Three-time Ballmaster Open champion Mika Koivuniemi overtakes lead in Helsinki

    01/09/13

    2013 European Bowling Tour #1

    World Bowling Tour point ranking leader becomes the first player this year to crack the 1400-bar; Squad 6 bowlers shake up leaderboard on Tuesday; cut for 44th place is now 1235 (205.83 average)

    201213PBAMikaKoivuniemi.jpgFinnish national team player Mika Koivuniemi (pictured left), an 11-time PBA champion, who lives in Hartland, Mich., posted a 1404-series Tuesday evening lead the sixth qualifying squad and to take the overall lead in the 43rd Brunswick Ballmaster Open currently underway at Tali Bowling Center in Helsinki, Finland.

    The 45-year-old right-hander rolled games of 237, 244, 228, 226, 192 and 277, and average of 234.00, to become the first player this year to crack the 1400-bar. The projected cut was revised from 1277 to 1296.

    After six of 15 qualifying squads, the seven-time European Bowling Tour champion and two-time World Bowling Tour point ranking leader leads a field of 277 players including 271 Finns and six foreigners from Ukraine, Russia, Sweden and Indonesia.

    If Koivuniemi would win his fourth Ballmaster Open title after 1998, 2010 & '11, he would also win his 12th career PBA title.

    2012EBT16PetteriSalonen.jpg2012EBT11PerttuJussila.jpgThe bowlers of Squad 6 shook up leaderboard as another six players have positioned themselves in the top 10. Trailing Koivuniemi by 19 pins to move into second place was multiple European champion Petteri Salonen (left), who used high games of 258, 268 and 256 for 1385.

    Perttu Jussila (right), the youngest player ever to win an EBT title, improved his previous high series of 1340 by 30 pins to remain in third place with 1370. Two-time Ballmaster Open winner and long-time Finnish national team member Kimmo Lehtonen (2002 & '07) used a high game of 278 to leap one spot into fourth place with 1352.

    2013EBT01LasseLintila.jpg2013EBT01ReijaLunden.jpgPrevious leader, Lasse Lintilä (left), one of four players, who have won the Ballmaster Open on three occasions (1988, 2003 & '06), slipped to fifth place with 1351.

    Former World Champion Reija Lundén (right) is the best of 15 women in the field so far in sixth place with 1347 including 48 pins handicap, a standard for women on the European Bowling Tour.

    Eemeli Hemmi and Simon Stenvall both had 1330 series Tuesday to leap into seventh and eighth place overall. Hemmi held the tiebreaker, which is the higher last game, 255 to 217. Former world champion Mika Luoto fell to ninth place with 1324.

    2011EBT18PasiUotila.jpg2012ECCDariaKovalova2.jpgRounding out the top 10 was three-time Ballmaster Open champion Pasi Uotila (left; 2000, '04 & '09), who toppled 1316 pins. For the records, the first three-time winner was Simo Vähäkorpela (1983, '84 & '93).

    2012 European Champions Cup winner Daria Kovalova (right) of Ukraine is currently the best international bowler in 21st place with 1284 including handicap. Jarmo Sinilaakso, Finland, holds the 44th and last place to advance with 1235 and an average of 205.83.

    Qualifying continues Thursday, Jan. 10, with squad 7 & 8 at 3 and 7 p.m. local time (CET +1).

    2013BallmasterLogo_small.jpg The 43rd Brunswick Ballmaster Open is the first of six "EBT Gold" events this season, the second-highest out four EBT categories. The tournament will be held from Friday Jan. 4 through Sunday Jan. 13, 2013 at 36-lane Tali Bowling Center in Finland's capital city Helsinki.

    The BBO 2013 features a 37.5 feet lane conditioning pattern.

    Players will compete for total prize money of 90.300 Euro with 12.000 Euro going to the winner, 8.000 to the runner-up and 4.000 and 3.000 to the third and fourth place finishers, respectively. Low to cash is 48th place, worth 1.100 Euro.

    In addition, the 2013 BBO offers a 20.000 Euro Extra Prize for a 300 game thrown on the final day (Jan. 13). In the event that a 300 game will be rolled, the total prize fund will be more than 110.000 Euro.

    Due to an agreement between the World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) and the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), the Ballmaster will award a PBA international title, if won by a PBA member or a PBA international member.

    Qualifying (six games, unlimited re-entries) of the 2013 Brunswick Ballmaster Open runs through Saturday, Jan. 12, and ends with Squad 15 and the ultimate one-game Desperado Squad slated for 11.30 p.m. local time (CET +1) on Saturday night. Women will receive 8 pins handicap each game (up to 292 - maximum score is 300), a standard for women on the European Bowling Tour.

    A total of 48 players - the top 44 from the overall qualifying standings plus the top 4 from the Desperado Squad - will qualify for the finals on Sunday, Jan. 13.

     


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    Three-time Ballmaster Open champion Lasse Lintilä takes over lead after three squads
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    43rd Brunswick Ballmaster Open - Tournament Information
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    Qualifying Standings after Squad 6/15

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