30th April, Cairo: Debutant, Frederik Ohrgaard of Denmark emerged as Men's Open champion of the 17th Sinai International Open Bowling Tournament while Sara Gamal retained the Ladies' crown for Egypt.

Ohrgaard defeated challenger, Yousef Al Jaber of Qatar, 502-478 in the high-scoring two-games championship match to win his first international title outside of Europe. The Dane had narrowly lost the first game, 245-247 but fought back galantly to take the second game, 257-231 for a well-deserved victory.

The champion had a narrow victory over Pontus Andersson of Sweden, 439-435 in the first match of the Step 4 final to advance to the championship match while Yousef dispatched 2015 Kuwait Open champion, Brad Angelo of USA, 500-448 in the second Step 4 final match.

Angelo defeated Andersson, 452-432 in the third and fourth place play-off to finish as second runner-up.

Ohrgaard won the top prize of US$7,500 while the Qatari settled for US3,500. The American pocketed US$2,500 for finishing third and the Swede took home US$2,000 for finishing fourth. Ohrgaard had earlier topped Group 1 Step 3 round-robin matchplay final with 1885 from five wins. Angelo finished second with 1864 from six wins.

Abdullah Al Dolijan of Saudi Arabia, who was leading the group before the position round match, missed the Step 4 Final cut by 36 pins in third.

Yousef topped Group 2 of the Step 3 round-robin matchplay final with 1958 from five wins and Andersson finished second with 1956 from four wins and a draw. Tom Sorce of USA, who was leading the group before the position round match, missed the cut by 9 pins.

Meanwhile, Sara Gamal retained the Ladies crown for Egypt after she beat Joline Persson Planefors of Sweden, 441-406 in the two-games championship match. Sara ousted two-time champion, Mennat Soltan 433-399 in the all-Egyptian second Step 2 final match to advance to the final.

Planefors dispatched Aliaa Ismail 449-412 in the first Step 2 final match to face Sara in the final. Sara won US$2,000 as champion and the Swede settled for US$1,200 as first runner-up.

Aliaa, who defeated Mennat in the third and fourth place play-off 439-377, earned US$600 while Mennat took home US$500.

Eight-two men and twelve ladies took part in this year's tournament with the qualifying rounds which ended on April 28. Thirty-two men qualified for Step 1 final and 11 ladies contested Step 1 final.

The men's field was cut to 18 joined by the top three local and top three overseas qualifiers for Step 2 final. The top 15 plus one local men were divided into two groups for the eight-games round-robin matchplay Step 3 final.

The top two men from each group advanced to Step 4 final for a two-games total pinfalls match where the winner will face each other in the championship match and the losers in a third and fourth place play-off.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Cairo.

29th April, Cairo: 2014 ABF Tour Saudi champion, Abdullah Aldolijan of Saudi Arabia topped the Men's Open Step 2 Final of the 17th Sinai International Open Bowling Tournament to advance into the next stage.

Adel Albarqi had a brilliant start rolling 258 in his opening game, 11 pins ahead of 2013 champion, Ayman Hashem of Egypt in second and Mohannad Ebrahim of Kuwait a close third and four pins away.

Ayman added a stunning 286 to his first game of 247 to take over the lead as Abdullah matched his strides with 288 to trail the Egyptian by 12 pins with defending champion, Mohammed Janahi of Bahrain in close company.

Abdullah closed the gap to just one pin after a 255 in the third game whilst Ayman rolled a strong game of 244 and pulling away from Janahi still in third position. Abdullah and Ayman shared the lead after thr fourth but the Egyptian got his nose ahead of the Saudi by one pin after the fifth game.

But Ayman could keep pace with Abdullah as he ended with a superb game of 244 to win the final with 1458. First perfect gamer and top seeded qualifier, Yousef Aljaber of Qatar stromed home with 245 to snatch second spot with 1418.

Ayman, who was the best Egyptian, settled for third with 1411. Kuwait's Jassem Alsaqer and Hong Kong's Mike Chan completed the top five with 1386 and 1369 respectively.

The climax in the last game was between Tom Sorce of USA, Christopher Sloan of Ireland and Frederik Ohrgaard fighting for the last two spots for the next stage. Sorce held on to 14th position with 1280.

Ohrgaard shot 214 to clinch 15th position with 1271 while Sloan ended with a poor 164 to end in 16th position with 1255 which he had to give up to Egyptian, Hossam Sobhy who finished 17th with 1234.

The top 16 will be divided into two groups - Group 1 comprising of bowlers ranked 1,3,5,7,9,11,13 and 15 and Group 2 comprising of bowlers ranked 2,4,6,8,10,12,14 and 16. The two groups will bowl seven round-robin matches and a position round to determine the top two from each group advancing to the Step 4 Final.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Cairo.

