“I think that the stepladder final came to a very satisfactory conclusion.” Wise words from one-year-old Ida Palermaa after
watching her father Osku Palermaa beat England’s Dominic Barrett, 227-207, in the final stage of the stepladder final of the 34th Ciutat de Barcelona at the popular Bowling Pedralbes.
Both players were merrily striking through the one-game affair with just a couple of points separating them, first advantage Barrett, then Palermaa as the Englishman’s strikefest came to a shuddering halt as he left the 3-4-6-7-10 and took just four from that ugly group.
Now Finland’s ace took over and a double, a couple of nine-spares and a strike settled the issue. Palermaa at the top of the podium and another €12,000 in the kitty to aid Ida’s future.
Barrett had a five-split in the sixth frame of the first game, taking on Venezuela’s Ildemaro Ruiz, but followed that with a six-bagger to clinch the first match, 235-202. It was two splits that determined Ruiz’s fate so there were four overall in the two matches.
It was a unique occasion as all three finalists are Storm products staff members and all used the same brand of bowling balls. You can’t get much more even that that.
