Joonas Jähi (l.) of Finland and Russia's Maria Bulanova (r.) shot some big games on their way to men's and women's title in the 38th European Champions Cup, which concluded Sunday afternoon in San Marino. Top-seeded Jähi defeated second-seeded Tom van der Vliet, Netherlands, two-games-to-one, to deny the Dutch his second consecutive title. Bulanova, seeded second, swept No. 1 Joline Persson Planefors of Sweden in the women's finale, 2-0.
Top 4 men and women determine the champions in match play finals in best-of-three games format; Magnus Johnson Jr. (SWE) rolls the third 300 game of the Championships
It's down to the top four men and women in the 38th European Champions Cup at Rose'n Bowl in Serravalle, San Marino. Finland's Joonas Jähi and Sweden's Joline Persson Planefors led the Rounds of 8 Sunday morning to earn the No. 1 seeds for the single-elimination match play finals in best of-three games format. The semi-finals will start at 11.30 a.m. The
winners bowl for the title while the losers share the bronze medal.
Top 8 remain unchanged; Finn Joonas Jähi leads the top 8 into Sunday's four-game round before the cut to the top 4 for best-of-three games finals; Leo Grundschober (AUT) achieves perfection
There were no changes in the top 8 at the 38th European Champions Cup after the conclusion of the third eight-game block Saturday afternoon at Rose'n Bowl in Serravalle, San Marino. Joonas Jähi (pictured) of Finland led the top 8 players into the next round on Sunday. Jähi fell behind Leo Grundschober early in the round of 16 as the Austrian posted the second perfecto of the Championships and the first by a man in game two, but regained the lead in the penultimate game en route to finish with 5548 total (231.17 avg).
Swede leads the top 8 players into Sunday's four-game Round of 8 before the cut to the top 4 for best-of-three games finals
Joline Persson Planefors (pictured) averaged 224.50 in the Round of 16 at the European Champions Cup in San Marino to maintain a 180-pin lead as the women's field was trimmed to the top 8. The Swede, who has averaged over 245 in both qualifying rounds, rolled a 1796 series today to lead the field with 5755 total and an overall average of 239.75 for 24 games. With just four games to go before the final cut to the top 4, Persson Planefors is already 550 pins ahead of fifth place and has practically secured her spot in the finals.
Finn shoots first 1900-series by a man to win the qualifying in San Marino averaging 232.75 for 16 games
Joonas Jähi (pictured) of Finland posted the first 1900-series in the men's division of the 38th European Champions Cup to leap three spots en route to win the qualifying Friday at Rose'n Bowl in Serravalle, San Marino. Jähi, who had games of 247, 255, 254, 224, 258, 209, 215 and 241 in B Squad, added 1903 pins to his 1821 first-block series to lead the top 16 players into the next round with 3724 total and an average of 232.75. He has a 47-pin cushion on first-block leader Leo Grundschober of Austria with 3677.
Swede averages 248.38 in the final qualifying block to lead the top 16 women into Saturday's Round 1
First block leader Joline Persson Planefors (l.) continued to play in her own league as the Swede improved on a 1972 series in the second and last eight-game block to win the qualifying at the 38th European Champions Cup by 192 pins over Maria Bulanova (r.) of Russia. Persson Planefors posted a 1987 series in A Squad Thursday qualifying first for Saturday's Round of 16 with 3959 total and an average of 247.44 for 16 games.
Austrian holds a 25-pin lead after the first of two eight-game blocks before the cut to the top 16
Leopold Grundschober (pictured) of Austria took the pole position in the qualifying of the 38th European Champions Cup after the first eight-game block which concluded Thursday at Rose'n Bowl in Serravalle, San Marino. Grundschober rolled games of 235, 258, 212, 203, 233, 247, 254 and 225 in B Squad to lead the field of 38 players from 37 countries with 1867 pinfall total and an average of 233.38. Heading into the final qualifying block on Friday, Grundschober holds 25-pin lead over Marek Talpa, Czech Republic, who is second with 1842.
Swede averages over 246 for the first 8 of 16 qualifying games, including a perfect game, to lead the 38 women's champions from 37 countries
Joline Persson Planefors averaged 246.50 to take the lead in the qualifying at the 38th European Champions Cup Wednesday at Rose'n Bowl in Serravalle, San Marino. The Swede fired games of 237, 256, 238, 234, 181, 300, the first perfecto of the Championships, 279, and 247 to lead the 38 women's champions from 37 countries with 1972 total pinfall. Persson Planefors out averaged her nearest competitor, Maria Bulanova of Russia by more than 10 pins.
Joonas Jähi (l.) of Finland and Russia's Maria Bulanova (r.) shot some big games on their way to men's and women's title in the 38th European Champions Cup, which concluded Sunday afternoon in San Marino. Top-seeded Jähi defeated second-seeded Tom van der Vliet, Netherlands, two-games-to-one, to deny the Dutch his second consecutive title. Bulanova, seeded second, swept No. 1 Joline Persson Planefors of Sweden in the women's finale, 2-0.
It's down to the top four men and women in the 38th European Champions Cup at Rose'n Bowl in Serravalle, San Marino. Finland's Joonas Jähi and Sweden's Joline Persson Planefors led the Rounds of 8 Sunday morning to earn the No. 1 seeds for the single-elimination match play finals in best of-three games format. The semi-finals will start at 11.30 a.m. The
winners bowl for the title while the losers share the bronze medal.
First block leader Joline Persson Planefors (l.) continued to play in her own league as the Swede improved on a 1972 series in the second and last eight-game block to win the qualifying at the 38th European Champions Cup by 192 pins over Maria Bulanova (r.) of Russia. Persson Planefors posted a 1987 series in A Squad Thursday qualifying first for Saturday's Round of 16 with 3959 total and an average of 247.44 for 16 games.
Leopold Grundschober (pictured) of Austria took the pole position in the qualifying of the 38th European Champions Cup after the first eight-game block which concluded Thursday at Rose'n Bowl in Serravalle, San Marino. Grundschober rolled games of 235, 258, 212, 203, 233, 247, 254 and 225 in B Squad to lead the field of 38 players from 37 countries with 1867 pinfall total and an average of 233.38. Heading into the final qualifying block on Friday, Grundschober holds 25-pin lead over Marek Talpa, Czech Republic, who is second with 1842.
