2004 Ladbrokespoker.com Weber Cup

Europe vs USA Tenpin Bowling Challenge

 Sunday 10^th October

Europe  17 – 11  USA

Team Europe are within one point of retaining the Weber Cup following a dominant Sunday afternoon session that saw them win six of the seven matches to lead by six points with a session to go.

As hostilities resumed, it was Team Europe who drew first blood in the shape of Finland’s Lasse Lintila who took out Dino Castillo by a 20-pin margin. Castillo, who has had a miserable time of it in Altrincham, averaging just 158 in the tournament so far, improved on that with a 183 game but Lintila was too accurate for him.

The Euro pairing of Scammell and Verbruggen put further daylight between themselves and the Americans as they beat Tim Mack and Bill Hoffman by a 13-pin margin. Although it was riddled with splits and open frames, the match was a highly entertaining encounter as both teams had to work hard in tough conditions. It was the Europeans who prevailed though, leaving the Americans with a big job to do.

Tore Torgersen, who resumes his career on the PBA in November, came good at the right time for Europe following some poor performances in the singles. He bowled an excellent 232 game to despatch Tony Manna and increase the Euro lead to four points. With the lane playing exceedingly hard, 232 would equate to something in the 260/270 region under more benign conditions.

Another big score, this time from Torgersen and Leandersson in the doubles, set Team Europe on a seemingly unassailable path to glory. 236 was the tally and the American duo of Mullin and Manna, their two strongest players of the tournament to date, had no answers as their 183 total barely made a dent. The win put Europe within three points of victory.

Tomas Leandersson, who has lead from the front as European captain, put on another good show to leave Team USA needing a miracle as the score moved onto 16 – 10. Leandersson, who was in the groove following his doubles win in the previous match, never looked back as Hoffman suffered from the ongoing Weber Cup problem of splits.

Team USA captain Tim Mack produced the goods when required as his doubles pairing with Mike Mullin posted the joint best American score of the tournament to beat Lintila and Verbruggen by a comfortable 58 pin margin. That reduced the deficit to five games but the Europeans are still massive favorites to retain their title. 

Those odds were increased in the final game as Europe won a tight Baker match to put themselves on the hill at 17 – 11. They now need to win just one game whilst their American counterparts need to win all seven.

The Scores

Scammell / Verbruggen  173 - 160  Hoffmann / Mack

Tore Torgersen  232 – 194   Tony Manna

Leandersson / Torgersen  236 – 183  Mullin / Manna

Tomas Leandersson  213 – 190  Bill Hoffman

Lintila / Verbruggen  165 - 223  Mullin / Mack

Europe  179 – 168  USA

Europe   18  –  11   USA Following on from Europe’s recent success in golf’s Ryder Cup, it was the tenpin bowlers’ turn as they defeated their American counterparts in what was ultimately a one-sided battle at the Altrincham Leisure Centre. The final score line of 18 – 11 was a fair reflection as Team Europe pulled away on the final day after the Americans kept them pinned back to a one point lead at 11 – 10 after two days of play. Fittingly, it was the European captain Tomas Leandersson, the 38-year-old Swede, who won the final point as he posted the highest score of the tournament – 266 pins – to defeat American captain Tim Mack. Both teams struggled to come to terms with a very difficult lane conditions and the scoring was not the highest. However, there was plenty of drama and tension as both teams gave their all. Following three years of US domination, back-to-back wins for the Europeans have very much made this a ‘live’ event and there will be plenty of questions asked when Team USA is selected next year. Commented Leandersson, “I think we had better control over the lane in the end, and when the US tried to find something to get ahead of us, it didn’t work out so well for them," he said. “We’re really pleased because one time is one time but now we’ve won it twice and 18-11 against a team like that is something. “We really played the lane and that was the difference because the conditions were hard. Next year, we’ll definitely be favorites and we’re looking forward to defending the trophy.” American captain Tim Mack, such a fierce competitor himself, said, “Obviously we’re disappointed because basically we got steam-rollered. “The contest went from being the closest Weber Cup in history at 11 – 10 into a comfortable win for them. They bowled good though and made the shots when they needed to. “Team Europe was too good for us. We just got out-bowled and sometimes that happens in sport. We’ll be back though next year to try and win this thing back.” The Scores Tomas Leandersson 266 – 219  Tim Mack

                                                                                                        Courtesy Luke Riches, Matchroom.com