Osku Palermaa (l.), the two-hander from Finland defeated PBA exempt bowler Bill O'Neill (r.), United States, 453-374 over two games total pinfall to win the Brunswick Aalborg International 2008 and the 10.000 Euro top prize. The American received 6.000 Euro for second place.



In an all-Finnish semi-final match, Palermaa denied Lasse Lintilä's (l.) bid for back-to-back EBT titles, eliminating the long-time Team Finland anchor, 431-426.

In the other semi-final, O'Neill flew past No. 1 seed Dominic Barrett (r.), England, 502-409. Lintilä and Barrett earned 3.300 Euro each.

Helén Johnsson (l.), Sweden, beat out compatriot Nina Flack for the pole position in the women's rankings finishing in sixth place overall while Flack landed in 11th place.

Peter Hellström (l.) rolled a 1434 six-game series Saturday at Lovvang Bowling Center in Aalborg, Denmark en route to win the qualifying for the Brunswick Aalborg International 2008. The Swede closed out his series with 279, 242 and 256, a 777 series for the last three games. He earned a 1.000 Euro bonus for accomplishing the feat.

Previous leader, PBA champion Michael Fagan, United States, finished in second place with 1429. Martin Larsen (r.), Sweden was third with 1428.

Helén Johnsson (l.), who rolled one of three perfect games in qualifying, was the best woman in the field in 12th place with 1389 including 48 pins handicap, a standard on the EBT. Magnus Andersson, both Sweden, hit the number for 24th place with 1370. The top 12 qualifiers will bypass the first two rounds of the final, while qualifiers 13-24 will be seeded into round two.

The top 38 qualifiers (Veronica Lantto, Sweden, hit the cutoff number with 1342) plus the top 3 from a combined standing of Squads 1-3 and 4-6 as well as the top 4 from the Desperado Squad advance to the main event on Sunday, May 25.

All but the top 24 players will start with Round 1, the first of four rounds of a 4-game starting-from-scratch contest on mixed lane condition (left lane long, right lane short oil). The field will be trimmed to four players, who will determine the champion in semi-finals (No. 1 vs. No. 4; No. 2 vs. No. 3) and a championship match, each over two games total pinfall.

The champion will leave Aalborg with 10.000 Euro.

PBA champion Michael Fagan (left) used high games of 270 and 289 Friday at Lovvang Bowling Center in Aalborg, Denmark to move to the top of the leaderboard in the qualifying for the Brunswick Aalborg International 2008.

Fagan, who won the richest event on the European Bowling Tour three years ago (2005 Viernheim Open), felled 1429 pins, an average of 238.17 on the mixed lane condition (left lane long, right lane short oil).

Mikael Brændeskov (right) fell ten pins short but overtook previous leader René Sejling, both Denmark, by one pin to take the second place with 1419. Sejling slipped to third with 1418.

Fourth place belongs to 2007 European ranking champion Osku Palermaa, Finland, with 1392.

Peter Ljung (left), Sweden, who defeated Fagan, 220-187, to win the Brunswick Euro Challenge in March, is fifth with 1390.

Swedish standout Helén Johnsson (right) rolled the third 300 of the tournament and the first of woman en route to leap into sixth place with 1389 including 48 pins handicap, a standard on the EBT. Next are two Danes, Jimmy Mortensen and Bo Winther Pedersen with 1388 and 1382, respectively.

Pasi Uotila, Finland, sits in 9th place with 1381. Rounding out the top 10 is Bill O'Neill (left), United States. The PBA exempt bowler, currently the No. 18 in the PBA point rankings, also had 1381 but was seeded 10th due to Uotila's higher last game, 237-212.

Qualifying ends on Saturday with the final four squads and the ultimate chance to qualify, the one-game "Desperado Squad". The top 38 qualifiers (cut is currently 1327 by James Gruffman, Sweden) plus the top 3 from a combined standing of Squads 1-3 and 4-6 as well as the top 4 from the Desperado Squad will advance the main event on Sunday, May 25.

The top 12 will bypass the first two rounds of the final, while qualifiers 13-24 will be seeded into round two. The other 24 players will start with Round 1, the first of four rounds of a 4-game starting from scratch contest. The field will be trimmed to four players, who will determine the champion in semi-finals (No. 1 vs. No. 4; No. 2 vs. No. 3) and a championship match, each over two games total pinfall.

The champion will leave Aalborg with 10.000 Euro.

With the first six of 13 qualifying squads in the books, René Sejling of Denmark leads the qualifying of the Brunswick Aalborg International 2008 at Lovvang Bowling Center in Aalborg, Denmark. Sejling felled 1418 pins over six games, an average of 236.33, on dual lane condition (left lane with long oil, right lane with short oil).

Reigning European ranking champion Osku Palermaa (left), Finland is second with 1392, with Jimmy Mortensen in third, 1388. Trios World Champion Nina Flack, Sweden, is the top woman in the field of 140 players with 1376 including 48 pins handicap.

All but one player in the top 20 are from Scandinavia. England's Nick Froggatt is 19th with 1326. By virtue of being the top 3 after the first three squads, Sejling, Palermaa and Mortensen would be qualified for the finals even if he would not finish qualifying among the top 38.

Also qualified for the finals on Sunday, May 25th, will be the top 3 from a combined standing of Squads 4-6, the top 4 from the Desperado Squad as well as the top 38 qualifiers. The top 12 will bypass the first two rounds of the final, while qualifiers 13-24 will be seeded into round two. The other 24 players will start with Round 1.

The finals in Aalborg are a 4-game scratch contest over four round which will bring the field down to the top 4, who will determine the champion in semi-finals (No. 1 vs. No. 4; No. 2 vs. No. 3) and a championship match, each over two games total pinfall.

The champion will leave Aalborg with 10.000 Euro.