LADIES DIVISION - FINAL QUALIFYING GAMES:

This final block of eight games this afternoon will decide the top 24 to qualify for the quarter-finals, which will be for a further eight games on Thursday morning.

Helen Johnsson, 30, from Lund in Sweden beat off some severe opposition to take the Masters gold medal in the recent ETBF Women's European Championships in Germany. To take this prestigious World Cup title back home on Saturday evening and be the first Swedish lady champion since Annette Hagre won in 1991 is now her target.

There are quite a few players with the same aim, so every pin is going to count as they run down to the 24-game line this afternoon. It is currently taking a 200 average to get into the top 24. It will be interesting to see how this group handles the pressure.

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Well, they say that the best things come in small packages and this was proved this evening as petite Lisa John from England came out to be the leader of the qualifying squad and leads the top 24 into round two, the quarter-finals on Thursday morning. Lisa held off a strong challenge from Sweden's Helen Johnsson and a final game charge by Diandra Asbaty of the United States, who opened with six strikes but ran into a few spares before coming home with 258 and zoom from fifth to second place.

"I really didn't fell any pressure over the last eight qualifying games today. There is still a very long way to go," commented Lisa John (pictured) after the squad. "In a situation like this you just have to bowl the best you can and make good shots.
"Getting up to catch the 6:30 bus out to the center doesn't really worry me, but I do feel a little pressure when I have to bowl early in the morning. My main problem is the heat, it makes my hand swell.
"So far, the tournament is running smoothly and all the Venezuelans are very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, there is no sense of urgency."
Lisa hit her high game of the tournament, a 259, in the opening game of this evening's block, but most unusually she suffered three games under 200. She finished the 24 games with a creditable 220.67 average.

The qualifying average for 24th place and a spot in the next round came up to 203.25, Italy's Daniela Esposito squeezing in by 50 pins over Jojo Canare of the Philippines.