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STEPLADDER FINALS - LADIES:
Match 1:
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NICOLE KNOPP |
GERMANY |
177 |
190 |
SUE ABELA |
MALTA |
 |
Match 2:
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BIGI MANICU |
SWITZERLAND |
213 |
208 |
SUE ABELA |
MALTA |
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Title Match:
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IBEN TCHU |
DENMARK |
221 |
202 |
BIGI MANICO |
SWITZERLAND |
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A DANISH DELIGHT
Iben Tchu, 31, of Copenhagen, Denmark had a fairytale
dream come true by clinching the ladies' title in the
2004 Malta Open by defeating Switzerland's Bigi Manico
in a tense and exciting stepladder final. Tchu, a
realtor office assistant, is the second Danish lady
champion in two years, taking over the mantle of Kamilla
Kjeldsen, who was unable to defend her title this year
due to commitments in the World Ranking Masters in
Moscow.
Tchu, as top seed, had to wait two rounds as double
champion Sue Abela of Malta defeated Germany's Nicole
Kopp in the first match. Then Abela was herself defeated
by second seed Manico, so the Swiss lady became the
first-ever national to contest the Malta Open final, but
to place second overall.
The tournament was not a clear run for the Danish girl.
"I had a problem carrying the 10-pin," she said. "I had
to keep changing bowling balls and the line on the
lanes. I ended up winning with a Hammer Diesel Particle
Pearl ball. It didn't worry me that I had to play
against Bigi as a left-hander and it didn't really occur
to me that I had a clean lane all to myself."
She stated that participation in the next few European
ranking tournaments depends on finances. "I will try to
enter as many as I can," she said, "but I also have a
problem getting time off work."
MEN:
Match 1:
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LEONARD
LOWENHAMN |
SWEDEN |
180 |
247 |
PAUL MOOR |
ENGLAND |
 |
Match 2:
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JOUNI HELMINEN |
FINLAND |
215 |
224 |
PAUL MOOR |
ENGLAND |
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Title Match:
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PETER SMITS |
NETHERLANDS |
174 |
201 |
PAUL MOOR |
ENGLAND |
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AN ENGLISH AFFAIR
The final confrontation in the men's division, an all left-hander's affair
between Paul Moor of England and Dutchman Peter Smits, ended with an English
victory, the first since Keith Hodge took the inaugural title in 1993.
Neither player dominated the tense final, the pendulum of fate swinging from one
to the other but it swung in favor of the Englishman when it came to the vital
tenth frame.
Moor, 25, from Hull in the north-east of England, said, "I was expecting a
really tough game against Jouni Helminen in the second match. He is a very
experienced international player and also recently turned professional. Luckily,
I made the right ball change at the right time, switching from the Brunswick
Inferno to the Ultimate Inferno."
Regarding his final match against Smits, I.T. Support Technician Moor added, "I
can't take anything away from Smits. This is a cruel format and I know how it
feels to come out on the wrong side."
On his overall performance, he commented, "I came here to win, as I do in every
tournament. From the qualifying rounds I was up there and worked hard to get
into the Round Robin, where I nearly beat Helminen into second place."
Moor was too humble to mention his progress from third seed through to the
final. It is not often that achievement is performed. Neither is the three-game
score of 672 he hit on the stepladder.
Leonard Lowenhamn from Sweden, who was beaten by Moor in the opening match,
said, "I have only been bowling seriously for about two years and the pressure
of the situation was too much for me, but I have learned from the experience and
will know better next time."
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