Alexey Parshukov takes the early lead in 6th Istanbul Bowling Open

    04/01/09

    2009 European Bowling Tour #5

    Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey (March 30 - April 5, 2009)

    2009EBT05AlexeyParshukov.jpgAlexey Parshukov (pictured left) from Russia leads the qualifying of the 6th Istanbul Bowling Open after three squads at Timeout Bowling Center in Istanbul, Turkey. Parshukov set the pace in Squad 1 with games of 177, 238, 248, 234, 236, 216 and a 1349 six-game total, an average of 224.83.

    2009EBT05HabibDoganAhmetKoman.jpgLong-time Turkish international Habib Dogan, Turkey (left with Ahmet Koman, host of the Istanbul Bowling Open) led Squad 2 and 3 with 1282 and 1346, respectively, to sit in second place.

    Todor Lichev, Bulgaruia, is a distant third with 1211, with the best woman, Yulia Gorbacheva, Russia, mere one pin behind in fourth with 1210 including 48 pins handicap, a standard for women on the European Bowling Tour.

    Taygun Erkeskin, Turkey, is the fifth and last player, who averaged over 200, with 1203.

    The 6th Istanbul Bowling Open is the fifth stop of the 2009 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's Majors. The total prize fund is 68,000 Euro with 10.000 going to the winner. Lasse Lintilä, Finland, is the defending champion.

    Qualifying will run through Saturday, April 4, with the final qualifying squad 20 scheduled for 8pm. Qualifying will conclude with the ultimate one-game Desperado Squad.

    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 5.

    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 field will be trimmed to 38, 28, 18, 8 and then four who will advance to the semifinals (Round 6). Those four 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.

     

    6th Istanbul Bowling Open - Standings after Qualifying Squad 3