Osku Palermaa (left) from Finland defeated his compatriot and fellow Finnish national team member Petteri Salonen, 235-227, en route to win the title and the 8.000 Euro top prize in the inaugural Ebonite Lahti Open at Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland.

Palermaa, who widened his lead in the European Bowling Tour ranking, survived a strong charge by another Finnish international, Petri Mannonen, in the semifinal, 217-216. Salonen ousted women ranking winner, Patricia Luoto, Germany, 203-194.

Salonen pocketed 4.000 Euro for second place, while Mannonen and Luoto received 2.000 Euro each for finishing third and fourth.

The Ebonite Lahti Open was the 15th stop of the 2008 EBT and one of the Tour's "Challenger" events. The tournament, was held from Oct. 12-19, 2008 at Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland, and offered total prize money of 42.000 Euro, or about 56,850 U.S. dollars.

Three Finns and a German married to a Finn will battle it out for the title in the European Bowling Tour's Ebonite Lahti Open Sunday afternoon at Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland.

Multiple European champion Petteri Salonen (left) secured the No. 1 seed with a huge 957 4-game series (239.25) including high games of 268 and 279.

The No. 1 seed will meet Patricia Luoto (right), Germany, wife of World Champion Mika Luoto, who rebounded from a 155 in game #1 with back-to-back 248s en route to earn the No. 4 seed with 884 including 8 pins handicap per game.

Luoto, who won the 6th Columbia Vienna Open two weeks ago targets to win the second consecutive EBT title. She has already sealed the victory in the women's rankings.

Osku Palermaa (left), the male EBT ranking leader and defending ranking champion takes on Petri Mannonen (right), another multiple European champion, in the second semifinal. Palermaa took the No. 2 seed with 921 while Mannonen finished third with 888.

The Ebonite Lahti Open is the 15th stop of the 2008 EBT and one of the Tour's "Challenger" events. The tournament, which will be held from Oct. 12-19, 2008 at Jouni Helminen's Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland, and offers total prize money of 42.000 Euro, or about 56,850 U.S. dollars. The winner will walk away with the 8.000 Euro top prize.

European ranking leader Osku Palermaa (left) rolled games of 217, 235, 237 and 228 to lead Final Round Two in the Ebonite Lahti Open with 917 4-game total and an average of 229.25. The two-hander from Finland led the top 10 players into the third round.

Compatriot Petri Mannonen was second with 902, followed by the best of three women, who made the third cut, Nina Flack (right), Sweden, with 889 including 8 pins handicap per game.

Juhani Tonteri finished in fourth place with 875, with Piritta Kantola, both Finland, in fifth with 866 and Patricia Luoto, Germany, in sixth with 861, the two latter including handicap.

Place 7-9 belonged to Finns Petteri Salonen (860), Jari Ratia (844) and Jussi Turtianen (843).

Peter Ljung (far right), Sweden, beat out his compatriots Martin Larsen (left) and Erik Andersin (center) for the 10th and final spot to advance by 2 and 9 pins, 842-840-833.

The top 3 qualifying leaders, Krista Pöllänen (17th; 805), Pasi Uotila (15th; 813), both Finland, and Norwegian Tore Torgersen (14th; 818), missed the cut and failed to advance.

The remaining 10 players will bowl another 4-game series from scratch to cut to the top 4 who will advance to the semifinals.

The No. 1 seeded player after Round 3 meets No. 4 and No. 2 takes on No. 3 in a one-game match. The winners will bowl a one-game match for the title and the 8.000 Euro top prize.

The Ebonite Lahti Open is the 15th stop of the 2008 EBT and one of the Tour's "Challenger" events. The tournament, which will be held from Oct. 12-19, 2008 at Jouni Helminen's Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland, and offers total prize money of 42.000 Euro, or about 56,850 U.S. dollars.

Joonas Huolman (pictured left) from Finland had six games between 209 and 248 en route to lead the top 12 of Final Round One (Players seeded 9-40 after qualifying) into the second round in the Ebonite Lahti Open at Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland.

