13th May, Manila: UAE's Shaker Al-Hassan claimed his third international title when he almost shot a perfect game en-route to defeating challenger, Joonee Gatchalian of the Philippines, 299-205 to win the 6th Euro-Med Storm International Masters Challenge crown.

Seeded top at the end of the 8-game round-robin matchplay finals earlier, Shaker Al-Hassan set the lanes at Paeng's Midtown Bowl on fire and the local crowd in silence when he stepped up to shoot his 12th frame after rolling 11 consecutive strikes in the title match against fourth-seed and challenger, Joonee Gatchalian.

A stubborn pin 7 prevented Shaker from finishing in style with a perfect game en-route to claiming his third international title. Fresh from his victory in the Saudi Open in Riyadh where he won US$30,000, Shaker rolled 299 to Gatchalian's 205 in an all-lefty finals to win 1 million pesos (US$23,000).

Gatchalian finished second to take home 500,000 pesos (US$12,500). The

Filipino reached the finals by outclassing third-seed and Stage 2 leader, Fil-Am Raymond Ledesma, 249-180 in the first stepladder match.

The runner-up was equally impressive by ousting Korea's KPBA Gu Yong Jin, 269-225 in the second match before being over-powered by Shaker in the title match. It was a sweet and lucky chance for Shaker as he had barely made the Top 8 cut with 1777 edging KPBA's Kim Young Pil by 4 pins.

But once he got into the Stage 3 finals, he was unstoppable totaling 1837 winning 5 and drawing one game in the 8-game round-robin matchplay finals. Gu Yong Jin finished second with 1836 while Fil-Am Raymond Ledesma and Joonee Gatchalian made the cut for the stepladder in third and fourth places with 1797 and 1792.

In the earlier Stage 2 finals, Raymond Ledesma topped the field with a

total of 1878 ahead of Korea's Kim Jun Young in second with 1851 and Gu Yong Jin third with 1848. KPBA's Oh Tae Hung and Malaysia's Alex Liew finished fourth and fifth.

Hong Kong's Wu Siu Hong, Filipino Joonee Gatchalian and UAE's Shaker Al-Hassan completed the top 8 advancing into the Stage 3 finals. The stepladder finals was dominated by four lefties and another lefty, Alex Liew in fifth.

Photos by Yap Kok Wee, Bowlmart.

12th May, Manila: Daegu City Team Captain, Lee Tae Ju, comfortably topped the quarter-finals of the 6th Euro-Med Storm International Masters Challenge to lead a 1-2 finish for Korea.

Lee started a blistering pace with a 279 to lead fellow compatriot, Kim Jun Young by 26 pins. Kim shot 277 to take over the lead by 12 pins with Lee trailing by 12 pins. The Korean pair traded high games in the next two games and by the halfway mark, there was little separating the duo.

But Kim suffered a setback with a lowly 169 allowing his countrymen to draw clear with 65 pins after the fifth game. Lee went on to roll 248, 227, 218 and 225 to end the Stage 1 finals by a comfortable argin fo 96 pins on a total of 1919.

Kim settled for second with 1823 while 2007 Philippines Open champion, Wu Siu Hong up his pace in the second half to snatch third spot with 1813. Malaysia's best performer was Aaron Kong who took fourth spot with 1809.

Korean's Kim Young Pil (1806), MTBA's Joonee Gatchalian (1804), Korean's Shin Sung Hoon (1802), American Raymond Ledesma (1799), MTBA's Benshir Layoso (1796) and Saudi Yasser Abu AlReesh (1771) completed the top 10 from fifth to tenth positions respectively.

Only 13 pins separated them which showed how competitive and close the contest was. UAE's Shaker Al-Hassan (1768), Hong Kong's Perry Ko (1757), Malaysia's Alex Liew (1752), KPBA's Jeong Tae Hwa (1742), and Hall of Famer Paeng Nepomuceno (1742) rounded up the top 15.

The top 24 advanced into the semi-final round in which they will bowl another 8 games. The cut for the 24th spot was 1654, which went to KPBA's lady bowler, An Hyun Lim. The top 8 at the end of semi-final will move into the finals.

Photos by Yap Kok Wee, Bowlmart.

11th May, Manila: Asian Champion, Wu Siu Hong of Hong Kong rolled into the top of Day 5 qualifying round of the 6th Euro-Med Storm International Masters Challenge as the competition heated up on the final day of qualifying.

