For the second consecutive squad on the last qualifying day in the Brunswick Euro Challenge in Paris, France, the women bowlers dominated the leaderboard at Le Plaza Bowling in Saint Maximin, France.

Mai Ginge Jensen (pictured left), Denmark, improved her previous high score of 1366 to 1408 including 48 pins handicap, a standard for women on the European Bowling Tour, en route to move into 10th place in the overall qualifying standings. Her sister Anja Ginge Jensen (right) is currently in sixth place with 1430.

Photos: Beat Grauwiler.

Britt Brøndsted (right), Denmark, who rolled the first 300 game by a woman yesterday, was second to Jensen in Squad 21 with 1372 to leap into 17th place. Malin Glendert (left), Sweden, was mere three pins behind with 1369, to overtake 18th place.

Diandra Asbaty, the most successful female amateur bowler in the world, checked in with 1358 to move up to 24th place.

Veronica Lantto, Sweden, missed the second perfecto by a woman in this year's event by mere two pins, when she rolled a 298 in game #5. Mathias Ã…rup, Sweden, was the best man in the squad in fifth place with 1353, and leapfrogged into 29th place.

PBA Hall of Famer Brian Voss, United States, continued to lead with 1537 six-game total and an average of 256.17. Joanne Allsebrook, England, is the top-ranked women in second place with 1484.

A total of 19 women are currently among the top 52, who will survive the first cut. 2007 EBT ranking champion Kirsten Penny (left), England, holds the 52nd and final spot to advance with 1323.

In 2008, the first time that the BEC was staged at Le Plaza Bowling Saint Maximin, Martin Larsen (right), Sweden, won the qualifying with 1448 (241.33) and the cutoff number for 52nd place was 1263 (210.50). Peter Ljung, Sweden, is the defending champion.

The Brunswick Euro Challenge is the fourth stop of the 2009 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "majors". The total prize fund is 90,000 Euro (currently about US$114,000), and includes special prizes that will be given in categories such as youth encouragement, B Bowlers, and Women. In addition Brunswick offers up to $1,000 bonus for shooting a 300 game with the new Brunswick "Wilde Ride" bowling ball in the 2009 BEC.

The Brunswick Euro Challenge 2009 sponsored by Brunswick Bowling is organized by Brunswick distributor Valcke Bowling.

Qualifying ends Saturday, March 14, with two more squads. The final qualifying Squad 23 is scheduled for 8pm. Qualifying concludes with the ultimate one-game Desperado Squad at 11pm.

A total of 64 players will qualify for the finals on Sunday, March 15. The top 16 players will receive one bye and will seeded 1-16 in Round 2.

The following 48 players will qualify for Round 1:

• Players positioned 17th-52nd in qualifying
• the top 6 from a separate standing for the squads conducted March 6-8, 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 No. 1 seed will take on No. 32, No. 2 bowls No. 31, etc. The field will be cut to 16, 8 and then four, who will determine the champion in a stepladder final. The winner will receive the 16.000 Euro top prize.

Bowlingdigital will cover the event live from Le Plaza Bowling in Saint Maximin with results and updates after each round commencing March 12 all the way through to the finals on Sunday, March 15.