Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey (April 7-13, 2008)

Lasse Lintilä, Finland, denied Peter Ljung's bid for back-to-back European Bowling Tour titles when he defeated the Brunswick Euro Challenge winner, 268-228, in the title match of the 5th Istanbul Bowling Open Sunday at Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey.

In his semi-final match against Ljung's compatriot Dennis Eklund, both Sweden, Lintilä almost rolled the seventh perfecto of the tournament when he flew past the No. 1 seed, 298-225. In the other semi-final, Ljung ousted reigning World Ranking Masters champion Stuart Williams, England, 268-226.

Lintilä pocketed 10.000 Euro for first place. Ljung received 6.000 Euro for second, while Eklund and Williams received 3.500 Euro each for third and fourth place, respectively.

Photos Beat Grauwiler.

European Bowling Tour Rankings by Bowlingdigital

Men's Rankings after six events
Women's Rankings after six events

5th Istanbul Bowling Open

Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey (April 7-13, 2008)

1. Lasse Lintilä, Finland, 566 (2 games), 10.000 Euro
2. Peter Ljung, Sweden, 496 (2 games), 6.000 Euro
3. Dennis Eklund, Sweden, 225 (1 game), 3.500 Euro
4. Stuart Williams, England, 226 (1 game), 3.500 Euro

Playoff Results:
Semi-final Match 1: #4 Lintilä def. #1 Eklund, 298-225
Semi-final Match 1: #2 Ljung def. #3 Williams, 268-226
Title Match: #4 Lintilä def. #2 Ljung, 268-228

Note: Eklund and Williams were seeded third and fourth accoding to their position after Final Round 5.

Final Standings - Places 5-48 with earnings

5. Robert Andersson, Sweden, 1.200 Euro
6. Guy Caminsky, South Africa, 1.200 Euro
7. Erik Andersin, Sweden, 1.200 Euro
8. Osku Palermaa, Finland, 1.200 Euro
9. Tore Torgersen, Norway, 900 Euro
10. Dominic Barrett, England, 900 Euro
11. Sergey Andreev, Russia, 900 Euro
12. Martin Larsen, Sweden, 900 Euro
13. Tina Hulsch, Germany, 900 Euro
14. Marco Baade, Germany, 900 Euro
15. Anne Lorraine Gales, Denmark, 900 Euro
16. Timo Alho, Finland, 900 Euro
17. David Sandowski, Germany, 900 Euro
18. Ivan Semenov, Russia, 900 Euro
19. Dimitrios Karetsos, Greece, 800 Euro
20. Mithat Siveliol, Turkey, 800 Euro
21. Frederik Øhrgaard, Denmark, 800 Euro
22. Kim Bolleby, Sweden, 800 Euro
23. Anja Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 800 Euro
24. Robert Kendall, England, 800 Euro
25. Peter Knopp, Germany, 800 Euro
26. Tobias Karlsson, Sweden, 800 Euro
27. Andrey Suslov, Russia, 800 Euro
28. Barlas Kontas, Turkey, 800 Euro
29. Ben Fishler, Israel, 700 Euro
30. Ulf Bolleby, Sweden, 700 Euro
31. Tim Friedrichs, Germany, 700 Euro
32. Jesper Agerbo, Denmark, 700 Euro
33. Mikael Kanold, Sweden, 700 Euro
34. Gennadiy Sidorov, Russia, 700 Euro
35. Kirsten Penny, England, 700 Euro
36. Timo Schröder, Germany, 700 Euro
37. Mehmet Kaya, Turkey, 700 Euro
38. Alexey Parshukov, Russia, 700 Euro
39. Mads Sandbækken, Norway, 600 Euro
40. Oliver Morig, Germany, 600 Euro
41. Mindaugas Gaucys, Lithuania, 600 Euro
42. Lotte Pedersen, Denmark, 600 Euro
43. Michael Guriel, Israel, 600 Euro
44. Joanne Allsebrook, England, 600 Euro
45. Habib Dogan, Turkey, 600 Euro
46. Rikke Holm Rasmussen, Denmark, 600 Euro
47. Todor Lichev, Bulgaria, 600 Euro
48. Yan Korshak, Russia, 600 Euro

It's down to four in Istanbul

 

Dennis Eklund (l.), Sweden, had a 967 4-game series in the Final Round 5 to earn the No. 1 seed for the semi-finals in the 5th Istanbul Bowling Open. Eklund will meet Finland's Lasse Lintilä (r.), who took the fourth and final spot with 916. In the other semi-final, Eklund's compatriot Peter Ljung (2nd; 931), who targets back-to-back EBT titles after his victory in the Brunswick Euro Challenge last month, will take on World Ranking Masters champion Stuart Williams (3rd; 929). Robert Andersson, Sweden, fell from second to fifth in the last game missing the cut by one pin.

