Peter Hellström (pictured left) of Sweden rolled another 1500 series on Day Two Qualifying at the 49th QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup to widen his lead in the men's division.

The two-time European Bowling Tour champion, who had World Cup record 1543 series (257.17 average) Monday added 1518 in the second block on Tuesday to lead the field of 74 players with 3061 total and an average of 255.08.

Hellström started his set with 289 and 279 and closed out with four games between 248 and 227, an average of 253 for the day.

On what must be the easiest lane condition in the 49-year history of the World Cup, scores went through the roof at Sharovaya Molniya bowling center in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Russia. Four men cracked the 1500-bar while 16 players had 1400-series and 14 players surpassed the 1300-mark.

Trailing Hellström by 112 pins was Bodo Konieczny (left) of Germany with 2949 and an average of 245.75. The silver medalist in Singles at the 2013 World Championships used high games of 290 and 270 for 1481 (246.83) to leap three spots into second place.

William Ching of Venezuela and Filipino Benshir Layoso (above right) slipped to third and fourth place behind 1437 series (239.50) with 2932 and 2916, respectively.

Mats Maggi (left) of Belgium broke Hellström's six-game record when he missed the magic 1600-mark by mere one pin. The Belgian national team member fired games of 246, 277, 261, 277, 288 and 250 for 1599, an average of 266.50, to jump from 39th to fifth place with 2901 total.

Vincent Cayez, France, dropped two spots to sixth place with 2890 after posting only the 19th best series today (1412; 235.33).

Christopher Sloan (right), a two-hander from Ireland, started the day with the fourth 300 game of the 2013 Bowling World Cup and the 55th in BWC history. Sloan added five games between 254 and 220 and a 1475 series (245.83) to leap from 13th to seventh place with 2884.

Representing the host country Russia, Alexei Parshukov used high games of 279 and 265 for 1453 (242.17) to move up one place to eighth with 2882. The top eight players after 32 games will survive the cut to round robin match play.

Or Aviram (left) of Israel, who finished second in the 41st BWC in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in 2005, rolled the fifth 300 game in the fourth game of Squad A and missed the sixth perfecto by a whisker, finishing with 299. His 1520 series (253.33) was the third-best of the day, which propelled the former European Champions Cup winner from 28th to ninth place with 2870.

Tore Torgersen (pictured above with Team Norway manager, the legendary Erik Garder, right) of Norway, who won the 30th BWC in Hermosillo, Mexico, 19 years ago (1994), concluded the second day of competition in the men's division by rolling back-to-back 300 games.

The former World and European champion started the block with 290 followed by 258 and 229. He then reeled of 24 consecutive strikes to become the first player in BWC history with back-to-back 300s. Torgersen, who had a 300 game in the 36th BWC in Lisbon, Portugal (2000), ties Australia's Jason Belmonte for the most 300 games (3).

The Norwegian standout finished with 194 and the second-highest 1571 series (261.83) to rocket from 45th to 17th place with 2807.

As the men's qualifying has reached its halfway point, Slovenian youngster Nino Stenko (right) holds the 24th and last place to advance with 2720 or an average of 226.67.

Photo Album 1

The men are done for today and will return Wednesday for the third six-game block. Squad B takes to the lanes at 4 p.m. Krasnoyarsk Time (CET -7 hours; EST -13 hours). Squad A will conclude the third day of competition starting at 8 p.m.

The World Cup features a long qualifying format as all players bowl four six-game blocks over four days. The field is then cut to the top 24 men and top 24 women for eight additional games to determine the top eight for round-robin match play. After match play, the top three men and top three women advance to the stepladder finals.

BowlTV will provide live streaming of the entire World Cup from start to finish. To watch the live stream commented by Lucas Wiseman, click here.

Photos by Beat Grauwiler/Bowlingdigital.

 

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