Hong Kong's wonder boy, Wu Siu Hong, took over the pole position from Filipino bowling icon, Paeng Nepomuceno, as he literally stormed through to Monday's quarter-final. Wu, who won last year's Philippines Open Master's title, is making his first Euro-Med Storm Challenge appearance in style.

Wu rolled a 790 series and followed it up with a 743 series totalling an amazing 1533 for a 255.5 average. He not only took the lead for the fifth and final day of qualifying but has surpassed Paeng's 1516 score.

Ironically both bowlers used the "Mighty Shift" that was given away by Storm for this tournament. Women professional bowler An Hyun Lim of Korea also showed her skills by posting a 740 and 776 series for a totoal of

1516, which was good enough for the second high two block series of the day.

KPBA’s Oh Tae Hung was very consistent as he rolled back to back 729 series for a 1458 six game series. All three bowlers qualify for the quarter finals. Since Wu Siu Hong had already qualified earlier, the fourth highest qualifier, Chinese Taipei’s Chen Hsing Chao, 1424 joined the quarter-finalists.

Singapore's Lionel Lim rolled a 1465 to lead the qualifiers of the Euro-Med Storm Challenge. KPBA's Jeong Tae Hwa shot a 1451 to take the second place. Raymond Ledesma (1439) dropped to third and Denmark's Anne Lorraine Gales (1428) occupied the fourth spot.

Thailand's Annop Arromsaranon (1412), National Team Bowler Paulo Valdez (1411), MTBA's Jonas Baltazar (1410), newly-crowned Saudi Open and ABF Tour Sudai leg champion, Shaker Al-Hassan of UAE (1394), KPBA's Noh Dung Hyun (1384), and teammate Jung Jong Guk (1384) rounded up the top 10 qualifiers.

The cut off score stood at 1331 which was tied between Singapore's Gregory Gan and PBAP's Edgar Barroga. The top 49 quarter-finalist contest the Stage 1 Finals tomorrow at 2.00pm.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

10th May, Manila: Malaysians Alex Liew and Adrian Ang stamped their mark to put their challenge for the title of the 6th Euro-Med Storm International Masters Challenge by taking up first and second Day 4 top qualifier.

Alex rolled a 1438 serires to top the qualifiers on the fourth day while teammate Adrian Ang bowled a 1423 series as he starts to defend his title. Korean's Kim Jun Young shot a 1398 series to join the two Malaysians into Monday's quarter-finals.

Fil-Am Raymond Ledesma is still at the pole of the qualifying leaderboard with a score of 1439. Denmark's Anne Lorraine Gales scored 1428 still good for second as Thailand's Annop Arromsaranon (1412) and national team member Paulo Valdez (1411) were only separated by one pin and sat in the third and fourth respectively.

Meanwhile, the top three qualifiers of Day 1, Benshir Layoso, Joonee

Gatchalian and Jeff Chan of Philippines, earned their automatic spots in the finals with 1429, 1419 and 1395. Deagu's Kim Hak Hyun, Lee Tae Ju of Korea and UAE's Fuaad Al-Mas, who chalked up 1420, 1401 and 1347 were Day 2's top 3 qualifiers.

Filipino Paeng Nepomuceno, Malaysia's Zulmazran Zulkifli and Hong Kong's Wu Siu Hong were Day 3's top 3 automatice qualifiers with 1516, 1421 and 1404.

Guam's Manny Tagle was sensational rolling a 1436 series to lead all Bevida-Storm Challenge qualifiers. PBA's Nilo Penado shot a 1395 to beat out MTBA's Jer Cabangon by a single pin for second.

Anne Lorraine Gales' 1392 put her in the fourth position as MTBA bowlers Marlon Sia (1389), Benson Co (1374), and Louie Chuaquico (1372) rounded up the top seven position. PBAP's Benedict Tiong (1363), TBAM's Jayson Tubid (1360) and MTBA's Bettina Bayani (1357) made up the top 10 Bevida-Storm Challenge qualifiers.

Mr. Bill Chrisman, CEO and president of Storm Product, arrived in Manila to witness the 6th Euro-Med Storm Challenge. Chrisman takes pride in his products and company, also known as the Bowlers Company.

