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Koivuniemi, Dorin-Ballard lock up spots in World Bowling Tour finals
Oct 05, 2011
Mika Koivuniemi (courtesy of bowlingdigital.com)
2011 World Bowling Tour Rankings
Finland’s Mika Koivuniemi and the United States’ Carolyn Dorin-Ballard have mathematically locked up spots in the year-end World Tenpin Bowling Association World Bowling Tour Finals.
With just one event remaining on the 2012 World Bowling Tour, the two point leaders have secured enough points to earn spots in the finals. The top three men and top three women advance to the season-ending event.
The seventh event on the schedule - the PTT Thailand Tournament - recently concluded with Koivuniemi earning 14 points for a 14th-place finish, while Dorin-Ballard did not compete. Based on the results of other bowlers, it was enough to lock up spots in the finals for both bowlers.
Koivuniemi leads the men’s rankings with 163 points, while American Sean Rash is second with 112 after picking up 22 points in Thailand. Australian Jason Belmonte earned 50 points with his victory in Thailand to surge into third place with 98 points. Finland’s Osku Palermaa is fourth at 85.
In the women’s rankings, Dorin-Ballard has totaled 145 points, while Nina Flack of Sweden moved up into second with 120 points, including 35 points in Thailand. Kelly Kulick of the United States, who also did not compete in Thailand, is third with 100 points, while Finland’s Krista Pöllänen is fourth with 80.
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.
The World Bowling Tour Finals are scheduled to take place at the PBA’s World Series of Bowling in November and will feature a total prize fund of $40,000. The event will be aired nationally in the United States.
The top three men and top three women will bowl a stepladder finals format in their respective divisions at the World Bowling Tour Finals. The prize money for each division is the same, with the winner taking $10,000, second place earning $6,000 and third place winning $4,000.
The tour wraps up with the AMF Australian Masters from Oct. 10-22 in Sydney, Australia.
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, visit WorldTenpinBowling.com.
Courtesy of bowlingdigital.com
