Shalin Zulkifli, Alex Liew start international qualifying in Japan with 300 games

    01/15/13

    2013 World Bowling Tour #4

    Malaysians sets the pace in the women's and men's division after two of eight squads with 790 and 775 three-game series

     

    2013IBCQualificationMonitorsXXL.jpg


    2013IBCShalinZulkifli.jpgShalin Zulkifli (pictured right) of Malaysia started the International Bowling Championships 2013 supported by DHC with a bang rolling the first 300 game of the tournament in the first game of the first squad to kick off the international qualifying Tuesday afternoon at Inazawa Grandbowl in the Greater-Nagoya area in Japan.

    The photo shows Inazawa Grandbowl, with 116 lanes the world's biggest bowling center on one floor. Click on the image to enlarge it.

    The former world and Asian champion added games of 258 and 232 to finish the first day of qualifying atop the women's leaderboard with 790 three-game series and an average of 263.33.

    Kim Seul-Ki of Korea was mere 17 pins behind in second place with 773 including games of 258, 267 and 248. She was followed by Singaporeans Geraldine Ng and Kimberly Ooi in third and fourth place with 741 and 712, respectively.

    2013IBCAlexLiew.jpgRounding out the top five were three players tied at 705: Koreans Kang Hyun-Jin and Han Sol as well as Jacqueline Sijore of Malaysia.

    On the men's side Alex Liew (pictured left), Malaysia, followed in the footprints of Zulkifli as he finished squad two with the second perfecto of the tournament to overtake the lead in the men's qualifying with 775 total and an average of 258.33.

    Korea's Park Jong-Woo was 42 pins behind in second place with 733 while his compatriot Gu Yong-Jin, who won the 2010 PBA Scorpion Championship, was third with 727.

    Another Korean, Jo Nam-Yi, was fourth with 717 and Mohd Nur Aiman of Malaysia rounded out the top five after two squads with 716.

    2013IBCJapanLogo.jpg The International Bowling Championships 2013 supported by DHC runs from Jan. 15 to 19 and is the fourth event on the 2013 World Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "majors".

    The IBC offers total prize fund of 30 million Japanese Yen making the tournament one of the richest in the world on the 2013 schedule.

    Men and women bowl in separate divisions but in the same format for the JPY6,000,000 top prize. The runner-up gets 3.000.000 Yen, third place is 1.500.000 Yen and fourth place 800.000 Yen.

    (Note: On Jan. 1, 2013 the Japanese government raised the income tax rate for foreigners from 20% to 20.42%. All prize money won by international bowlers is subject to tax.

    The International Bowling Championships 2013 is currently the lone WBT "major" outside the United States. For the first time since its inception in 2011, "major" status will be granted for premium tournaments with no less than $200,000 prize fund. Double ranking points will be awarded in all "majors".

    The five finalists will have a chance for an even bigger payday as 10 million Yen will be awarded for EVERY 300 game bowled in the TV final eliminator rounds.

    Click here for more information on the International Qualifying.

    International qualifying concludes Jan 16 with Squads 3-8 scheduled to start at 8.30, 10.15 a.m., 12.30, 14.15, 17.30 and 19.15 p.m. Japanese Standard Time (CET -8 or EST -14) at Inazawa Grandbowl (pictured), whose 116 lanes span 198.39 meters (650.88 ft.) or 91,494 square feet without any pillars.

    Each of the eight qualifying squads for international bowlers features three games. The top 36 men and the top 24 women with the highest three-game series advance to the main event.

    Click on the image to enlarge it.

    The main event of the International Bowling Championships 2013 runs from Jan. 17 to 19 at Inazawa Grandbowl.

    BowlingdigitalBanner.gif Bowlingdigital will cover the whole event live from Inazawa Grandbowl including stories, results and photos commencing Tuesday, Jan. 15 with the international qualifying all the way through to the TV finals on Saturday, Jan. 19.

     


    Click here for more details:
    Main Event Information
    Main Event Rules & Regulations
    Main Event Schedule
    Prize Fund

     


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    International Qualifying - Men's Division after Squad 2/8

     


    International Qualifying - Women's Division after Squad 2/8

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