Storm has helped the Philippines in the past through sponsorship of equipment for both the national and national youth team. In addition, they are now educating and sharing knowledge with bowlers through its seminars, that is being conducted by Steve Kloempken.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

9th May, Manila: PBA Hall of Famer, Paeng Nepomuceno of the Philippines, used the Mighty Storm to rule the lanes on Day 3 of the 6th Euro-Med Storm International Masters Challenge at Paeng's Midtown Bowl.

Showing the form that earned him numerous honors, Paeng rolled the two highest series of the whole tournament so far. He started out with a 756 three game series then bettered it by four pins for a total of 1516 six game series.

The bowling icon used his newly drilled ball and just kept striking to show the competition that he is still the man to beat as he qualified for the quarter-final on Monday.

Malaysian Zulmazran Zulkifli, who finished second in the World Ranking Masters last week, torched the lanes with back-to-back 279 games for a 793 three game series. Combined with his 628 Zulmazran's 1421 placed him in second ahead of Hong Kong's Wu Siu Hong.

Fil-Am Raymon Ledesma improved his score yesterday by rolling a 1439 to lead the other Euro-Med qualifiers. Denmark’s Anne Lorraine Gales (1428), Thailand’s Annop Arromsaranon (1412), Paulo Valdez (1411), defending champion Adrian Ang (1392), and National Youth’s Jomar Jumapao (1369) rounded up the top six qualifiers.

Anne Lorraine Gales' 1392 took her to the top of Bevida-Storm Qualifiers' table. MTBA's Benson Co (1374) and Louie Chuaquico (1372) finished second and third respectively. National Youth Jayson Tubid (1360), Thailand's Songvit Lapasuppaisan (1354) and SJBA's Scott Uy (1346) completed the top 6 qualifiers.

Euro-Med Laboratories and Storm Products Inc. are the proud title

sponsor of this prestigious tournament. Manila Hotel and Manila Bulletin are the official hotel and media partner. Philippine Airlines is the Airline partner of the challenge. Bevida Distilled Drinking Water, Wave Products, Legacy Ventures, All-in Technologies, Roto Grip, Azo, and Bowlmart Training Institute are the other sponsors that contributed to this challenge.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

8th May, Manila: Kim Hak Hyun and Lee Tae Ju, both of Daegu City team, led the foreigners assault in the 6th Euro-Med Storm International Masters Challenge by rolling 1420 and 1401 series respectively on Day 2.

Kim started fast as he rolled 15 strikes in his first 17 frames while team captain, Lee, finished strong with a 720 three game series. United Arab Emirates' Fuaad Al-Mas rolled a 1347 series on one good leg to finish third. All three bowlers automatically qualified for Monday's quarter-final.

Fil-Am Raymond Ledesma continued to lead the rest of the Euro-Med Storm qualifiers. Raymond's 1370 lead National Youth Team member Jayson Tubid's 1360. Denmark's Anne Lorraine Gales rolled a 1353 to take the third spot with Thailand's Annop Arromasaranon fourth spot on 1347.

Bowling Icon Paeng Nepomuceno and National team member Paulo Valdez rolled 1337 and 1325 respectively to round up the top six spots.

Benson Co of MTBA rolled a 1374 series to take the lead in the Bevida-Storm Challenge. Jayson's 1360 and Dyan Coronacion's 1338 was good enough to take the second and third spot. MTBA's Marlon Sia (1333), Denmark's Anne Lorraine Gales (1317), and PBAP's Yap Seok Kim (1317) made up the top six finishers in the Bevida-Storm Challenge.

Bowlers from Korea and Chinese Taipei arrived today along with Steve Kloempken. Steve, Storm's Technical Director, is here to participate as well as enlighten the bowling community with the new technology from Storm.

He will also be available to conduct one on one digital coaching through out the tournament. Kloempken was once a member of Team USA. Bowlers will continue to show their skills and talent in the qualifiying rounds until May 13.

Euro-Med Laboratories and Storm Products Inc. are the proud title sponsor of this prestigious tournament. Manila Hotel and Manila Bulletin are the official hotel and media partner. Philippine Airlines is the Airline partner of the challenge. Bevida Distilled Drinking Water, Wave Products, Legacy Ventures, All-in Technologies, Roto Grip, Azo, and Bowlmart Training Institute are the other sponsors that contributed to this challenge.

Photos by Terence Yaw.