In a title match between the two players, who have established the two-handed technique in bowling, Finn Osku Palermaa (left) flew past Jason Belmonte (right), Australia, 258-195, to win the Istanbul Open and the 10.000 Euro top prize. "Belmo" pocketed 5.000 for his second-place finish.

It was the second EBT title for Palermaa in the 2007 season after his triumph in the Brunswick Euro Challenge in March. With the victory in Istanbul the Finn, who topped 3-time ranking champion Paul Moor in the semis, 249-189, will overtake the lead in the EBT rankings.

Moor and Mathieu Berges, Switzerland, who lost against Belmonte in the other semi-final by one pin, 225-224 earned 3.000 Euro each.

Jason Belmonte (l.) from Australia posted a big 952 four-game total to take the No. 1 seed for the head-to-head finals in the Istanbul Open, Belmonte will meet No. 4, Mathieu Berges (r.), Switzerland in the first semi-final match.

The second match features Europe's top-ranked bowlers in the year 2006, Paul Moor, England, and Osku Palermaa, Finland.

The two semi-final matches and the title match are one-game matches. The Istanbul Open offers 55.000 Euro total prize money. The winner receives 10.000 Euro, the runner-up gets 5.000 and the two semi-final losers earn 3.000 each.

Stuart Williams fired a huge 246 in the last game of Round Four in the Istanbul Open finals to set the pace with 937 four-game total and an average of 234.25 as the field was cut to the top eight.

It's "men's only" in the quarterfinals as Jens Nickel, Germany (258) and Nikolay Ovchinnikovs, Latvia (242) also posted big scores in game #4 to beat out the top-ranked woman, Kirsten Penny, England, by one pin for the eighth and last qualifying spot.

Penny, who won the women's rankings in Istanbul by two pins against Amelie Alm, Sweden, was consoled with the 1.200 Euro top extra prize. Alm received 800 Euro.

Besides Williams, Nickel and Ovchinnikovs, the usual suspects will bowl for the victory in Istanbul and the 10.000 Euro top prize. Two-handers Osku Palermaa; Finland, and Jason Belmonte, Australia, rolled 934 and 916 to make the cut in second and third position.

Mathieu Berges, the talented young Swiss, was fourth with 915. 3-time European Bowling Tour ranking winner Paul Moor, England, landed in fifth place with 890 and Habib Dogan delighted the Turkish fans when he grabbed the sixth place with a 246 final game. Among those who failed to advance was qualifying leader Andrew Frawley, Australia, who finished 11th with 838.

Those eight will roll another four games from scratch to cut to the top four, who will determine the winner in two semi-finals and a title match (one game each).

The Istanbul Open offers 55.000 Euro total prize money. The winner receives 10.000 Euro, the runner-up gets 5.000 and the two semi-final losers earn 3.000 each.

Leonidas Maragkos was on fire in the first two rounds of the finals in 4th Istanbul Open Sunday morning at Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey. The Greek national team member, who took the final qualifying post to advance, fired four-fame series of 917 and 907 en route to advance to Final Round Three in which the top 10 from Round Two meet qualifiers 9-18.

The first five rounds of the finals consist of four games each, all rounds starting from scratch. After five rounds the field is cut to the top four, who will determine the winner in two semi-finals and a title match (one game each).

The Istanbul Open offers 55.000 Euro total prize money. The winner receives 10.000 Euro, the runner-up gets 5.000 and the two semi-final losers earn 3.000 each. As the top-ranked woman will receive a 1.200 Euro bonus no matter where she will finish, a female champion would be awarded the 11.200 Euro top prize.

Andrew Frawley, Australia, finished the qualifying in the Istanbul Open atop the 176-player field to lead the top 42 plus six players from the Desperado Squad into Sunday's finals at Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey.

Frawley, who had high games of 256 and 259, was the sole player who cracked the 1400-bar with 1441 six-game total and an average of 240.17. Germany's Jens Nickel, was second with 1398, followed by Frawley's compatriot, Jason Belmonte, with 1381.

3-time defending ranking champion Paul Moor (pictured right) fired 1379 in the penultimate of 18 qualifying squads to help grab the fourth place. Rounding out the top 8, who will bypass the first three rounds of the final, were Or Aviram, Israel (1377), Nikolay Ovchinnikovs, Latvia (1375), Stuart Williams, England (1362) and Michael Sassen, Netherlands (1356).

The top-´ranked women in the field, Emelie Alm, Sweden, missed the top 8 by three pins in 9th place with 1353 including 48 pins women's handicap. The players, who finished in 9th through 18th place, earned two byes and players ranked 19-28 got one bye.

Leonidas Maragos, left, from Greece hit the cutoff number for 42nd place with 1236, an average of 206.00. Dor Shpeizman (43rd, 1236), Israel, Alexandra Göbel (44th, 1235) and Lars Tangermann (46th, 1234), both Germany, who missed the cut by a whisker, made the finals through the back door as they were among the top six from the one-game Desperado Squad.

