All the fives, 55, and that's not a bingo call but the total entry for the 2011 European Women's Masters which this year switches to the lanes of Bowling Pedralbes, and 18 of those entries took to the approaches on Thursday evening to get this popular event underway.
As usual, six games are bowled in the qualifying round, with re-entries allowed as available, then the top 24 will advance to Sunday's final rounds. The champion will be decided from the top four in the televised finals, playing best of three games for semi-finals and final.
Star of Thursday's meet was none other than Colombia's Clara Guerrero, fresh from being leading lady in the recent Columbia Vienna Open in Austria, but overcoming all tiredness and jetlag to post 1289 to be squad leader.
Just four weeks ago Guerrero was leading the Colombian team in the World Women's Championships in Hong Kong. So, international travel has not worn you down, we asked?: "It was a good day and I am really happy," she commented. "This has been a lot better than Vienna. The lanes here are a lot more playable although the approaches are quite slick, which is challenging to get the right rhythm.
"After Hong Kong I managed to get two weeks at home in Texas, then I flew to Vienna before I came here to Barcelona. I love international events now that we do not have many women's tournaments in the United States, so I have decided to come to Europe a little bit more and I enjoy bowling some of the European tour stops. I have one of my best friends here in Barcelona so I try to come here as much as I can."
Despite six 200-plus games, Guerrero did not have things all her own way. Hot on her heels was fellow Colombian Luz Adriana Leal (now Gonzalez), married and living in Barcelona. She was just 23 pins adrift when the dust of battle had settled with 1266 and this pair duelled the only scores over 1200. Third place goes to Catalonia's own Sandra Torrents on 1172.
Full event details on www.fcbb.cat
STANDINGS AFTER SQUAD 1:
VII EUROPEAN WOMEN'S MASTERSPRESIDENT SAMARANCH TROPHY |
 |
QUALIFICATION - S1 Squad: S1 |
| P | Player | Federation | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Pins |
| 1 | Clara Guerrero | Colombia | 224 | 201 | 205 | 225 | 232 | 202 | 1289 |
| 2 | Luz Adriana Leal | Colombia | 179 | 235 | 173 | 278 | 218 | 183 | 1266 |
| 3 | Sandra Torrents Pelaez | Catalonia | 230 | 208 | 189 | 185 | 201 | 159 | 1172 |
| 4 | Sanna Pasanen | Finland | 185 | 178 | 174 | 167 | 215 | 207 | 1126 |
| 5 | Rosa Mas Puiggros | Catalonia | 147 | 213 | 204 | 163 | 169 | 199 | 1095 |
| 6 | Francisca Nuñez Hernandez | Catalonia | 137 | 209 | 168 | 158 | 166 | 206 | 1044 |
| 7 | Hakamaki Tiia | Finland | 171 | 154 | 208 | 166 | 178 | 142 | 1019 |
| 8 | Sandra Oliva Tudela | Catalonia | 176 | 155 | 179 | 179 | 163 | 158 | 1010 |
| 9 | Lia Mojarro Postigo | Catalonia | 126 | 150 | 178 | 210 | 149 | 162 | 975 |
| 10 | Ingrid Julia Ingles | Catalonia | 158 | 184 | 150 | 155 | 188 | 140 | 975 |
| 11 | Irene Molera Teruel | Catalonia | 129 | 146 | 160 | 228 | 171 | 135 | 969 |
| 12 | Francisca Melendez Bejar | Catalonia | 159 | 164 | 133 | 119 | 192 | 189 | 956 |
| 13 | Roser Romero Burgos | Catalonia | 136 | 152 | 144 | 180 | 167 | 158 | 937 |
| 14 | Meritxell Sanchez Lloansi | Catalonia | 158 | 145 | 128 | 178 | 138 | 180 | 927 |
| 15 | Mercè Burgues Flamarich | Catalonia | 149 | 155 | 149 | 147 | 171 | 151 | 922 |
| 16 | Elisabet Cejudo Justo | Catalonia | 138 | 167 | 144 | 165 | 117 | 157 | 888 |
| 17 | Noelia Rastrero Medina | Catalonia | 129 | 146 | 159 | 149 | 135 | 155 | 873 |
| 18 | Sandra Barange Villavecchia | Catalonia | 163 | 115 | 146 | 144 | 132 | 140 | 840 |
