9th April, Manila: Asian Championship triple Gold medalist, Wu Hao-Ming of Chinese Taipei ends year-long draught to capture the 4th Euromed-Storm International Masters Challenge crown which ended Sunday evening.

Wu, the spinner from Taipei defeated challenger and reigning World Ranking Masters champion, Kimmo Lehtonen of Finland, 235-205 in the final shootout match to claim the victory. The 19-year-old ended a year long drought after he impressed by winning three Gold medals in the 2004 Asian Championship in Bangkok.

The champion had earlier topped the Stage 3 Round-robin Matchplay roll-off winning six matches and drawing one and accummulating a total of 1959 with bonus points. Lehtonen, who finished as third-seed, defeated fourth-seed, Tyrone Ongpauco of the Philippines, 244-222 in the fisrt stepladder match to challenge second-seed, Zulmazran Zulkifli of Malaysia in the second match.

Lehtonen managed to edge the Malaysian, 212-205 to earn a crack at the title but found the Taiwanese too strong and had to settle for second with Zulmazran taking ending up in third. Stage 2 leader, Daniel Lim was the most unlucky competitor as he missed out on the stepladder finals by just 1 pin after totalling 1801 to the fourth-placed, Tyrone's 1802.

Wu took home Peso 1 million (approximately US$19,500) for his effort with Lehtonen winnign Peso 500,000 and Zulmazran Peso 250,000. A total of US$65,000 was paid out to winners up to 24th positions.

Photos by Mohd Razib Yahya, MTBC.

8th April, Manila: ABF Tour TOC champion, Daniel Lim took over the lead of the 4th Euromed-Storm International Masters Challenge from teammate, Adrian Ang during the Stage 2 finals.

Kim Gyun Hak of Korea set a cracking pace with 278 in the first game with a four bowlers posting above the 250 games while Malaysia's Daniel Lim chalked up 249 for sixth spot. Chinese Taipei's Cheng Chao-Yu took over the lead with 248 and 229 in the second and third games relegating Kim to third spot with Korean Kim Eun-Jung and Daniel closing in on the leaders.

Consistent lines of 246, 257, 214, 229 and 247 by Daniel from games 4 to 8 gave the 29-year-old 2005 National champion the lead with a total of 1889 and averaging an impressive 236. Reigning World Ranking Masters, Kimmo Lehtonen of Finland stormed home to snatch second spot with 1825 largely due to good games 266, 240 and 253 by the Finn in the final three games.

Malaysian International Open second runner-up, Kim Eun-Jung was the best female finisher taking up third spot with 1815 plus 64 pins handicap with

Chinese Taipei's Wu Hao-Ming and Malaysia's Zulmazran Zulkifli tieing in fourth position with 1787. Defending champion, Chester King and Tyrone Ongpauco were the two best local finishers to finish in sixth and seventh with 1770 and 1766 respectively.

Stage 1 leader, Adrian Ang struggled in this block to finish a dismal 13th with 1706 and missing the cut for Stage 3 while Americans, Tim Mack and newly-crowned Malaysian Open champion, Diandra Asbaty ended the block in 10th and 18th positions also missing the cut. The top 8 made the cut for the Round-robin Matchplay Stage 3 finals which will be played tomorrow (9th April).

Photos by Mohd Razib Yahya, MTBC.

8th April, Manila: Reigning Malaysian National Champion, Adrian Ang topped the Stage 1 Masters finals of the 4th Euromed-Storm International Masters Challenge ahead of defending champion, Chester King of the Philippines and reigning World Ranking Masters champion, Kimmo Lehtonen of Finland.

Ang set the lanes at Pearl Bowling Centre ablaze as the 17-year-old reeled off lines of 238, 258, 224, 235, 255, 222, 214 and easing off with 201 in the final eight game to amassed a total of 1847. Hot on his heels was defending champion, Chester King of the Philippines, who totaled 1836, just 11 pins adrift in second.

Reigning World Ranking Masters champion, Kimmo Lehtonen, was did not do too well in the Malaysian International Open last week, made amends and good pregress to take up third spot with a score of 1786. Former World Cup champion and southpaw, C.J. Suarez of the Philippines did well to stay with the leaders in foruth spot on 1770.

Chinese Taipei's best performer was Cheng Chao-Yu taking fifth position with a total of 1761 while other contestants in with a chance for the title were J.C. Tupaz of TBAM-Prima in sixth, 2 pins further away on 1759.

The best women in a field of 49 finalists was second runner-up in the Malaysian Open, Kim Eun-Jung of Korea in ninth with 1749 ahead of newly-crowned Malaysian International Open champion, Diandra Asbaty of the USA in 10th place with 1731.

The top 24 made the cut for the Stage 2 with 2005 Philippines Open, Joonee Gatchalian in 24th on a total of 1684 with 210.50 average. Some of the big names missing the cut were Manila SEA Games Gold medalists, Ryan Lalisang and Putty Armein in 26th and 27th respectively. The stage 2 qualifiers will bowl another 8 games with the top 3 proceeding to Stage 3 stepladder finals on the 9th April.

Top qualifier and favourite, Purvis Granger finished 29th and four-time World Cup champion, Paeng Nepomuceno of the Philippines down in 32nd. Four time Asian Ranked No. 1, Shalin Zulkifli, having bowl scarely after leaving the Malaysian National squad trailed the field in 46th position..

Photos by Mohd Razib Yahya, MTBC.

7th April, Manila: Former PBA bowler, Purvis Granger aimed to win his first Euromed-Storm International Masters Challenge title since moving to Manila as assistant coach of the Philippines national team after taking pole position in the qualifying leaderboard.

Former PBA bowler, Purvis Granger aimed to win his first Euromed-Storm International Masters Challenge title since moving to Manila as assistant coach of the Philippines national team after taking pole position in the qualifying leaderboard.

Granger, posted two highest series on the first day of competition to automatically qualify as well as take the overall lead with a 6-game total of 1468. The leader posted 225, 268, 247 for a 740 total in the first series and 211, 277, 240 for a total of 728 second series.

The American first came to Asia and competed in many Asian ranking tournaments including winning the AVIVA Asian Bowling Tour titles and taking the ABT Grand Slam title twice. But the 40-year-old has since stopped competing but only in non-ranking tournaments such as the Euromed-Storm and the Asian Intercity championships.

Sitting comfortably in second as the second highest series achiever in the daily high series qualifier is Filipina, Cecilia Yap posting 708 and 671 for a 1379 total. 2003 AMF World Cup champion, C J Suarez took third spot 1289.

Meanwhile, reigning Malaysian National champion, Adrian Ang, topped the qualfying table with a superb 1446 three days ago. The 17-year-old, who became the youngest male to be crwoned national champion, has consistent lines of 246, 247, 245 in his first best 3-game series of 738 and 226, 243, 239 for his second best 3-game series of 708.

Notable contenders for the title are Asian Championship three Gold medalist, Wu Hao-Ming of Chinese Taipei in tenth in the automatic daily, reigning World Ranking Masters champion, Kimmo Lehtonen of Finland in 21st with 1367, and newly-crowned, Malaysian Open champion, Diandra Asbaty of USA in 24th with 1360.

Also in the running are Manila SEA Games two Gold medalist, Putty Armein of Jaya Ancol Bowling, Indonesia in 26th with 1357, Masters Gold medalist,

Liza Clutario of the Philippines in 28th with 1353, PBA bowler, Tim Mack of USA in 33rd with 1328. The Stage 1 finals will be held on Saturday, 8th April where the top 24, based on total pinfalls, will make the cut for Stage 2.

Photos by Mohd Razib Yahya, MTBC.