Seven Finns including ranking leader Osku Palermaa, three Swedes including EBT ranking #4 Martin Larsen and #5 Peter Ljung, Dane Martin Larsen and the sole women, Patricia Luoto (pictured right), Germany, who won the last EBT tournament, the 6th Columbia Vienna Open, earlier this month will meet the top 8 qualifiers in Final Round Two.

Those 20 players - 16 men and four women - bowl 4 games from scratch with the top 10 advancing to Round 3. Those 10 players will bowl another 4-game series from scratch to cut to the top 4 who will advance to the semifinals.

The No. 1 seeded player after Round 3 meets No. 4 and No. 2 takes on No. 3 in a one-game match. The winners will bowl a one-game match for the title and the 8.000 Euro top prize.

The Ebonite Lahti Open is the 15th stop of the 2008 EBT and one of the Tour's "Challenger" events. The tournament, which will be held from Oct. 12-19, 2008 at Jouni Helminen's Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland, and offers total prize money of 42.000 Euro, or about 56,850 U.S. dollars. The winner will receive the 8.000 Euro top prize.

Krista Pöllänen (left) and Pasi Uotila (right), both from Finland, remained unchallenged in the final four qualifying squads on Saturday en route to win the qualifying in the Ebonite Lahti Open at Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland.

The long-time Finnish national team members led the field of 216 players since Squad 3 with 1464 (including 48 pins handicap) and 1427, respectively.

The best foreigner was former PBA exempt player Tore Torgersen, Norway, in third place with 1368. Torgersen was followed by Nina Flack, Sweden, in fourth with 1366. Places 5-7 belonged to Finns Petteri Salonen (1360), Jussi Turtianen (1357) and Squad 11 leader Jari Ratia (1353).

Rounding out the top 8, who will bypass the first round of the finals on Sunday morning was Piritta Kantola (left), Finland, with 1351 including handicap.

Mika Heino (right) was the sole player of the 12th and final qualifying squad who survived the first cut. Heino felled 1285 pins, good enough for 29th place. Petteri Kiviaho, both Finland, hit the cutoff number in 36th place with 1281 or an average of 213.50.

Toni Laine, Finland (266), Nina Manninen, Finland (240), Rikke Holm Rasmussen, Denmark (236) and 210th placed Osmo Jalonen, Finland (235) earned the final four spots through the one-game Desperado Squad.

The top 36 from the overall qualifying standings and top 4 from the Desperado Squad - a total of 40 players - advanced to the finals on Sunday, Oct. 19. The top 8 qualifiers earn one bye and will be seeded into Final Round 2.

The remaining 32 players will bowl 6 games starting from scratch. The top 12 join the top 8 qualifiers and bowl 4 games from scratch with the top 10 advancing to Round 3. Those 10 players will bowl another 4-game series from scratch to cut to the top 4 who will advance to the semifinals.

The No. 1 seeded player after Round 3 meets No. 4 and No. 2 takes on No. 3 in a one-game match. The winners will bowl a one-game match for the title and the 8.000 Euro top prize.

The Ebonite Lahti Open is the 15th stop of the 2008 EBT and one of the Tour's "Challenger" events. The tournament, which will be held from Oct. 12-19, 2008 at Jouni Helminen's Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland, and offers total prize money of 42.000 Euro, or about 56,850 U.S. dollars. The winner will receive the 8.000 Euro top prize.

2007 European Bowling Tour ranking winner and current point leader Osku Palermaa (pictured left) from Finland started the 10th qualifying squad at the Ebonite Lahti Open in 13th place with 1313 pinfall total.

The two-hander came out of the gates quickly by posting games of 260, 258 and 226 (744). He couldn't match his vigorous pace in the second three games (160, 259, 184) and had to settle for 1347 six-game total and an average of 224.50.

He improved his previous high score by 34 pins en route to leap into 8th place in the overall qualifying standings but the ambitious player was far from being satisfied.

"Bowling was good, just the player was stupid. You can quote me (thanks)," Palermaa commented with a smile on his face while paying the re-entry fee for the next squad.

