Chris Barnes tosses second perfecto in Squad 12 at Brunswick Euro Challenge

    03/21/14

    2014 European Bowling Tour #4

    17-time PBA champion topples 1508 pins to take over second place in the overall qualifying standings; Kelly Kulick (USA), Kim Bolleby (SWE) move into top 12; cut for 12th is 1441 (240.17) and cut for 52nd place is 1372 (228.67)

    2014PBAChrisBarnes.jpg2014EBT04JoonasJahi.jpgChris Barnes (pictured left), United States, averaged 251.33 in Squad 12 Friday afternoon at Dream-Bowl Palace in Unterföhring, Germany, including the second perfecto of the 2014 Brunswick Euro Challenge to overtake second place in the overall qualifying standings.

    Barnes, who recently won the H.H. Emir Cup in Doha, Qatar for his 17th career PBA title, started with games of 229, 247. 246 and 237 before making his run at perfection in game five. The four-time WTBA World Champion closed out with 249 for 1508.

    2014PBAKellyKulick.jpg2013EBT04KimBolleby.jpgJoonas Jähi (above right) of Finland continued to lead the field of 239 players from 28 countries with 1545 (257.50). Joachim Karlsson of Sweden slipped to third place with 1505. Tim Mack, United States, is fourth at 1488.

    PBA champion Kelly Kulick (left), United States, is the best of 40 women in sixth place with 1440 scratch (240 average) and 1488 total including eight pins handicap per game. Starting squad 12 "on the bubble" in 52nd place was Kim Bolleby (right). The Swede posted 1473 to jump into sixth place.

    2014EBT04MikeFagan.jpg2014PBARonnieRussell.jpgFormer World Champion Patrick Backe of Sweden, now the assistant national coach of Sweden, tied four-time PBA champion Mike Fagan (left), United States, at 1441. Fagan currently holds the 12th and last place to earn one bye, while Backe sits in 13th place due to the higher last game, 236 to 218 in Fagan's favor.

    Daniel Fransson, Sweden, who was in 88th place with 1307 including the tournament's first 300 game, leaped 58 spots to 30th place behind a 1415 series. Defending champion Ronnie Russell (right), United States, fell to the 52nd and last place to qualify directly for Sunday's finals with 1372 (228.67).

    Qualifying continues on Friday, March 21, with Squads 13 & 14 starting at 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 12/18


    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.


    300 games (2) - Daniel Fransson, Chris Barnes.

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