29th April, Cairo: Debutant, Joline Persson Planefors of Sweden and Mennat Soltan of Egypt advanced into the Ladies' Step 2 Final of the 17th Sinai International Open Bowling Tournament as top seeds by winning their group Step 1 Final.

Planefors scored 1350 to win all her six matches for a total of 1410 and topped her group, 178 pins ahead of Sara Gamal of Egypt, who finished second with 1232 winning four matches. Hala Sharamy of Egypt missed the top two cut by 95 pins in third with 1137 and only two wins.

2010 champion, Mennat led her group after rolling 1271 to win five matches for a total of 1321, 162 pins ahead of compatriot, Aliaa Ismail, who posted 1119 and four wins for a total of 1159.

Hala Khafagy of Egypt missed the top two cut by 115 pins in third with 1044. Planefors will meet Aliaa in the first Step 2 Final match while Mennat will meet Sara in the second all-Egyptian Step 2 Final match over two-games total pinfalls.

The loser will face each other in the third and fourth place play-offs over two-games total pinfalls and the winner will square off in the title match, again over two-games total pinfalls.

The Ladies champion will pocket US$2,000 as top prize with the first runner-up settling for US$1,200. The second and third runner-up will earn US$600 and US$500 resepctively.

The Men's Open Step 2 Final will be contested after lane maintenance and the top 15 plus top local will advance to Step 3 Final to be staged tomorrow.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Cairo.

29th April, Cairo: American PBA pro and 2015 Kuwait Open champion, Brad Angelo breezed through to the next stage of the 17th Sinai International Open Bowling Tournament after winning Step 1 Final.

Aseel Alroomi of Kuwait got off the block brilliantly with the tournament's third 300 in his opening game to lead compatriot, Mohannad Ebrahim by 21 pins in second and Pontus Andersson of Sweden third, a further 13 pins away.

The Kuwaiti was unable to hold on to the lead as Andersson added a 258 following his opening game of 265 to move into the front, nine pins ahead. The Swede continued to lead the field as Hong Kong's Rickle Kam moved into second, ten pins behind.

Andersson dropped his pace slightly with 227 in the fourth game allowing Angelo to move closer to the leader. The leader bounced back with 248 to retain the lead but the American closed the gap to just one pin.

Angelo ended the finals with 256 to snatch top spot with 1497 as Andersson settled for second with 1464 after ending with 222. The best Asian finisher was Aseel in third with 1421.

Two Kuwaitis. Mohannad and Jassem Alsaqer completed the top five with 1389 and 1369 respectively. Defending champion, Mohamed Janahi of Bahrain, who had a poor start, crawled his way up to end in tenth.

Christopher Sloan of Ireland finished 11th and a second American, Tom Sorce, who shot the tournament's second 300 in his last qualifying round last night, also made the cut for the next stage in 14th.

The cut in 18th position went to Adel Albarqi of Saudi Arabia with 1259. Hazem Abd Elrashed of Egypt missed the cut by 15 pins to finish 19th position with 1244 leaving only one Egyptian, Mohamed Essa advancing in 17th position.

The top 18 will be joined by the top three local qualifiers and the top three overseas qualifiers for another six games in Step 2 Final from scratch. The top 15 plus top Egyptian after the Step 2 Final will qualify for Step 3 Final.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Cairo.

28th April, Cairo: Yousef Al Jaber of Qatar took over the lead of the Men's Open Masters qualifying standings of the 17th Sinai International Open on the final day of qualifying on Tuesday.

Yousef, who rolled the tournament's first perfect game in Squad 15 three days ago, improved his lowest three-game series of 686 with a stunning 753 to take his nine-game tally to 2233 for the lead.

His two other series were 772 and 708. Overnight leader and 2014 World Championships Trios gold medalist, Frederik Ohrgaard of Denmark and Naif Oqab of UAE slipped down to second and third with 2229 and 2223.

There were no changes in the top three positions of the local pool with Hossam Sobhy continuing to lead with 2122 ahead of Ayman Hashem and Amr Essam in second and third.

Rickle Kam of Hong Kong notched up two superb series of 726 and 723 improving his nine-game aggregate to 2166 to head the mixed pool. Another debutant, Pontus Andersson of Sweden also improved from 2094 to 2130 to finish second.

Two Kuwaitis, Basel Alanzi and Mohannad Ebrahim dropped to third and fourth with 2112 and 2110 while Mike Chan of Hong Kong was the biggest mover from 36th in the reserves pool to complete the top five with 2103.

The cut in 26th position have changed substantially since Squad 48 last night. It went up rapidly from 2005 to 2020 just before Squad 51. At press time, the cut is 2039 being held by defending champion, Mohammed Janahi of Bahrain.