Second place in Squad 10 belonged to Dennis Eklund (pictured), who checked in with 1296. Ari Halme, Finland was third (1283), with Jason Walsh, Australia, fourth (1276) and Paul Moor, England fifth (1275).

All other players failed to hit the cutoff number for 36th place which is currently 1267 or an average of 211.17 by Sulo Hietala, Finland.

There were no changes in the top 50 on Saturday morning as only eight bowlers took on the lanes at 20-lane Lahti Bowl. The only non-Finnish bowler, Russian Alexey Vasilenko (pictured left), led Squad 9 with 1228 but failed to make the cut for the top 36 players.

With 10 out of 12 qualifying squads in the books and 211 players having completed at least one six-game block, Finns Krista Pöllänen (pictured right, 1464) and Pasi Uotila (1427) remained atop the leaderboard.

The best foreigner is Norwegian standout Tore Torgersen in third place with 1368, followed by Nina Flack, Sweden, in fourth with 1366. Finns Petteri Salonen, Jussi Turtianen and Piritta Kantola sit in 5th through 7th place with 1360, 1357 and 1351, respectively.

The Ebonite Lahti Open is the 15th stop of the 2008 EBT and one of the Tour's "Challenger" events. The tournament, which will be held from Oct. 12-19, 2008 at Jouni Helminen's Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland, and offers total prize money of 42.000 Euro, or about 56,850 U.S. dollars. The winner will receive the 8.000 Euro top prize.

Qualifying ends on Saturday, Oct. 18, after another two squads (11 and 12) and the ultimate one-game Desperado Squad slated for 11:30 p.m. local time (GMT +3) on Saturday night.

Each player must bowl at least one six-game series in one of the 12 qualifying squads. Unlimited re-entries are allowed.

The top 36 from the overall qualifying standings and top 4 from the Desperado Squad - a total of 40 players - will advance to the finals on Sunday, Oct. 19. The top 8 qualifiers will earn one bye and will be seeded into Final Round 2.

The remaining 32 players will bowl 6 games starting from scratch. The top 12 join the top 8 qualifiers and bowl 4 games from scratch with the top 10 advancing to Round 3. Those 10 players will bowl another 4-game series from scratch to cut to the top 4 who will advance to the semifinals.

The No. 1 seeded player after Round 3 meets No. 4 and No. 2 takes on No. 3 in a one-game match. The winners will bowl a one-game match for the title and the 8.000 Euro top prize.

Nina Flack (pictured left) from Sweden averaged 219.67 scratch to lead the sixth squad in the Ebonite Lahti Open en route to move into fourth place in the overall standings as the tournament has reached the halfway point of its qualifying.

"The first three games were good, after that I just didn't carry and got a lot of 10-pins," said Flack, who won the gold medal in the Masters competition at the Women's European Championships earlier this year.

Flack had games of 204, 277, 249, 176, 194 and 218 for 1318 scratch and a 1366 total including handicap. All female participants in European Bowling Tour events receives the customary eight-pin advantage each game.

However, Flack would have led the squad without handicap as Juha Immonen in second place checked in with 1307.

Reigning World Ranking Masters champion Jari Ratia (pictured right), Finland, was one of just two players in Squad 7, who cracked the 1300-bar.

Ratia finished his six-game series with a 227 game and 1325 pinfall total to squeeze into the top 8 by just one pin. Ratia's feat came at the expense of Joonas Jehkinen, who set the pace in the first squad with 1324.

"I feel great and I bowled good. The worst is now over. Who likes to bowl these squads, especially here at Lahti Bowl," the co-owner of the host center joked.

Jason Walsh (pictured left) from Australia was the only other player over 1300 in Squad 7. The Australian national team member felled 1302 pins, with Erik Andersin, Sweden, in third with 1289.

Ratia stayed among the top 8 for about three hours before long-time Finnish national team member Piritta Kantola led Squad 8 with 1303 scratch, an average of 217.17, to leap into 7th place with 1351 including handicap. 

