Gery Verbruggen wins qualifying in Ebonite International Luxembourg Open

03/21/10

2010 European Bowling Tour #6

Top 14 players earn one bye for Sunday's finals

2010EBT06GeryVerbruggen.jpgGery Verbruggen (pictured left), Belgium, finished the qualifying in the Ebonite International Luxembourg Open at X-Treme Bowling & Billard in Foetz, Luxembourg, atop the leaderboard with 1431 six-game total and an average of 238.50.

The 4-time European ranking champion (2000-'03) will lead a total of 50 players, the top 44 qualifiers plus the top 6 from the Desperado Squad, into Sunday's finals. Verbruggen and the next 13 players, however, will bypass the first round on Sunday morning.

2009EBT14JeanMarcLebon.jpgKarsten Aust, Germany, was second with 1428 followed by Phil Hulst, Netherlands, in third place with 1415.

Marilyn Planchard, France, led Squad 11 on Saturday afternoon with 1406 including 48 pins handicap to jump into 4th place in the 179-player field. Planchard was the best of 35 women in qualifying and one of nine, who survived the first cut.

2009EBT04FrancoisSacco.jpgOther squad leaders on Saturday were Steffen Gerischer, Germany (Squad 10, 1340, 18th), Mats Maggi (Squad 12, 1337, 19th) and Jean-Marc Lebon (right, Squad 13, 1312, 30th), both Belgium.

Francois Sacco (left) hit the cutoff number for the top 14, who will earn one bye for the finals, with 1353 or an average of 225.50. Dutch international Kelly Plummen took the 44th and final spot to advance with 1281.

Joining the top 44 from the Desperado Squad were Alexander Fischer, Germany (255); Amandine Jacques, France (219); Helmut Peinelt, Germany (214); Jérôme Durupt, France (204); Lukas Eigelt, Germany (202); Florian Fabert, France (201).

2010EBT06LOLogo_mini.jpg The Ebonite International Luxembourg Open will be held from March 16-21, 2010 at 20-laner X-Treme Bowling & Billard in Foetz, Luxembourg and offers total prize fund of 30.000 Euro with 4.000 Euro going to the winner.

The tournament is the sixth stop of the 2010 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "Satellite" tournaments. Since the Ankara Open and the Austria Challenge have been cancelled, the 2010 EBT Tour consists of 19 events - 2 EBT Platinum tournament (formerly Premier), 6 EBT Gold tournaments (formerly Major), 7 EBT Silver tournaments (formerly Challenger) and 4 EBT Satellite tournaments (new category).

2010EBT05BillONeill2_small.jpg2009EBT04NicoleSanders_small.jpgU.S. Open champion Bill O'Neill (left), United States, is the defending champion. O'Neill defeated Francois Louw, South Africa, 504-452, in Oct. 2009 to win his first EBT title. Nicole Sanders (right), Netherlands, finished third last year to win the women's ranking.

Qualifying runs from Monday, March 15 though Saturday March 20, with the final qualifying squad 13 scheduled for 8 p.m. and ends with the ultimate one-game Desperado Squad slated for 11.30 p.m. CET.

2010EBT06LanePattern_small.jpg The Ebonite International Luxembourg Open will be contested on a 43 feet long lane pattern called Sexy Curve to Moulin Rouge.

A total of 50 players - the top 44 from the qualifying (six games) and top 6 from the Desperado Squad - qualified for the finals on Sunday, March 21. The top 14 players receive one bye and will seeded 1-14 in Round 2.

The remaining 36 players will bowl 6 games starting from scratch. The top 18, seeded 15th-32nd, will join the top 14 qualifiers in single-elimination matches over two games total pinfall. The highest seed bowls the lowest seed, the second highest bowls the second lowest, etc.

The single-elimination finals start with the Round of 32. The field will be cut to 16, 8, 4 and then 2 players who will vie for the title and 4.000 Euro top prize.

 


Related Articles


Gery Verbruggen holds on to the lead in Ebonite International Luxembourg Open
Belgium's Verbruggen, Sarmadi overtake the lead in the Ebonite International Luxembourg Open
Jimmy Ravez paces Squad 3 to move into second place in Luxembourg Open qualifying
Luxembourg's Harald Scheuer moves into second place in Ebonite International Luxembourg Open
Uwe Blank sets the pace in Ebonite International Luxembourg Open

 


Standings after Qualifying and Desperado Squad


The top 44 qualifiers plus the top 6 from the Desperado Squad (places 45-50) will advance to the finals. The top 14 receive one bye.

Â