CANADA LEADS THE OCTET INTO THE FINALS

Coming home with a huge total pinfall of 7444 over the 32 games to date, Michael Schmidt of Winnipeg, Canada leads a talented bunch of eight players into Saturday's quarterfinals. He hit another great series of 1804 over today's eight games in the top 24 session and how now finished the qualifying rounds with an average of 232.63, five pins more than second-placed Petter Hansen of Norway, last year's runner-up in Singapore.

Schmidt will now face Venezuelan Arturo Hernandez in the televised quarterfinals in a best of three game encounter. Hansen comes up against seventh seed Badr Al Sheikh of Saudi Arabia, the man who shot the tournament's fourth perfect game Friday afternoon. Lucas Legnani of Argentina will test his skills against Israel's Or Aviram and the opening match will be between the two European stalwarts, Gery Verbruggen of Belgium and Sweden's Anders Ohman, two guys who have battled out the final match in world and European events.

Badr Al Sheikh had the best eight-game series on Friday, totalling 1875, which included his 300 game. His three games from the fourth to the sixth included 27 strikes in a row and games of 268, 300 and 242.

Our photo shows, left to right, Back: Or Aviram, Michael Schmidt, Badr Al Sheikh, Petter Hansen. Front: Lucas Legnani, Arturo Hernandez, Anders Ohman and Gery Verbruggen.

MEN TOP 24:
Top 8 qualify for quarterfinals