"I didn't throw too many bad shots," said Kantola (pictured right), who celebrated her 30th birthday the day before. Kantola was the only player in the squad who reached the 1300-plateau.

Juhani Tonteri, member of Junior Team Finland in the World Youth Championships last summer in Orlando, was second with 1282.

With 8 out of 12 qualifying squads in the books and 183 players having completed at least one six-game block, Finns Krista Pöllänen (right, 1464) and Pasi Uotila (1427) as well as Norwegian Tore Torgersen (1368) remained atop the leaderboard.

Flack is fourth (1366) with Petteri Salonen in fifth with 1360 and Jussi Turtianen in sixth with 1357.

Rounding out the top 8 behind Kantola (1351) is Teemu Asplund, all from Finland, with 1329 (221.50). Ratia slipped to 9th place.

Jarno Blomberg, Finland, currently holds the 36th and last spot to qualify for the finals with 1265 or an average of 210.83.

The Ebonite Lahti Open is the 15th stop of the 2008 EBT and one of the Tour's "Challenger" events. The tournament, which will be held from Oct. 12-19, 2008 at Jouni Helminen's Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland, and offers total prize money of 42.000 Euro, or about 56,850 U.S. dollars. The winner will receive the 8.000 Euro top prize.

Qualifying ends on Saturday, Oct. 18, with the final four squads (9-12) and the ultimate one-game Desperado Squad slated for 11:30 p.m. local time (GMT +3) on Saturday night.

Each player must bowl at least one six-game series in one of the 12 qualifying squads. Unlimited re-entries are allowed.

The top 36 from the overall qualifying standings and top 4 from the Desperado Squad - a total of 40 players - will advance to the finals on Sunday, Oct. 19. The top 8 qualifiers will earn one bye and will be seeded into Final Round 2.

The remaining 32 players will bowl 6 games starting from scratch. The top 12 join the top 8 qualifiers and bowl 4 games from scratch with the top 10 advancing to Round 3. Those 10 players will bowl another 4-game series from scratch to cut to the top 4 who will advance to the semifinals.

The No. 1 seeded player after Round 3 meets No. 4 and No. 2 takes on No. 3 in a one-game match. The winners will bowl a one-game match for the title and the 8.000 Euro top prize.

Tore Torgersen (pictured left) from Norway topped Petteri Salonen, Finland by eight pins to lead squad 5 in the Ebonite Lahti Open at Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland with 1368 and an average of 228.00. The World Champion and ex-PBA exempt bowler jumped into third place in the overall qualifying standings after five of twelve squads.

"I just got new glasses and everything feels a bit different. It's nice to actually see the ball on the lane now," Torgersen joked.

Salonen (right), a multiple European champion, moved into fourth place with 1360 (226.67). His compatriot Teemu Asplund, the No. 3 in Squad 5, posted a 1329 six-game total to leap into sixth place.

Krista Pöllänen (left) and Pasi Uotila held on to the lead with 1464 (including 48 pins women's handicap) and 1427, respectively.

Squad 4 leader Jussi Turtianen slipped to fifth with 1357. Rounding out the top 8 are Joonas Jehkinen (1324) and Mika Oksanen (1323).

The Ebonite Lahti Open is the 15th stop of the 2008 EBT and one of the Tour's "Challenger" events. The tournament, which will be held from Oct. 12-19, 2008 at Jouni Helminen's Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland, and offers total prize money of 42.000 Euro, or about 56,850 U.S. dollars. The winner will receive the 8.000 Euro top prize.

Qualifying runs through Saturday, Oct. 18, and ends with Squad 12 and the ultimate one-game Desperado Squad slated for 11:30 p.m. local time (GMT +3) on Saturday night.

Each player must bowl at least one six-game series in one of the 12 qualifying squads. Unlimited re-entries are allowed.

The top 36 from the overall qualifying standings (cut is currently 1223 or a 203.83 average) and top 4 from the Desperado Squad - a total of 40 players - will advance to the finals on Sunday, Oct. 19. The top 8 qualifiers will earn one bye and will be seeded into Final Round 2.

