In an all-Finnish affair, Jari Ratia (left) defeated Pasi Uotila (right) by the closest possible margin, 194-193, en route to win the 6th Catalonia Open - Trofeu Galasa at Planet Bowling in Barcelona, Spain and the 12.000 Euro top prize.

The stepladder final in Barcelona was a low-scoring encounter with No. 2 seed Ratia ousting No. 3 seed, Remy Ong, Singapore, in the semi-final, 184-177, for the right to take on tournament leader Uotila for the title.

Uotila received 6,000 Euro for second place, while Ong garnered 3.000 Euro for third. The Catalonia Open was the fourth event on the 2008 European Bowling Tour and one of its "majors".

The European Bowling Tour moves to St. Maxim near Paris, France next week for the 2008 Brunswick Euro Challenge, March 7-16 at Le Plaza Bowling St. Maxim.


Bowlingdigital will cover the event live from St. Maxim with updates after each round and daily videos commencing March 13 all the way through to the finals on Sunday, March 16.

Finnish national team members Pasi Uotila (l.) and Jari Ratia (r.) and World and Asian Games champion Remy Ong, Singapore will battle it out for the title and the 12.000 Euro top prize in the 6th Catalonia Open - Trofeu Galasa at Planet Bowling in Barcelona, Spain.

Uotila rolled four games between 216 and 236 in the semi-finals to leap two spots and to take the No. 1 seed for the stepladder finals with 2517 pinfall total. Ratia shot the highest series of the 24 remaining players with 1005, a 251.25 average, to leapfrog from 23rd to second place within a span of four games.

Ong (left) slipped one spot behind an 868 set but grabbed the third and last spot for the finals with 2487. Former PBA exempt bowler Tore Torgersen, Norway, fell 5 pins short to finish in fourth place with 2482. Fifth place finisher Wu Siu Hong, Hong Kong was mere two pins behind with 2480.

Ong meets Ratia in the semi-final match for the right to bowl Uotila for the title and the 12.000 top prize.

Defending EBT women's ranking champion Kirsten Penny (right), England, won the rankings in Barcelona and the 2.500 Euro top prize. Penny finished in 17th place with 2663 pinfall total including 8 pins handicap each game.

Ghislaine van der Tol, Netherlands, was second with 2314 (22nd; 1.500 Euro) and Celia Choukroun, France, in third at 2179 (24th; 1.000 Euro).

Thomas Gross (left), Austria, started the 4-game quarterfinal round in the Catalonia Open in 38th place with 642 pins (50 per cent of his qualifying total). The European Doubles champion fired a 994 series including games of 234, 216, 266 and 278 to jump into the lead with 1636 pinfall total.

Singapore's Remy Ong (right) posted a 927 series to move from sixth to second place with 1619. Pasi Uotila, Finland, had 931 to leap six spots into third place with 1612. Qualifying leader Melvin Ocando, Spain, slipped to fourth with 1612 behind an 884 series.

Celia Choukroun, France, one of three women in the top 24, grabbed the 24th and final spot to advance with 1483.

Those 24 will bowl another 4-game block with the pinfall being carried forward to determine the three players for the stepladder finals. In the stepladder, No. 3 takes on No. 2 in the semi-final match for the right to bowl No. 1 for the title and the 12.000 top prize.

Melvin Ocando (left) saved his best for the last qualifying squad in the 6th Catalonia Open - Trofeu Galasa at Planet Bowling in Barcelona, Spain. The Spaniard rolled a 1456 series including 782 in his last three games to win the qualifying with a 242.67 average for six games.

Former PBA exempt bowler Tore Torgersen (right), Norway, who led since the first of 12 squads, slipped to second place with 1405. Half of the Swedish national team finished in third to fifth place. Robert Andersson was third with 1396, followed by Martin Larsen with 1395 and Peter Ljung 1393.

