Eddy Fuentes, Luis Eduardo Rovaina, Richard Leon, Ildemaro Ruiz and Amleto Monacelli (pictured left) of Venezuela averaged 219.13 over three games on the 33-feet Sydney oil pattern to take the lead as the men's five-player team event has reached its halfway mark.

The five some, coached by Arturo Hernandez, had games of 1103, 1108 and 1076 for 3287 total to lead the field of 36 countries, who have qualified for the 2013 World Championships in the Las Vegas area.

Celebrating his 52nd birthday, two-time PBA Player of the Year Monacelli led his team with the field-best 726 series including games of 237, 210 and 279. Fuentes was second with 685 and was followed by Ruiz (649), Rovaina (641) and Leon (586).

Second place belonged to Hong Kong's Eric Tseng, Wicky Yeung, Rickle Kam, Wu Siu Hong and Michael Mak (right), who led in the first two games after starting with 1187, the highest game of the day.

The team coached by American Bill Hoffman, who was on the gold medal team from the U.S. at the 2006 World Championships in Korea, are 21 pins behind Venezuela with 3266 (217.73).

Denmark's Jimmy Mortensen, Frederik Øhrgaard, Mik Stampe, Carsten Warming Hansen and Thomas Larsen (left), coached by two-time PBA Player of the Year Mika Koivuniemi, sandwiched a 975 game between two 1100-plus series to position themselves in third place with 3220 (214.67).

Choi Bok-Eum, Cho Young-Seon, Park Jong-Woo, Shin Seung-Hyeon and Kim Jun-Yung (right) of Korea had the most consistent games of all teams (1077, 1067 and 1062) to finish the first block of three games in fourth place with 3206 (213.73).

The top four team after the second block on the 39-feet Seoul lane conditioning pattern will advance to the Medal round.

Just outside the box looking in were Malaysians Adrian Ang, Timmy Tan, Syafiq Ridhwan, Alex Liew and Rafiq Ismail (left), who are just 16 pins behind the Koreans with 3190 including an 1108 in game three.

Three-time defending world champion Team USA with Bill O'Neill, John Szczerbinski, John Janawicz, Tommy Jones and Chris Barnes (right) sits in sixth place with 3172, just 34 pins off the pace for the medal round. The Americans followed an opening game of 1006 with a huge 1175 and closed out with 991.

Rounding out the top 10 were the teams from Thailand (7th; 3159), UAE (8th; 3135), Germany (9th; 3114) and Canada (left; 10th; 3101). Germany's Achim Grabowki (third from left) set a high light when he rolled the eighth 300 game of the Championships in the second game.

Video by Sven Tore Iversen.

Chris Barnes (left) of the United States, who won the gold medal in Doubles, is on course for his second gold medal as the 15-time PBA champion holds a 241-pin lead in All-Events (combined qualifying results in Singles, Doubles, Trios and Team) with only three game to go.

Barnes toppled 4939 pins in the tournament so far, an average of 235.19 for 21 games. Martin Larsen (right) of Sweden is a distant second with 4698 (223.71).

Cho Young-Seon (below left) of Korea mans third place with 4679 (222.81).

The next five players including eighth place Monacelli (4606) are 73 pins or less off the pace for the medals. Frederik Øhrgaard (right) holds the 24th and last place to advance to the Masters finals with 4483 and an average of 213.48.

The men are done for today and will return on Wednesday morning for the second block on long oil starting at 8 a.m. The top four teams will advance to the Medal Round.

Bowlingdigital's Photo Album

The World Tenpin Bowling Association World Championships run from Aug. 16 thru 31, 2013 at Sunset Station's Strike Zone in Henderson, Nev. in the Las Vegas area. The Championships will award medals in six disciplines - Singles, Doubles, Trios, Team, All Events and Masters.

The entire competition will be broadcast live on BOWL.com's BowlTV. Bowling fans will be able to watch live and on demand for free. The schedule is available at BOWL.com/LiveStream.

 

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