Joonas Jähi powers his way into the lead in Munich

    03/21/14

    2014 European Bowling Tour #4

    Finn shoots 1545 in Squad 10 to lead 214-player field from 26 countries; Squad 9 leader Shayna Ng (SIN) is the best of 34 women in sixth place; Squad 12 leader Paul Moor (ENG) overtakes seventh place; cut for top 12 is 1436 (239.33) and cut for 52nd place is 1351 (225.17)

    2014EBT04JoachimKarlsson.jpg2014EBT04JoonasJahi.jpgJoonas Jähi (pictured left) of Finland averaged 257.50 in Thursday's Squad 10 and powered his way into the lead in the qualifying of the 2014 Brunswick Euro Challenge at Dream-Bowl Palace in Unterföhring, Germany.

    Jähi started his six-game series with low games of 237 and 238 before he closed out with 1070 for the last four games (256, 268, 257 and 289; 267.50 average) for 1545. The right-hander overtook previous leader Joachim Karlsson (right) of Sweden by 40 pins. Karlsson, who has the only other 1500-plus series, slipped to second place with 1505.

    Tim Mack, United States, is the best of 29 U.S. bowlers in the field in third place with 1488. He was followed by compatriot Marshall Kent in fourth place with 1457. Jesper Svensson, a two-handed lefty from Sweden, rounds out the top 5 with 1454.

    2014HHEmirCupShaynaNg.jpg2014EBT04PaulMoor.jpgSingapore national team member Shayna Ng (left) became the first woman to win a squad this year as she posted a 1403 series scratch (233.81 average) and 1451 total including handicap in squad 9 on Thursday afternoon to finish the day in sixth place overall. Ng, who won the women's title in the World Bowling Tour's International Bowling Championships 2013 in Japan, had games of 227, 279, 204, 237, 232 and 224.

    Paul Moor (right) of England finished the last squad on Thursday (#11) with back-to-back 256 and 279 to win the squad and to leap into seventh place in the overall standings with 1443 and an average of 240.50. Moor ties Finland's Osku Palermaa for the most European Bowling Tour titles with 13.

    Another four players, two from squad 9 and two from squad 10, cracked the top 12, who will receive one bye at the end of the qualifying.

    2013EBT04KimmoLehtonen3.jpg2014EBT04LizJohnson.jpgFour-time PBA champion Mike Fagan, United States, who was second to Ng with 1441, sits in ninth place and is followed by Kimmo Lehtonen (left; 1439), Finland, and Liz Johnson (right; 1437 incl. handicap), United States, who were next to Jähi.

    Rounding out the top 12 is Petteri Salonen, Finland, with 1436 and an average of 239.33. The cut for 52nd place raised by another 64 pins on Thursday from 1287 to 1351 (225.17 average). Kim Bolleby of Sweden now is the man "on the bubble".

    Qualifying continues on Friday, March 21, with Squads 12-14 starting at 1, 5 and 9 p.m. CET.

    2014BECLogo_small.jpg The Brunswick Euro Challenge is the fourth tournament on the 2014 European Bowling Tour schedule and one of only two "Platinum" events this season, the EBT's highest tournament category. The BEC is also the 10th stop of the World Bowling Tour and will award a PBA International title, if won by a PBA member.

    The 11th issue of Europe's richest tournament will be held from March 15-23 at Europe's biggest bowling center, 52-lane Dream-Bowl Palace in Unterföhring in suburban Munich, Germany.

    The Tournament offers an increased total prize fund of 111.111 Euro with 11.111 Euro going to the winner, 9.000 Euro to the runner-up and 7.000 Euro to the third place finisher.

    BowlingdigitalBanner.gif Bowlingdigital.com will provide Live Coverage and Live Streaming of the last day of qualifying and the whole finals. The stepladder final will be broadcast live on Bowlingdigital TV Sunday, March 23, from 17:00 to 18:00 Central European Time (starts at noon Eastern Daylight Time or Monday, March 24, at 0.00 a.m. Hong Kong Time).

    Qualifying will kick off Saturday, March 15, with two squads and runs through Saturday, March. 22, with the final Squad 18 slated for 8 p.m. CET. Qualifying concludes with the ultimate one-game Desperado Squad at 11.30 p.m. Women receive eight pins handicap each game, a standard for women on the European Bowling Tour.

    A total of 64 players will qualify for the finals on Sunday, March 23, including the top 52 qualifiers, the top 8 of a separate leaderboard of the squads conducted March 15-19 plus the top 4 of the Desperado Squad.

    The top 12 qualifiers will receive one bye. The other 52 players will bowl six games scratch to cut to the top 16 who will join the top 12 qualifiers in Round Two. Those 28 will bowl another six games scratch after which the field will be trimmed to the top 8 for match play.

    Round Two pinfall will be carried forward. The top 3 players after seven games round robin match play (30 pins bonus for a win; 15 for a tie) will determine the champion in a stepladder final. The No. 3 seed bowls the No. 2 seed and the winner of the semifinal match takes on the No. 1 seed for the title and the 11.111 Euro top prize.

    2014EBTLogo_small.jpg The 2014 European Bowling Tour features 20 tournaments in 14 countries. In its 15th season, the EBT consists of two Platinum, six Gold, three Silver and nine Satellite tournaments. The total prize fund exceeds one million Euro.

    The top 50 men and the top 50 women in each event receive ranking points. Those points will be tabulated throughout the season to determine the top 12 men and top 12 women, who will compete in the eighth EBT Masters in Asti, Italy, on July 6, 2015.

    WBTLogo_small.jpg The 2014 World Bowling Tour, which actually got underway in November 2013 with the PBA World Championship, consists of 15 tournaments in Arabia (6), Asia (3), United States (3), Europe (2) and Australia (1).

    Players earn ranking points based on how they finish in each event. The current points system is based on a continuous two-year cycle, so some points earned in 2012 and all points from the 2013 and 2014 are added to determine the points list.

    The top three men and top three women in the WBT Point Ranking will be invited to compete in the 2014 World Bowling Tour Finals, which will be held in conjunction with the PBA World Series of Bowling VI from Oct. 24 through Nov. 2 at South Point in Las Vegas.

    The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of 111 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world. For more information on WTBA and the World Bowling Tour, click here.

     


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    2014 Brunswick Euro Challenge - Qualifying Standings after Squad 11/18


    The top 52 qualifiers, the top 8 of a separate leaderboard of the squads conducted March 15-19 (Places 53-60) and the top 4 of the Desperado Squad (places 61-64) will advance to the finals on Sunday, March 23. The finals will be live streamed on Bowlingdigital.com.

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