Leroy leads Brunswick Euro Challenge after the first weekend
03/10/08
Olivier Leroy (pictured left), Belgium, who led the fourth qualifying squad in the Brunswick Euro Challenge at Plaza Bowling in St. Maximin, France, improved his 1239 six-game total by three pins in squad 5 to finish the first weekend atop the leaderboard with 1242 or an average of 207.00.
That is worth much more than just bragging rights as the top 6 players from the combined standings of squads 1-5, who will not finish among the top 52 qualifiers in the overall qualifying standings, receive an automatic berth in the finals on Sunday, March 16.
As it is highly improbable that 1242 will be enough to make the cut in the BEC, the richest event of the 2008 European Bowling Tour, Leroy's qualifying secures him at least 320 Euro (low to cash).
Joining Leroy in the finals is Anne Gales (right), Denmark, who landed in second place with 1238 including 48 pins handicap, a standard on the European Bowling Tour for women.
Third place belonged to Venezuelan international Rafael Medina, who closed out his series on Sunday evening with 245, 220 and 209 to move into third place with 1233 pinfall total (205.50).
Next was Jimmy Ravez, Belgium, who was mere one pin behind Medina in fourth place with 1232.
Colombian standout and former PBA exempt bowler Andres Gomez (left) was minus 19 pins after five games (based on a 200 average) but must have found something in the final game where he posted a 249 to help grab the fifth place with 1230 pinfall total.
Gery Verbruggen, Belgium, and Yoan Alix, France, were tied at 1228 and 4-time European Ranking Champion Verbruggen earned the sixth and last spot for the finals due to the higher last game, 202-195.
The Brunswick Euro Challenge is the fifth stop on the 2008 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "majors". The BEC offers total prize fund of 90,000 Euros (currently approx. $136,500) and offers special prizes that will be given in categories such as youth encouragement, "B" bowlers and ladies.
The 2008 Brunswick Euro Challenge sponsored by Brunswick Bowling is organized by Brunswick distributor Valcke Bowling.
Qualifying will continue Monday through Saturday and ends with the 22nd qualifying squad and the ultimate Desperado Squad Saturday night, March 15.
A total of 64 players will qualify for the finals. The top 16 players will receive one bye into step 2 and will seeded 1-16.
The following 48 players will qualify for step 1:
Those 48 will bowl six games starting from scratch to cut to the top 16 , who will meet the top 16 qualifiers in the first match play round. Match play is best-of-three games single-elimination. The field will be cut to 16, 8 and then four, who will determine the champion in a stepladder final.
Bowlingdigital will cover the event live from Paris with updates after each squad and round, respectively, and exclusive video footage commencing Thursday, March 13 all the way through to the finals on Sunday, March 16.
Please use the left menu bar to view all the details of the 2008 Brunswick Euro Challenge.
Click here for the latest results.
2008 European Bowling Tour #5
Plaza Bowling in Saint Maximin, France (March 7-16, 2008)
Olivier Leroy (pictured left), Belgium, who led the fourth qualifying squad in the Brunswick Euro Challenge at Plaza Bowling in St. Maximin, France, improved his 1239 six-game total by three pins in squad 5 to finish the first weekend atop the leaderboard with 1242 or an average of 207.00. That is worth much more than just bragging rights as the top 6 players from the combined standings of squads 1-5, who will not finish among the top 52 qualifiers in the overall qualifying standings, receive an automatic berth in the finals on Sunday, March 16.
As it is highly improbable that 1242 will be enough to make the cut in the BEC, the richest event of the 2008 European Bowling Tour, Leroy's qualifying secures him at least 320 Euro (low to cash).
Joining Leroy in the finals is Anne Gales (right), Denmark, who landed in second place with 1238 including 48 pins handicap, a standard on the European Bowling Tour for women. Third place belonged to Venezuelan international Rafael Medina, who closed out his series on Sunday evening with 245, 220 and 209 to move into third place with 1233 pinfall total (205.50).
Next was Jimmy Ravez, Belgium, who was mere one pin behind Medina in fourth place with 1232.
Colombian standout and former PBA exempt bowler Andres Gomez (left) was minus 19 pins after five games (based on a 200 average) but must have found something in the final game where he posted a 249 to help grab the fifth place with 1230 pinfall total. Gery Verbruggen, Belgium, and Yoan Alix, France, were tied at 1228 and 4-time European Ranking Champion Verbruggen earned the sixth and last spot for the finals due to the higher last game, 202-195.
The Brunswick Euro Challenge is the fifth stop on the 2008 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "majors". The BEC offers total prize fund of 90,000 Euros (currently approx. $136,500) and offers special prizes that will be given in categories such as youth encouragement, "B" bowlers and ladies. The 2008 Brunswick Euro Challenge sponsored by Brunswick Bowling is organized by Brunswick distributor Valcke Bowling. Qualifying will continue Monday through Saturday and ends with the 22nd qualifying squad and the ultimate Desperado Squad Saturday night, March 15.
A total of 64 players will qualify for the finals. The top 16 players will receive one bye into step 2 and will seeded 1-16.
The following 48 players will qualify for step 1:
- Players positioned 17-52 in the qualifying
- the top 6 from a separate standing for the squads conducted March 7-9, who are not among the top 52
- the top 6 from the Desperado Squad.
Those 48 will bowl six games starting from scratch to cut to the top 16 , who will meet the top 16 qualifiers in the first match play round. Match play is best-of-three games single-elimination. The field will be cut to 16, 8 and then four, who will determine the champion in a stepladder final.
Bowlingdigital will cover the event live from Paris with updates after each squad and round, respectively, and exclusive video footage commencing Thursday, March 13 all the way through to the finals on Sunday, March 16. Please use the left menu bar to view all the details of the 2008 Brunswick Euro Challenge.
Click here for the latest results.