American PBA pro, Tom Sorce, who thought he made the cut, is the first in the reserves pool with 2037. Three squads remained before the one-game desperado squad will be held for four qualifiers to join Step 1 finals.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Cairo.

27th April, Cairo: Egyptian southpaw, Hossam Sobhy topped the Men's Open local qualifying pool of the 17th Sinai International Open as Frederik Ohrgaard of Denmark remained in the lead of the overseas pool.

Hossam posted 721, 705 and 696 for a nine-game tally of 2122 to lead the local pool followed by 2013 champion and a second left-hander, Ayman Hashem in second with 2113. Amr Essam took over third spot from Hazem Abd Elrashed with 2090.

2014 World Championship Trios gold medalist, Ohrgaard remained in the lead of the overseas pool with a nine-game aggregate of 2229. Southpaw, Naif Oqab of UAE and early pace-setter, Yousef Al Jaber of Qatar finished second and third with 2183 and 2166 respectively.

Basel Alanzi of Kuwait headed the mixed pool with 2122 pushing down compatriot, Mohannad Ebrahim into second place with 2110. Sweden's Pontus Andersson finished third with 2094 while Rickle Kam of Hong Kong and Ahmed Gamal of Egypt rounded out the top 5.

The cut has been raised substantially from 1887 last night to 1987 which is being held by Mahmoud Mazloum of Egypt. Salem Alhajras of Kuwait missed the 26th position by 6 pins with 1981.

Qualifiers positioned 1 to 26 will contest Step 1 finals while the top three local qualifiers and the top three overseas qualifiers will earn one bye to automatically qualify for Step 2 finals.

Meanwhile, Aliaa Ismail of Egypt topped the Ladies' Open division with a total of 1928. Debutant, Joline Persson Planefors of Sweden finished second with 1913 ahead of 2010 champion, Mennat Soltan of Egypt third with 1888.

Sara Gamal of Egypt and 2010 champion, Hanadi Muzail completed the top five with 1869 and 1853 respectively. The top 12 will qualify for Step 1 finals.

Qualifying rounds will end tomorrow and there will be a one-game desperado squad staged for the top four men to qualify for Step 1 finals.

The top 16 Asian men will also qualify for the fifth leg of the ABF Tour Egypt 2015 which will be held at the same center on May 1.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Cairo.

26th April, Cairo: 2014 World Championships Trios gold medalist, Frederik Ohrgaard of Denmark took the early lead in the Men's Open Masters qualifying standings of the 17th Sinai International Open underway at International Bowling Centre on Sunday.

Ohrgaard rolled three 3-games series of 783, 748 and 698 for a 9-game aggregate of 2229 to lead both the overseas pool and overall standings. Naif Oqab of UAE, who led briefly this morning after a stunning 809 series, settled for second with 2183.

Overnight leader, Yousef Al Jaber of Qatar slipped to third with 2166. The top three in the overseas pool would earn a bye and automatically qualify for Step 2 finals.

Hossam Sobhy of Egypt topped the local pool with 2122 from 721, 705 and 696 series ahead of 2013 champion and compatriot, Ayman Hashim with 2106. Amr Essam claimed third spot with 2090. The top three local qualifiers will also earn a bye for Step 2 finals.

Mohannad Ebrahim of Kuwait headed the mixed pool with 2110 followed by Hazem Abd Elrashed of Egypt in second with 2069 and another Egyptian, Ahmed Gamal third with 2065. Saudi's Mohamed Alrajrani and Mohamed Al Saud rounded out the top five with 2057 and 2048 respectively.

Qualifiers positioned 1 to 26 will contest the Step 1 finals joined by two Egyptian qualifiers not in the top 26 and another four qualifiers from the one-game desperado squad at the end of the qualifying rounds on April 28.

The current cut at 26th position went to Adel Albarqi of Saudi Arabia with 1887 (averaging 209.67). Last year's cut stood at 1906 (averaging 211.78), With two more days left for qualifying, the cut could rise to the 1900-mark.

32 qualifiers will bowl 6 games in Step 1 finals where the field will be cut to top 18 joined by the top three overseas and top three local seeded qualifiers for another 6 games in Step 2 finals from scratch.

The top 16 (15 plus one local) will advance to Step 3 finals where the field will be divided into two groups of eight bowlers bowling eight round-robin matches. The top two from each group will proceed to Step 4 finals.

The top-seed from Group 1 will face the second-seed from the Group 2 and the top-seed from Group 2 will face the second-seed from Group 1 over a two-game total pin falls. The losers will meet for a 3rd and 4th place paly-off while the winners will meet in the title match again over two-games total pin falls.

The champion will pocket the top prize of US$7,500 with the first runner-up settling for US$3,500. The second and third runner-up will earn US$2,500 and US$2,000 respectively.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Cairo.