Haugen Andersen sets the pace in women's European Champions Cup

09/23/09

2009 ECC

Mega Place Bowling Club in Chania, Crete, Greece (Sept. 21-28, 2009)

2009WWCAnnLouiseHaugen5.jpg2009EBT04SaritMizrahi.jpgAnn Louise Haugen Andersen (pictured left), Norway, had an 1888 8-game series on the opening day of the 32nd European Champions Cup to set the pace in the women's division at Mega Place Bowling Club in Chania, Crete, Greece.

The Norwegian champion rolled eight games between 201 and 268 to lead the field of 37 women from 36 countries with an average of 236.00.

Trailing the Norwegian by mere three pins is Sara Mizrahi (right), Israel, who had seven games over 200 including three 260s to sit in second place with 1885. Reija Lunden, Finland, is third with 1831 including a 279 game.

Another four women cracked the 1800-bar. Sandra Andersson, Sweden is fourth with 1829, Isabella Sacco, France, is fifth with 1819, Birigt Pöppler, Germany, is sixth with 1813 and Kirsten Penny, England, is seventh with 1804.

2009EBT02GhislainevanderTol.jpg2009WUSOZaraGloverKirstenPenny2.jpgRounding out the top 8 is Natassa Rovithaki, Greece, with 1781 (222.63). Ghislaine van der Tol (left), Netherlands, missed the first perfecto by just one pin. The Dutch champion posted a 299 in game #3 and checked in with 1734, good for 9th place.

Penny's compatriot, defending ECC champion Zara Glover (pictured right with Kirsten Penny, l-r), is 14th with 1663. England is the only country that has two competitors in the event.

The men will bowl their first block on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. The women will return on Thursday afternoon and evening for the second block on long oil.

The ECC features the national champions or ranking leaders - one man and one woman per country - of the European Tenpin Bowling Federation member federations plus the defending champions.

All players will bowl three 8-game blocks (a total of 24 games) preliminaries over three days: Block 1 on short oil, Block 2 on long oil and Block 3 on short/long oil (left lane short, right lane long).

The top 8 players after the preliminaries will qualify for the single-elimination final in best-of-three games format. In each round the highest seeded player will bowl the lowest seeded player, the 2nd highest vs. the 2nd lowest, etc.) based on the standings after the preliminaries.

 


Women's Division - Standings after the first block on short oil


Â