Fredrik Tjernes (pictured) from Norway rolled the third-highest 6-game series in the history of the World Youth Championships Singles events en route to take the lead in Boys Singles in the 10th World Youth Championships after the first of two squads Saturday on the log oil pattern. Tjernes used thee 246 games to finish first among 97 bowlers with 1349 pinfall total and an average of 224.83.

Jaime Eduardo Gonzalez from Colombia fell one spot in the final game to land in second place with 1338 (223.00). Third place belonged to Ildemaro Ruiz from Venezuela, who chalked up 1310 including the high game of the squad of 278. Rounding out the top 4 was Fidel Marchena, Dominican Republic, who had 1297 (216.17).

Squad 2 started their six-game preliminaries at 12.50 p.m. and will finish around 4.30 p.m. Four long hours for the Squad 1 leaders, who have to sit and wait to see where they will eventually finish.

L-R Tjernes, Gonzalez, Ruiz and Marchena. Click on the image to enlarge it.

However, the championship will not be decided after the six games. The WTBA Congress has added a semi-final and final in all disciplines to this year's event. Neither the players nor the coaches are happy about the decision, especially not with the format the officials considered to be adequate to determine a World Champion.

The top 4 players after six games (combined standings of Squad 1 and 2) will advance to the semi-finals. No. 1 takes on No. 4 and No. 2 bowls No. 3 in a one-game (!!) match. The losers of this match will share the bronze medal, even if it is the tournament leader, and the winners will advance to the title match.

The winner of another one-game match will be crowned World Youth Champion 2008, while the loser gets silver.