Players seeded 29-48 (the top six from the Desperado squad were seeded 43-48) will start the finals on Sunday morning. The first five rounds of the finals consist of four games each, all rounds starting from scratch. After five rounds the field is cut to the top four, who will determine the winner in two semi-finals and a title match (one game each).

The Istanbul Open offers 55.000 Euro total prize money. The winner receives 10.000 Euro, the runner-up gets 5.000 and the two semi-final losers earn 3.000 each. As the top-ranked woman will receive a 1.200 Euro bonus no matter where she will finish, a female champion would be awarded the 11.200 Euro top prize.

Latvian Nikolay Ovchinnikovs led the 16th out of 18 qualifying squads with 1375 pinfall total en route to jump into fifth position in the Istanbul Open at Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey. Ovchinnikovs had 619 after three games but closed out the six-game series with 264, 278 and 214 (756) to crack the top 8 who will earn three byes for the finals on Sunday.

The top ranked woman in the 175-player field, Emelie Alm, Sweden, currently sits in eighth place with 1353. With two squads to go, the best Turkish woman, early leader Ebru Ozogluuntur, holds the 42nd and final qualifying post with 1217 including her 48 pins handicap.

Qualifying concludes on Saturday evening with the "Desperado Squad" scheduled for 11.30 pm. The top 42 from qualifying plus the top six Desperados (seeded 43-48) will advance to the finals on Sunday. The top 8 receive three byes, players seeded 9-18 earn two byes and players seeded 19-28 get one bye.

The first five rounds of the finals consist of four games each, all rounds starting from scratch. After five rounds the field is cut to the top four, who will determine the winner in two semi-finals and a title match (one game each).

The Istanbul Open offers 55.000 Euro total prize money. The winner receives 10.000 Euro, the runner-up gets 5.000 and the two semi-final losers earn 3.000 each. As the top-ranked woman will receive a 1.200 Euro bonus no matter where she will finish, a female champion would be awarded the 11.200 Euro top prize.

Andrew Frawley, Australia, and Jens Nickel, Germany, overtook the lead in the qualifying of the Istanbul Open at Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey on Friday. Frawley (pictured) used high games of 256 and 259 for a 1441 six-game total to become the first player, who reached the 1400-plateau. Nickel, who had a 278 in his fifth game, missed the 1400-bar by two pins.

Previous leader Jason Belmonte, Australia, slipped to third place with 1381. Or Aviram, Israel, is fourth with 1377 and Stuart Williams, England, is fifth with 1362. Rounding out the top 8 are former world champion Michael Sassen, Netherlands, 1356; Emelie Alm, Sweden, who is the top ranked woman in the field with 1353; and Moshe Shienman, Israel, 1348.

Qualifying continues until Saturday evening (a total of 18 squads) followed by the "Desperado Squad" scheduled for 11.30 pm. The top 42 plus the top six Desperados (seeded 43-48) will advance to the finals on Sunday, April 29. The top 8 receive three byes, players seeded 9-18 will earn two byes and players seeded 19-28 get one bye.

The first five rounds of the finals consist of four games each, all rounds starting from scratch. After five rounds the field is cut to the top four, who will determine the winner in two semi-finals and a title match (one game each).

The Istanbul Open offers 55.000 Euro total prize money. The winner receives 10.000 Euro, the runner-up gets 5.000 and the two semi-final losers earn 3.000 each. As the top-ranked woman will receive a 1.200 Euro bonus no matter where she will finish, a female champion would be awarded the 11.200 Euro top prize.

Female bowlers, no matter how young or old they are, whether they are amateur or professional, or if they hold a European, Asian or American license, they all receive 8 pins handicap per game in each tournament that is part of the European Bowling Tour.

Emelie Alm, Sweden, Rikke Holm Rasmussen, Denmark, and Sue Abela, Malta, took full advantage in the 11th and 12th qualifying squads in the Istanbul Open in Turkey. Alm felled 1305 pins and added 48 pins handicap to lead Squad 11 with 1353 pinfall total and to jump into fourth place. Rasmussen was second with 1286, good enough for 8th place. Abela topped Squad 12 with 1258 pinfall total to move into 9th place.

With six more squads to go, the top three Jason Belmonte, Australia (1381), Or Aviram, Israel (1377), and Stuart Williams, England (1362) held on to the lead at Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul.

Qualifying continues until Saturday evening (a total of 18 squads) followed by the "Desperado Squad" scheduled for 11.30 pm. The top 42 plus the top six Desperados (seeded 43-48) will advance to the finals on Sunday, April 29. The top 8 receive three byes, players seeded 9-18 will earn two byes and players seeded 19-28 get one bye.

The first five rounds of the finals consist of four games each, all rounds starting from scratch. After five rounds the field is cut to the top four, who will determine the winner in two semi-finals and a title match (one game each).

The Istanbul Open offers 55.000 Euro total prize money. The winner receives 10.000 Euro, the runner-up gets 5.000 and the two semi-final losers earn 3.000 each. As the top-ranked woman will receive a 1.200 Euro bonus no matter where she will finish, a female champion would be awarded the 11.200 Euro top prize.

