castillo (r.), United States, led the 10th qualifying squad at the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open Friday afternoon at Plus Bowling in Vienna, Austria, en route to leap into 10th and 11th place in the overall standings. Brøndsted finished her six-game series with 256 and 253 scratch to earn the bragging rights as the squad leader with 1398 total, including 48 pins handicap. Castillo toppled 1387 pins.
Thomas Larsen (l.) of Denmark and South African Francois Louw (r.) moved into third and fourth place, respectively, in the overall qualifying standings of the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open in Squad 9 Friday morning at Plus Bowling in Vienna, Austria. Larsen averaged 242.17 for six games to lead the squad with 1453, including the tournament's third 300 game. Louw also had a shot at the lead but had settle for
fourth place with 1445.
Joonas Jähi (l.) of Finland posted a 1473 series in Squad 7, an average of 245.50, to take the lead in the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open as qualifying has reached the halfway mark, Austria. Jähi started his six-game series with a low game of 205 before he reeled off twelve consecutive strikes for the tournament's first 300 game. He closed out with 230, 237, 269 and 232 to beat previous leader Michael Loos (r.) of Austria for the top spot by 10 pins.
Austrian national team bowler Michael Loos (r.) averaged 243.83 in the fifth qualifying Squad Wednesday at Plus Bowling in Vienna, Austria, to overtake the lead in Singles qualifying and in the Doubles competition of the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open. Loos fired games of 263, 266, 246, 217, 256 and 215 to leap from seventh to first place to lead the 129-player field with 1463. Loos also teamed with previous leader Thomas Gross (l.) to set the pace in Doubles with 2773.
Thomas Gross (l.) of Austria continued to lead the qualifying 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open after the conclusion of squads 3 & 4 Tuesday at Plus Bowling in Vienna, Austria, with 1412 six-game total and an average of 235.33. Jiri Hindrak, Czech Republic, remained in second place with 1354. Hindrak's fellow countryman, Jaroslav Lorenc (r.) beat out Finland's Perttu Jussila for the top spot in Squad 3 by just one pin, 1341 to 1340.
Austria's top bowling couple, Thomas & Ivonne Gross (pictured) took the early lead in the 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open after the opening day of qualifying Monday at Plus Bowling in Vienna, Austria. Thomas, who won the tournament in 2009, posted 1412 to lead the 81-player field from six countries with a 235.33 average. He also teamed with his wife Ivonne, who totaled 1297 (208.17 average) including 48 pins women's handicap, to set the pace in Doubles with 2707 total.
The 13th Columbia 300 Vienna Open is the 14th tournament on the 2015 European Bowling Tour. 240 bowlers from 25 countries have registered for the final EBT "gold" event this season, which will be held from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 at Plus Bowling in Vienna, Austria. Players will compete for total prize fund of 73.130 Euro. 
Bowlingdigital.com will provide onsite coverage of the event. All qualifying squads on Oct. 2 & 3 and Sunday's finals are being broadcast live on Bowlingdigital's YouTube channel.
