Sandbækken wins Sofia International Open 2007

    10/30/07

    Bulgaria

    Mega Xtreme Bowling Center in Sofia, Bulgaria (October 8-14, 2007)

    2007SofiaMadsSandbakken.jpg Reigning World Youth Masters champion and European Adult Masters champion Mads Sandbækken, Norway, captured the title in the Sofia International Open 2007 at Mega Xtreme Bowling Center in Sofia, Bulgaria, and received the 4.500 Euro top prize.

    Sandbækken, seeded third, defeated #17 Charis Panayiotou, Cyprus, in the championship match, 189-179, to secure the victory. The Norwegian ousted #15 Erwin Potot, Spain, 192-185, in the semi-finals, while Panayiotou edged #5 Bogdan Dobondi, Romania, 188-183.

    Panayiotou received 3.500 Euro for second, Dobondi pocketed 2.500 for third and Potot garnered 2.000 for fourth.

    2007EBT18NikolayOvchinnikovs_small.jpg The top 28 or half of the qualifying field advanced to the next round. The top four players 1. Nikolay Ovchinnikov, Latvia 2. Javier Rosado, Spain 3. Sandbækken and 4. Juan Calva, Spain, bypassed the first of three rounds of the single-elimination best-of-three games finals.

    Ovchinnikov (pictured right) and Rosado were eliminated in Round 2 in two games by Panayiotou and Potot, respectively, and Calva fell to Dobondi, 2-1, one round later.

    Sandbækken swept #14 Zabi Sikander, Bulgaria, and #22 Marius Piticariu, Romania in Round 2 and 3. The four remaining players advanced to the championship round which was decided in single-game matches.


    Sofia International Open 2007 - Final Standings (Top 28)


    Mega Xtreme Bowling Center in Sofia, Bulgaria (October 8-14, 2007)

    1. Mads Sandbækken, Norway
    2. Charis Panayiotou, Cyprus
    3. Bogdan Dobondi, Romania
    4. Erwin Potot, Spain
    5. Juan Calva, Spain
    6. Dominic Barrett, England
    7. Marius Piticariu, Romania
    8. Vasilis Delesis, Greece
    9. Nikolay Ovchinnikov, Latvia
    10. Jose Rosado, Spain
    11. Paris Alvanos, Greece
    12. Dimitrios Karetsos, Greece
    13. Jose Estevez, Spain
    14. Zabi Sikander, Bulgaria
    15. Gyorgy Bodis, Hungary
    16. Boyian Donov, Bulgaria
    17. Stuart Williams, England
    18. Vikaris Zumbakys, Lithuania
    19. Bogdan Obada, Romania
    20. Oren Genish, Israel
    21. Todor Litchev, Bulgaria
    22. Ben Fishler, Israel
    23. Juan Puerta, Spain
    24. Vitautas Gykis, Lithuania
    25. Loukis Louca, Cyprus
    26. Adonis Bekas, Bulgaria
    27. Csaba Racz, Hungary
    28. Amit Shtrum, Israel


    Sofia International Open 2007 - Championship Round


    Mega Xtreme Bowling Center in Sofia, Bulgaria (October 8-14, 2007)

    Semi-final Match 1: #17 Charis Panayiotou (Cyprus) def. #5 Bogdan Dobondi (Romania), 188-183
    Semi-final Match 1: #3 Mads Sandbækken (Norway) def. #15 Erwin Potot (Spain), 192-185
    Title Match: #3 Mads Sandbækken (Norway) def. #17 Charis Panayiotou (Cyprus), 189-179


    Sofia International Open 2007 - Quarterfinals


    Best of three, losers eliminated

    #17 Charis Panayiotou (Cyprus) def. #25 Vasilis Delesis (Greece), 2-1
    212-186, 186-204, 236-219
    #5 Bogdan Dobondi (Romania) def. #4 Juan Calva (Spain), 2-1
    229-194, 183-189, 248-227
    #3 Mads Sandbækken (Norway) def. #22 Marius Piticariu (Romania), 2-0
    212-181, 211-185
    #15 Erwin Potot (Spain) def. #7 Dominic Barrett (England), 2-1
    214-225, 227-151, 201-193


    Sofia International Open 2007 - Round 2


    Best of three, losers eliminated

    #17 Charis Panayiotou (Cyprus) def. #1 Nikolay Ovchinnikov (Latvia), 2-0
    222-210, 223-215
    #25 Vasilis Delesis (Greece) def. #9 Dimitrios Karetsos (Greece), 2-1
    236-212, 192-235, 202-177
    #5 Bogdan Dobondi (Romania) def. #21 Boyan Donov (Bulgaria), 2-0
    186-168, 216-135
    #4 Juan Calva (Spain) def. #20 Gyorgy Bodis (Hungary), 2-0
    257-221, 184-177
    #3 Mads Sandbækken (Norway) def. #14 Zabi Sikander (Bulgaria), 2-0
    207-159, 178-154
    #22 Marius Piticariu (Romania) def. #6 Paris Alvanos (Greece), 2-1
    222-199, 169-136, 231-192
    #7 Dominic Barrett (England) def. #10 Jose Esteves (Spain), 2-0
    220-180, 256-244
    #15 Erwin Potot (Spain) def. #2 Javier Rosado (Spain), 2-0
    278-233, 187-166


    Sofia International Open 2007 - Round 1


    Best of three, losers eliminated

    #17 Charis Panayiotou (Cyprus) def. #16 Todor Lichev (Bulgaria), 2-1
    175-182, 232-157, 204-175
    #9 Dimitrios Karetsos (Greece) def. #24 Loukis Louca (Cyprus), 2-1
    246-160, 182-218, 194-189
    #25 Vasilis Delesis (Greece) def. #8 Stuart Williams (England), 2-0
    212-206, 257-224
    #5 Bogdan Dobondi (Romania) def. #28 Amit Shtrum (Israel), 2-0
    246-147, 269-201
    #21 Boyan Donov (Bulgaria) def. #12 Bogdan Obada (Romania), 2-0
    194-178, 151-145
    #20 Gyorgy Bodis (Hungary) def. #13 Oren Genish (Israel), 2-0
    171-156, 212-189
    #14 Zabi Sikander (Bulgaria) def. #19 Juan Puerta (Spain), 2-1
    156-205, 240-174, 205-154
    #22 Marius Piticariu (Romania) def. #11 Vikaris Zumbakys (Lithuania), 2-1
    206-202, 173-212, 223-184
    #6 Paris Alvanos (Greece) def. #27 Csaba Racz (Hungary), 2-0
    214-189, 187-177
    #7 Dominic Barrett (England) def. #26 Adonis Bekas (Bulgaria), 2-0
    227-220, 249-144
    #10 Jose Esteves (Spain) def. #23 Vytautas Gykis (Lithuania), 2-0
    224-212, 211-199
    #15 Erwin Potot (Spain) def. #18 Ben Fishier (Israel), 2-1
    224-130, 214-224, 236-168


    Sofia International Open 2007 - Standings after Qualifying


    The top 28 advanced to match play. The top 4 earned one bye.