As the qualifying in the Istanbul Open, the 7th stop of the 2007 European Bowling Tour, has passed the halfway point, some of the best amateur bowlers in the world took control of the leaderboard at Timeout Bowling Center.

Fresh from his victory in the World Tenpin Masters, Jason Belmonte targets to win yet another title before heading to the World Ranking Masters at Kegel Training and Tournament Center in Lake Wales, Fla. The Aussie, who prefers the two-handed style (pictured left), posted a 1381 six-game series to shoot into the lead despite a 190 last game.

Or Aviram (left) from Israel, the 2006 European Champions Cup winner, finished is just four pins behind in second place with 1377. A three-time winner on the European Bowling Tour, Stuart Williams (right), England, is third with 1362 followed by World Cup champion Osku Palermaa from Finland with 1320.

Three-time European ranking champion and runner-up to Belmonte in the WTM last week, Paul Moor (left), England, rolled a 1298 series to move into sixth place, trailing previous leader Mathieu Berges (right), Switzerland (5th/1301) by mere three pins. Dutch Nicole Sanders is the best woman in the field with 1230 including 48 pins handicap in 12th place.

Qualifying continues until Saturday evening (a total of 18 squads) followed by the "Desperado Squad" scheduled for 11.30 pm. The top 42 plus the top six Desperados (seeded 43-48) will advance to the finals on Sunday, April 29. The top 8 receive three byes, players seeded 9-18 will earn two byes and players seeded 19-28 get one bye.

The first five rounds of the finals consist of four games each, all rounds starting from scratch. After five rounds the field is cut to the top four, who will determine the winner in two semi-finals and a title match (one game each).

The Istanbul Open offers 55.000 Euro total prize money. The winner receives 10.000 Euro, the runner-up gets 5.000 and the two semi-final losers earn 3.000 each. As the top-ranked woman will receive a 1.200 Euro bonus no matter where she will finish, a female champion would be awarded the 11.200 Euro top prize.

Mathieu Berges, Switzerland, finished his six-game qualifying series with a huge 296 game to become the first player in the 4th Istanbul Bowling Open who cracked the 1300-bar. Berges leads the 107-player field with 1301 pinfall total and an average of 216.83.

Habib Dogan, a member of the Turkey national team, is second with 1241. Early leader Ebru Ozogluuntur slipped to third place with 1217 including the women's handicap of 48 pins (8 pins per game).

Next are Shin Jon Hyn, Kazakhstan, in fourth place with 1208 and Mithat Siveliol, Turkey, fifth with 1206. Rounding out the top six is Jason Belmonte. The Aussie, who filled his trophy case with the World Tenpin Masters last weekend, tested the lanes at Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul and ended up with 1206.

Qualifying continues until Saturday evening (a total of 18 squads) followed by the "Desperado Squad" scheduled for 11.30 pm. The top 42 plus the top six Desperados (seeded 43-48) will advance to the finals on Sunday, April 29. The top 8 receive three byes, players seeded 9-18 will earn two byes and players seeded 19-28 get one bye.

The first five rounds of the finals consist of four games each, all rounds starting from scratch. After five rounds the field is cut to the top four, who will determine the winner in two semi-finals and a title match (one game each).

The Istanbul Open offers 55.000 Euro total prize money. The winner receives 10.000 Euro, the runner-up gets 5.000 and the two semi-final losers earn 3.000 each. As the top-ranked woman will receive a 1.200 Euro bonus no matter where she will finish, a female champion would be awarded the 11.200 Euro top prize.

Ebru Ozogluuntur posted a 1217 six-game total (1169 plus 48 pins handicap) to take the early lead in the 4th Istanbul Bowling Open. The tournament, which is hosted by Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey, is the seventh event of the 2007 European Bowling Tour.

Mithat Siveliol, both of Turkey, was the sole player from the first three squads, who averaged over 200 to sit in second place with 1206. Mathieu Berges from Switzerland is third with 1180 including a 256 game , the highest game of the tournament thus far.

Rounding out the top five are Habib Dogan, Turkey, and Alexey Parshukov, Russia, with 1177 and 1165.

Qualifying continues until Saturday evening (a total of 18 squads) followed by the "Desperado Squad" scheduled for 11.30 pm. The top 42 plus the top six Desperados (seeded 43-48) will advance to the finals on Sunday, April 29. The top 8 receive three byes, players seeded 9-18 will earn two byes and players seeded 19-28 get one bye.

The first five rounds of the finals consist of four games each, all rounds starting from scratch. After five rounds the field is cut to the top four, who will determine the winner in two semi-finals and a title match (one game each).

The Istanbul Open offers 55.000 Euro total prize money. The winner receives 10.000 Euro, the runner-up gets 5.000 and the two semi-final losers earn 3.000 each. As the top-ranked woman will receive a 1.200 Euro bonus no matter where she will finish, a female champion would be awarded the 11.200 Euro top prize.