Final Round 5

Top 8 from Round 4, four games from scratch, top 4 advance

Final Round 4

Players seeded 1st through 8th after qualifying and top 10 from Round 3, four games from scratch, top 8 advance

Final Round 3

Players seeded 9th through 18th after qualifying and top 10 from Round 2, four games from scratch, top 10 advance

Final Round 2

Players seeded 19th through 28th after qualifying and top 10 from Round 1, four games from scratch, top 10 advance

Final Round 1

Players seeded 29th through 48th after qualifying, four games from scratch, top 10 advance

Standings after Qualifying

 

Larsen remains unchallenged in Istanbul qualifying

 

Martin Larsen remained unchallenged in the qualifying of the 5th Istanbul Bowling Open Friday at Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey. No surprise as the Swede has fired a 1603 six-game series, a 267.17 average, on Thursday including the tournament's first 300 game.

Dominic Barrett, England, led squad 13 on Friday afternoon with 1526 (254.33) en route to move into second place in the overall qualifying standings. Barrett had two 240s, two 250s and high games of 268 and 262.

Sergey Andreev, Russia, fell one spot to third with 1521. Fourth place belongs to Timo Alho (right), who led squad 12 with 1502 pinfall total. The Finn started with 1078 after four games (278, 299, 222 and 279) and closed out his set with 238 and 186, which cost him the second place.

Ivan Semenov, Russia sits in fifth position with 1483. Barlas Kontas, Turkey, started squad 13 with the second 300 game of the tournament and finished with 277 to jump into sixth place with 1482 (247.17).

Tobias Karlsson, Sweden, who led squad 11 on Friday morning, is seventh with 1479. Tina Hulsch (left), Germany, averaged 237.00 scratch Friday night to lead squad 14 and to move in 8th place with 1470 including 48 pins handicap, a standard for women on the European Bowling Tour.

Last week, Hulsch, the No. 5 in the women's ranking on the 2007 EBT, has withdrawn from the World Ranking Masters to be held in Indonesia April 30 through May 6. Hulsch has citied the reduced support by the European Tenpin Bowling Federation for the European WRM qualifiers for her decision. None of the men's top 8 and just 3 of the women's top 8 will go to Jakarta.

The 5th Istanbul Bowling Open is the sixth stop of the 2008 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "majors". Approximately 260 players from 29 countries will compete for total prize money of 66,000 Euro.

Qualifying will continue through Saturday and ends with the 18th qualifying squad and the ultimate Desperado Squad Saturday night, April 12. A total of 48 players - the top 42 players from the qualifying (cut is currently 1376 or a 229.33 average) plus the top 6 from the Desperado Squad - will advance to the finals on Sunday, April 13.

The top 8 will earn three byes, players seeded 9-18 will receive two byes and players seeded 19-28 will bypass the first round of the finals.

The first five rounds consist of four games starting from scratch. The four remaining players advance to the semi-finals (Round 6) to determine the finalists in one-game matches (No. 1 vs No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3). The winners will bowl for the title and the 10.000 € top prize.

Larsen shoots record series to take dominating lead in Istanbul

 

Martin Larsen, Sweden, posted the first-ever 1600-plus six-game series in the history of the European Bowling Tour Thursday to shoot into the lead in the qualifying of the 5th Istanbul Bowling Open at Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey.

The 3-time World Champion (pictured left) started the 8th qualifying squad with 242, 268 and 280 (790) before he rolled the first 300 of the tournament in the fourth game. Larsen closed out the series with 234 and 279 (813) for 1603 pinfall total and an average of 267.17.

Larsen topped his previous high series (1544 in squad 4) by 57 pins. Trailing Larsen by 82 pins to sit in second place is Sergey Andreev, Russia. Andreev was second to Larsen in squad 4 with 1521 (253.50) including high games of 289, 269 and 266.

His compatriot Ivan Semenov, who led squad 6, sits in third place with 1483. Fourth and fifth place belong to Kim Bolleby, Sweden and defending champion Osku Palermaa (right), Finland, both 1469. Bolleby had the higher last game, 259 to Palermaa's 258.

Tobias Karlsson (left), Sweden, led squad 11 on Friday morning with 1466 to move into sixth place in the overall standings.

Dominic Barrett, who won back-to-back squads on Tuesday, is seventh with 1465. Rounding out the top 8, who will earn three byes for the finals on Sunday, is Stuart Williams, both England. The 2007 World Ranking Masters champion felled 1461 pins despite a 155 in the second game.

