Pasi Uotila (right), Finland, led the 15th qualifying squad on Friday afternoon en route to move into fourth place in the overall qualifying standings of the Brunswick Euro Challenge at Plaza Bowling in Saint Maximin, France.

The long-time Finnish international used high games of 268 and 259 for 1382 pinfall total, an average of 230.33 for six games. Erik Andersin (right), Sweden, was 26 pins behind Uotila and overtook fifth place overall with 1356 (226.00).

The top 3 players remained unchallenged. World Champion Martin Larsen, Sweden, leads the field of now 322 players from 33 countries with 1448 (241.33), with Australia's Jason Belmonte, Australia, in second with 1398 and PBA champion Mike Fagan, United States, in third at 1390.

8-time PBA champion Mika Koivuniemi (L-r Koivuniemi, Rick Benoit and Sean Rash) leapfrogged 103 spots from 119th to 16th place behind a 1308 series this afternoon.

The 2003-04 PBA Player of the Year registered five games between 217 and 235 and a low game of 188.

Missy Bellinder, United States, is the top-ranked women bowler in sixth place with 1348 pins including 48 pins handicap, a standard for women on the European Bowling Tour.

The 2-time PBA regional champion is one of seven women among the top 52.

Wendy van der List (left), Netherlands, is in 18th place with 1301, with Diandra Asbaty, United States, in 19th at 1296. Lotte Pedersen, Denmark, had a 1276 series in squad 15 to leap into 30th place.

Zara Glover and Nicki Ainge, both England, are tied at 1262 to sit in 34th and 35th place due to Glover's higher last game (207 to 199). Anne Gales, Denmark, holds the 52nd and final qualifying post with 1238.

To view more pictures from the 2008 Brunswick Euro Challenge
go to Bowlingdigital's Photo Album .

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 continues Friday with three more squads scheduled for 4 and 8 p.m. and Midnight and ends on Saturday with squads #19-22 and the ultimate Desperado Squad on 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.