Dutch Nicole Sanders (left) was the best woman in the field in 28th position with 1310 including 48 pins handicap. Five more women survived the cut to the top 42 while another six women advanced to the finals through a "bonus rule".

Eoin McLaughlin (right), Ireland, took the 42nd and final spot with 1277 and an average of 212.83. Erik Andersin (18th, 1325), Sweden, rolled the sole 300 game in qualifying.

48 players, the top 30 qualifying leaders plus the best player of each squad not among the top 30 plus another six women, advanced to the finals and will carry forward 50 per cent of their respective qualifying total.

Those 48 players will bowl 4 games to cut to the top 24, who will determine the three players for the stepladder finals in another 4-game block. No. 3 takes on No. 2 for the right to bowl No. 1 for the title and the 12.000 top prize.

With the final two qualifying squads to go, Tore Torgersen, Norway, remained atop the leaderboard in the qualifying of the VI Catalonia Open - Trofeu Galasa at Planet Bowling in Barcelona, Spain. Torgersen rolled a 1405 in the first of 12 qualifying squads, an average of 234.17 for six games.

Swedes Robert Andersson and Peter Ljung stayed in second and third place with 1396 and 1393, respectively. Squad 10 leader Remy Ong (left), Singapore, moved into fourth place with 1384 pinfall total including a 269 in game five.

Squad 9 leader Stuart Williams (right), England, had six games between 212 and 249 to move into 10th place with 1341. Dutch national team member Priscilla Maaswinkel is the best woman in the field with 1304 including 48 pins handicap, good for 19th place.

48 players, the top 30 qualifying leaders plus the best player of each squad not among the top 30 plus another six women, will advance to the finals and carry forward 50 per cent of their respective qualifying total.

Those 48 players will bowl 4 games to cut to the top 24, who will determine the three players for the stepladder finals in another 4-game block. No. 3 takes on No. 2 for the right to bowl No. 1 for the title and the 12.000 top prize.

Tore Torgersen, Norway, who rolled a 1405 in the first squad, continued to lead the qualifying in the VI Catalonia Open - Trofeu Galasa at Planet Bowling in Barcelona, Spain after the completion of 8 out of 12 qualifying squads.

Peter Ljung, left, Sweden and Wu Siu Hong, right, Hong Kong added their names to the leaderboard on Friday. Ljung led squad 7 with 1393 to move into third place, while Siu Hong topped squad 8 with 1348, good for 5th place.

48 players, the top 30 qualifying leaders plus the best player of each squad not among the top 30 plus another six women, will advance to the finals and carry forward 50 per cent of their respective qualifying total.

Those 48 players will bowl 4 games to cut to the top 24, who will determine the three players for the stepladder finals in another 4-game block. No. 3 takes on No. 2 for the right to bowl No. 1 for the title and the 12.000 top prize.

Former PBA exempt bowler Tore Torgersen (left), Norway, who rolled a 1405 in the first squad, continued to lead the qualifying at halftime in the VI Catalonia Open - Trofeu Galasa at Planet Bowling in Barcelona, Spain. Torgersen averaged 234.17 in the six-game block, with three games of 244 or better.

Squad 3 leader Robert Andersson, Sweden, remained in second place with 1396. Nikolay Ovchinnikov (right), Latvia, led squad 5 on Friday with 1366, good for third place in the overall standings. Squad 2 leader Frederick Ohrgaard, Denmark, slipped to fourth with 1342.

Jari Ratia (left), Finland, who led squad 6 with 1329 moved into fifth place. Those 5 and squad 4 leader Brian Voss, United States (16th, 1272) are automatically qualified fort he finals on Sunday.

48 players, the top 30 qualifying leaders plus the best player of each squad not among the top 30 plus another six women, will advance to the finals and carry forward 50 per cent of their respective qualifying total.

Those 48 players will bowl 4 games to cut to the top 24, who will determine the three players for the stepladder finals in another 4-game block. No. 3 takes on No. 2 for the right to bowl No. 1 for the title and the 12.000 top prize.