Koivuniemi, Dorin-Ballard top 2011 World Bowling Tour Rankings after two events

    02/18/11

    WBT News

    Next stop is the 68th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open

    201011PBA09MikaKoivuniemi2.jpg201011PBA09TomHess4.jpgAfter two events on the new World Bowling Tour presented by the World Tenpin Bowling Association, Finland’s Mika Koivuniemi (pictured left) maintained his lead at the top of the men’s rankings, while Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of the United States moved into the women’s lead.

    Koivuniemi, who won the season-opening tournament at the Brunswick Ballmaster Open, took third place at the second event of the season, the United States Bowling Congress Masters, and has a total of 85 ranking points. In the stepladder finals of the USBC Masters, which were aired nationally on ESPN, Koivuniemi lost in the semifinals to American Tom Hess (right), 254-219.

    201011PBA06SeanRash2.jpg201011PBA06ChrisBarnes2.jpgSean Rash (left) of the United States retained his second place position in the rankings with 51 points. Rash finished second to Koivuniemi at the Ballmaster Open and took 20th place at the USBC Masters.

    Hess, who won the Masters with a 230-206 victory over fellow American Jack Jurek, moved into third place with 50 points, while Chris Barnes (right) of the United States sits in fourth place with 45 points.

    In the women’s rankings, Dorin-Ballard i(below left) s the only player who has competed in both events to open the season and has a total of 70 ranking points. She finished second among the women at the Ballmaster Open and then took fourth in the women’s field at the USBC Masters.

    2010ECCKristaPollanen2.jpg2010BWCCarolynDorinBallard2.jpgFinland’s Krista Pollanen (right), who earned the top ranking points at the Ballmaster Open, is tied for second place with American Kelly Kulick (below left) with 50 points. Kulick topped the women’s field at the USBC Masters and finished 29th overall.

    Liz Johnson (below right) of the United States sits in third place with 40 points after finishing second among the women at the USBC Masters.

    The World Bowling Tour is made up of various events around the world throughout the course of 2011. Players earn points based on how they finish in the event and those points will be tabulated throughout the season to determine the top three men and top three women who will be invited to compete in the World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the Professional Bowlers Association.

    2010USBCQKellyKulick2.jpg200910PBA05LizJohnson.jpgThe next stop on the World Bowling Tour is the 68th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open from Feb. 21-27 in North Brunswick, N.J. The fourth stop of the season is the Brunswick Euro Challenge from March 4-13 in Saint Maximin, France.

    The Tour continues with the Kuwait Open from March 18-22 in Kuwait City, Kuwait. The fall swing includes a stop in Bangkok, Thailand, from Sept. 24-30 and wraps up with the AMF Australian Masters from Oct. 10-22 in Sydney, Australia.

    The World Bowling Tour finals are scheduled to take place at the PBA’s World Series of Bowling in late 2011 and will feature a total prize fund of $40,000. The event will be aired nationally in the United States.

    The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of more than 100 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world. For more information on WTBA and the World Bowling Tour, click here.

     


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    World Bowling Tour - Men's Point Rankings after two events

     


    World Bowling Tour - Men's Point Rankings after two events

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