Their fellow countrywoman Joanne Allsebrook is the best woman in the field in 20th place. Allsebrook toppled 1364 pins, a 227.33 average, and added 48 pins handicap for 1412 pinfall total. The best Turkish player thus far, Mehmet Kaya, is just one place behind in 21st with 1407 (234.50).

Jesus Decorte from Venezuela is the 'man on the bubble' in 42nd place with 1336 (222.67).

The 5th Istanbul Bowling Open is the sixth stop of the 2008 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "majors". Approximately 260 players from 29 countries will compete for total prize money of 66,000 Euro.

Qualifying will continue through Saturday and ends with the 18th qualifying squad and the ultimate Desperado Squad Saturday night, April 12. A total of 48 players - the top 42 players from the qualifying plus the top 6 from the Desperado Squad - will advance to the finals on Sunday, April 13.

The top 8 will earn three byes, players seeded 9-18 will receive two byes and players seeded 19-28 will bypass the first round of the finals.

The first five rounds consist of four games starting from scratch. The four remaining players advance to the semi-finals (Round 6) to determine the finalists in one-game matches (No. 1 vs No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3). The winners will bowl for the title and the 10.000 € top prize.

Barrett, Sandbækken win qualifying squads on Tuesday to take the lead in Istanbul

 

After finishing second in the opening squad, Dominic Barrett, England led squads 2 and 2a Tuesday at Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey, to overtake the lead in the 5th Istanbul Bowling Open, the sixth event of the 2008 European Bowling Tour.

Barrett (pictured left) had games of 234, 225, 257, 235, 246 and 268 for the field-best 1465 series, a 244.17 average, in Squad 2a and rolled a 1378 including a 279 game in Squad 2 to earn a 500 Euro bonus, 250 Euro for each win.

European (adult) Masters champion and World Youth Masters champion Mad Sandbækken (right), who was second in both squads with 1412 and 1337 led squad 3 with 1421 pinfall total including back-to-back 260s. Barrett did not compete in this squad. Sandbækken sits in second place in the overall standings with a 236.83 average.

Photos Istanbul Open.

Joanne Allsebrook. England, is the top-ranked woman in the field with 1412 including 48 pins handicap (1364 scratch or an average of 227.33). Fourth place belonged to Mavitan Chiftchi, Bulgaria with Sergey Andreev, Russia, in fifth, both 1406. Chiftchi was seeded fourth due to the higher last game, 264 to 211.

Hakan Mutlu is currently the best Turkish player in sixth position with 1402. Gennadiy Sidorov, Russia, moved into seventh place with 1389. Day one leader Cengiz Aydin (left), Turkey, fell to 8th place with 1374, a 229.00 average.

The 5th Istanbul Bowling Open is the sixth stop of the 2008 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "majors". Approximately 260 players from 29 countries will compete for total prize money of 66,000 Euro.

Qualifying will continue through Saturday and ends with the 18th qualifying squad and the ultimate Desperado Squad Saturday night, April 12. A total of 48 players - the top 42 players from the qualifying plus the top 6 from the Desperado Squad - will advance to the finals on Sunday, April 13.

The top 8 will earn three byes, players seeded 9-18 will receive two byes and players seeded 19-28 will bypass the first round of the finals.

The first five rounds consist of four games starting from scratch. The four remaining players advance to the semi-finals (Round 6) to determine the finalists in one-game matches (No. 1 vs No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3). The winners will bowl for the title and the 10.000 € top prize.

Aydin takes the early lead in 5th Istanbul Bowling Open

 

The 5th Istanbul Bowling Open got underway Monday evening at Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey. Cengiz Aydin from Turkey took the early lead and the first prize money as he led the first squad with 1374 six-game total and an average of 229.00. Aydin beat out England's Dominic Barrett for the 250 Euro bonus awarded to each of the 19 squad winners by 28 pins.

Barrett (right), who was second with 1346, is followed by Burak Natal and Ayhan Bilge, both Turkey with 1302 and 1281 pinfall total, resp. Rounding out the top 5 was Mavitan Chiftchi, Bulgaria, with 1271. Meryem Kucuk, Turkey, is the best woman in the field with 1270 including 48 pins handicap, a standard for women on the European Bowling Tour.

The 5th Istanbul Bowling Open is the sixth stop of the 2008 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "majors". Approximately 260 players from 29 countries will compete for total prize money of 66,000 Euro.

Qualifying will continue through Saturday and ends with the 18th qualifying squad and the ultimate Desperado Squad Saturday night, April 12. A total of 48 players - the top 42 players from the qualifying plus the top 6 from the Desperado Squad - will advance to the finals on Sunday, April 13. The winner will walk away with the 10.000 € top prize.