LUNDEN SETS THE PACE

Reija Lunden, 37, of  Finland set the lanes alight Tuesday afternoon with a blistering 1936 over the eight games on the short oil pattern to top the squad and claim the squad bonus prize of $1,000. The Helsinki I.T. designer, working in an insurance office, also had the high game of 289 and achieved personal best scores of total pinfall over six, seven and eight games.
"This is the third time I have won the World Ranking Masters squad prize," Lunden explained, "and each time it has been in the first squad and on short oil. I like dry conditions, it suits my type of shot. I like to play power bowling."
Lunden currently averages 209 over all competitive games played in her native Finland and tributes her success to Finnish national team coach Olli Tiainen. She has been bowling exceptionally well this year, but says: "I haven't really changed anything very much recently. I just try to improve all the time and keep a good technique. I do find it difficult to make big adjustments, so try to keep my game simple. I have bowled in a lot of international tournaments over the past year and by watching many top competitors I have been able to learn to read the ball action and lanes."
Lunden had just under a hundred pin buffer over second placed Helen Johnsson of Sweden, tipped by many as a tournament favorite.
Europeans topped the table, holding the first three places and seven in the top ten. An expected strong challenge from the Asians has not, as yet, materialized, but Liza Del Rosario of the Philippines made an improvement on the run to home after a low start and sits in tenth place right now.
Wednesday will see the ladies bowl their second block of eight games on the long oil pattern which, says Kegel's John Davis, should play from inside. It will be interesting to see if that makes big changes to the leader board.
Interest was focused today on the two 'spinners' in the field, Singapore's Jennifer Tan and Alice Tay. Neither had much luck over their first eight games, finishing 22nd and 23rd respectively.

(Pic of John Davis and Reija Lunden courtesy of Charlie Blom, Netherlands)

LADIES - GAMES 1 - 8 OF 24
Squad 1 - Short Oil

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For further information, contact Keith Hale: keithhale679@aol.com