The remaining 32 players will bowl 6 games starting from scratch. The top 12 join the top 8 qualifiers and bowl 4 games from scratch with the top 10 advancing to Round 3. Those 10 players will bowl another 4-game series from scratch to cut to the top 4 who will advance to the semifinals.

The No. 1 seeded player after Round 3 meets No. 4 and No. 2 takes on No. 3 in a one-game match. The winners will bowl a one-game match for the title and the 8.000 Euro top prize.

Jussi Turtiainen, Osku Palermaa (pictured left) and Sami Salin added their names to the leaderboard Thursday afternoon in the Ebonite Lahti Open at Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland.

Turtiainen, a former Finnish national team member and gold medalist in the 2000 European Team Cup 2000, had game between 206 and 246 to lead Squad 4 with 1357 six-game total and an average of 226.17.

Turtiainen moved into third place in the overall qualifying standings only trailing leader Krista Pöllänen (right, 1464 including handicap) and second-placed Pasi Uotila 1427.

Joonas Jehkinen (1324), Mika Oksanen (1323) and Kari Hurri (1320) fell one spot to fourth, fifths and sixth place, respectively.

Trailing Turtiainen by 44 pins was European ranking leader Osku Palermaa. The two-hander closed out his 1313 effort with 247, 239 and 224 (710) to leap into seventh place.

"My body wasn't loose. The timing was ok, but I didn't carry," said Palermaa during the short break before the next squad started. "Basically now, since I have a score that will make the cut, I can bowl more relaxed."

Rounding out the top 8 was Sami Salin, who had three sub-par games but high games of 267, 243 and 234 for 1303 pinfall total or an average of 217.17. The fifth Squad started at 7 p.m. local time.

The Ebonite Lahti Open is the 15th stop of the 2008 EBT and one of the Tour's "Challenger" events. The tournament, which will be held from Oct. 12-19, 2008 at Jouni Helminen's Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland, and offers total prize money of 42.000 Euro, or about 56,850 U.S. dollars. The winner will receive the 8.000 Euro top prize.

Qualifying runs through Saturday, Oct. 18, and ends with Squad 12 and the ultimate one-game Desperado Squad slated for 11:30 p.m. local time (GMT +3) on Saturday night.

Each player must bowl at least one six-game series in one of the 12 qualifying squads. Unlimited re-entries are allowed.

The top 36 from the overall qualifying standings and top 4 from the Desperado Squad - a total of 40 players - will advance to the finals on Sunday, Oct. 19. The top 8 qualifiers will earn one bye and will be seeded into Final Round 2.

The remaining 32 players will bowl 6 games starting from scratch. The top 12 join the top 8 qualifiers and bowl 4 games from scratch with the top 10 advancing to Round 3. Those 10 players will bowl another 4-game series from scratch to cut to the top 4 who will advance to the semifinals.

The No. 1 seeded player after Round 3 meets No. 4 and No. 2 takes on No. 3 in a one-game match. The winners will bowl a one-game match for the title and the 8.000 Euro top prize.

Long-time Finnish national team member Krista Pöllänen (pictured left) posted a 1464 six-game series including handicap in the third qualifying squad on Monday evening to overtake the lead in the Ebonite Lahti Open at Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland.

"I had an idea how to play the lanes and it worked out perfectly," said Pöllänen. "I also learned to be more patient when moving to a challenging pair of lanes. Luckily for today there was only one and I even managed to roll a 218 (her low game of the day)."

  Pöllänen, who holds the women's record for six games in Finland with 1589, had games of 235, 222, 254, 223, 218 and 264 for 1416 scratch total or an average of 236.00 per game to lead the field of 104 bowlers, all from Finland, after the third of 12 qualifying squads.

Pasi Uotila (pictured right), currently the No. 8 in the European rankings, used high games of 259, 255 and 254 to jump into second place with 1427 (237.83). Uotila topped previous leader Joonas Jehkinen by 103 pins.

Jehkinen slipped to third place with 1324 (220.67), one pin ahead of Mika Oksanen, who fell to fourth with 1323 (220.50). Kari Hurri cracked the 1300-bar in Squad 3 with 1320 to move into fifth place in the overall qualifying standings.

