Top bowlers from Finland, Sweden and Poland have tried, without success, to topple Turkey's star veteran Ayhan Bilge (pictured) from the top of the leader board, but his 1374 has resisted all challenges until Saturday midday. The 50-year-old Turkish national team player, who represented his country in the 1999 AMF Bowling World Cup in Las Vegas, USA, held pole position for five days, facing the determined attacks of some fierce opposition as many more top players arrive in Istanbul for the final day of qualifying
"It is very important and satisfying to be in the top 40," said Bilge, "being the leader doesn't really mean much as the scores in the next round start from zero. I think I will need a lot of luck on Sunday."

That position at the top if the leader board for Bilge came to a sudden end on Saturday morning as Oliver Morig, 25, from Brunswick, Germany (pictured) took over the reins. The German national team player found a nice line to the pins, bowling a little outside center and totaled 1398 for current first place.
"This is my first visit to Turkey and I'm very impressed with the center and the tournament organization. It is all top class. I'm very sorry that I will not be able to be a tourist as well, but I have to get back home."
Morig is a keen player in the second league in Germany and plays for the city of Kiel.

Strikes galore in Squad 17, the penultimate qualifying session except for that dreaded Desperado Squad, but the top three positions withstood the onslaught. Phil Scammell of England was the top scorer in this squad and is safe for the top 45 going into round two on Sunday morning.

1263 was the eventual cut for the intrepid band of 40 at the top of the leader board when the dust of the final squad had settled. These were joined by the five-nation quintet and Sunay sees the final rounds.
 

2nd Istanbul Bowling Open
First Round Results
RANK	No	Player	Sex	Nat	GM1	GM2	GM3	GM4	GM5	GM6	HND	TOT	AVE	1st	CUT
1	1113	Oliver Morig	M	GER	246	226	269	173	246	238	0	1,398	233.00	0	-135
2	1191	Maragos Leonidas	M	GRE	213	211	249	225	245	246	0	1,389	231.50	-9	-126
3	1086	Martina Beckel	F	GER	189	221	211	268	201	245	48	1,383	230.50	-15	-120
4	1003	Ö. Ayhan Bilge	M	TUR	249	215	254	220	235	201	0	1,374	229.00	-24	-111
5	1097	Mika Luoto	M	FIN	185	258	228	222	224	248	0	1,365	227.50	-33	-102
6	1137	Tanya Petty	F	GER	228	235	226	223	206	196	48	1,362	227.00	-36	-99
7	1088	Mathias Lundin	M	SWD	226	245	267	210	189	221	0	1,358	226.33	-40	-95
8	1069	Ivonne Gross	F	AUS	214	201	193	196	259	243	48	1,354	225.67	-44	-91
9	1073	Jouni Helminen	M	FIN	226	226	225	214	203	257	0	1,351	225.17	-47	-88
10	1071	Jakub Grotowski jr	M	POL	195	278	206	236	192	237	0	1,344	224.00	-54	-81
11	1121	Phil Scammell	M	ENG	170	222	216	255	224	257	0	1,344	224.00	-54	-81
12	1112	Olga Tabachkova	F	RUS	254	177	239	204	235	186	48	1,343	223.83	-55	-80
13	1171	Or Aviram	M	ISR	243	245	221	227	246	157	0	1,339	223.17	-59	-76
14	1094	Michael Michajlow	M	GER	254	189	235	228	208	219	0	1,333	222.17	-65	-70
15	1115	Osku Palermaa	M	FIN	266