Bowling Balls by Storm - The Bowlers's Company™

Search:

previous article »

Bowling News USA - July 21, 2009 Mika Koivuniemi Takes Crown in Barcelona with Storm Hy-Road...

For the second year in a row and the third in the past five years, a PBA super star walked away the winner in the Trofeu Internacional Ciutat de Barcelona at Bowling Pedralbes in Barcelona, Spain.

8-time PBA champion and 2003-04 PBA Player of the Year Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, seeded second, flew past No. 1 seeded Josh Blanchard, United States, 289-197, to win the 31st edition and the 12.000 Euro top prize. Blanchard, who led the field after qualifying and the semifinals, finished second, worth 6.000 Euro.

Koivuniemi, a PBA free agent, used the Storm Hy-Road enroute to the title.

In the opening match, Koivuniemi eliminated former World Ranking Masters champion and newly PBA exempt player, Stuart Williams (left), England, 227-192. Williams pocketed 3.000 Euro for third place.

Sixth place finisher Kirsten Penny, England, won the women's rankings.

Latest News: Barcelona semi and final Monday night, July 20 at 8.30pm BST on Eurosport 2.

A total of 48 players advanced to the finals on Sunday: the 15 squad leaders plus the top 27 from the overall qualifying standings and an additional six women.

All players carried forward 50 per cent of their qualifying total and bowled four games to cut to the top 24, who bowled another four games to cut to the top 3 for the stepladder finals. The No. 3 seed bowls No. 2 and the winner takes on No. 1 to determine the champion. All stepladder matches are one-game matches.

The 31st Trofeu Internacional Ciutat de Barcelona is the 9th stop of the 2009 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "Majors". The tournament will be held at Bowling Pedralbes in Barcelona, Spain from July 14-19, 2009.

The total prize fund is 55.900 Euro with 12.000 Euro going to the winner. Women received 8 pins handicap each game. As an EBT Major, there were 100 ranking points at stake for the winner of the men's and women's rankings, respectively.

previous article »