The Ebonite Lahti Open is the 15th stop of the 2008 EBT and one of the Tour's "Challenger" events. The tournament, which will be held from Oct. 12-19, 2008 at Jouni Helminen's Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland, and offers total prize money of 42.000 Euro, or about 56,850 U.S. dollars. The winner will receive the 8.000 Euro top prize.

Qualifying, which continues on Thursday, Oct. 16, with squads 4 and 5, runs through Saturday, Oct. 18, and ends with Squad 12 and the ultimate one-game Desperado Squad slated for 11:30 p.m. local time (GMT +3) on Saturday night.

Each player must bowl at least one six-game series in one of the 12 qualifying squads. Unlimited re-entries are allowed.

The top 36 from the overall qualifying standings (cut is currently 1179 or a 196.50 average) and top 4 from the Desperado Squad - a total of 40 players - will advance to the finals on Sunday, Oct. 19. The top 8 qualifiers will earn one bye and will be seeded into Final Round 2.

The remaining 32 players will bowl 6 games starting from scratch. The top 12 join the top 8 qualifiers and bowl 4 games from scratch with the top 10 advancing to Round 3. Those 10 players will bowl another 4-game series from scratch to cut to the top 4 who will advance to the semifinals.

The No. 1 seeded player after Round 3 meets No. 4 and No. 2 takes on No. 3 in a one-game match. The winners will bowl a one-game match for the title and the 8.000 Euro top prize.

The first Ebonite Lahti Open got underway on Sunday with a squad for juniors bowlers only. Finnish boys youth national team member Joonas Jehkinen (pictured left) dominated the 38-player field with 1324 pinfall total and an average of 220,67.

"I feel great. I had a minor setback on the fourth game scoring just 169 but otherwise it felt good", said Jehkinen, who had games of 226, 234, 194, 169, 233 and 268.

Playing on his home turf, Mika Oksanen (right), led Squad 2 but fell one pin short to land in second place after day one qualifying with 1323 (220.50). "

I was a little bit shaky in the beginning, but I was very pleased with the rest of the set," said Oksanen, who started with 184 and finished with 255.

Places 3-9 belong to players from Squad 2. Following Oksanen to move into third place was Janne Kyllönen (left, 1291) with Joonas Huolman (1284) in fourth and Timo Alho (1274) in fifth place.

Jesse Launia, who was second after Squad 1 with 1232, skipped to 10th place. Jenni Blomberg, all from Finland, was the best female bowler in 18th place with 1255 including 48 pins handicap, a standard for women on the European Bowling Tour.

The Ebonite Lahti Open is the 15th stop of the 2008 EBT and one of the Tour's "Challenger" events. The tournament, which will be held from Oct. 12-19, 2008 at Jouni Helminen's Lahti Bowl in Lahti, Finland, and offers total prize money of 42.000 Euro, or about 56,850 U.S. dollars. The winner will receive the 8.000 Euro top prize.

Qualifying continues on Monday with Squad 3 at 6:30 p.m. and runs through Saturday, Oct. 18, and ends with Squad 12 and the ultimate one-game Desperado Squad slated for 11:30 p.m. local time (GMT +3) on Saturday night.

Each player must bowl at least one six-game series in one of the 12 qualifying squads. Unlimited re-entries are allowed.

The top 36 from the overall qualifying standings and top 4 from the Desperado Squad - a total of 40 players - will advance to the finals on Sunday, Oct. 19. The top 8 qualifiers will earn one bye and will be seeded into Final Round 2.

The remaining 32 players will bowl 6 games starting from scratch. The top 12 join the top 8 qualifiers and bowl 4 games from scratch with the top 10 advancing to Round 3. Those 10 players will bowl another 4-game series from scratch to cut to the top 4 who will advance to the semifinals.

The No. 1 seeded player after Round 3 meets No. 4 and No. 2 takes on No. 3 in a one-game match. The winners will bowl a one-game match for the title and the 8.000 Euro top prize.