onefrombills
07-29-2009, 08:58 PM
LAS VEGAS - Korea's Hwang Sun-Ok and Gang Hye-Eun fought off a final game charge by Denmark's Anne Gales and Rikke Rasmussen to maintain their lead in doubles after the first of three squads at the 2009 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Women's Championships on Wednesday.
Hwang and Gang entered the last game of the six-game block with a 68-pin lead over Gales and Rasmussen, and when Rasmussen closed things out with a 267 game and 482 team effort, Gang answered with three strikes of her own to end the threat.
Hwang paced the Korean pair with a 1,313 set, while Gang contributed 1,300 for a 2,613 doubles total. Gales and Rasmussen are second with 2,608, England's Hayley White and Jo Cundy are third with 2,548 and Indonesia's Putty Armein and Shalima Zalsha are fourth with 2,533.
"When we are bowling, we focus on each frame so we can acquire the highest score," Hwang said. "We think about the score, but try to ignore it and focus on one shot at a time. We also depend on each other."
Also during the day's opening squad, Colombia's Maria Jose Rodriguez rolled the first perfect game of this year's event and the fourth in tournament history. She finished the day with a 1,263 set and teamed up with Alejandra Mora for a 2,377 doubles total, which currently is 14th.
Team USA's Liz Johnson and Stefanie Nation are in eighth place with 2,456.
Doubles competition will continue throughout the day Wednesday with squads at 4:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. EDT.
Representatives from 45 countries will roll six qualifying games on the tournament's medium pattern (WTBA Athens, 40 feet) Wednesday, and the top four pairs overall will advance to the semifinals, which will be held Thursday at 10 p.m. EDT. The top seed will take on the No. 4 pair, and the No. 2 and No. 3 teams also will meet for a spot in the final. The semifinal winners then will battle for the gold medal, while the losers settle for bronze.
This year's tournament marks the first time professionals are allowed to compete at the World Women's Championships, and all competitors will compete in singles, doubles, trios, team and Masters competition before the event concludes Sunday. Medals also will be awarded for all-events.
USBC plans to live stream portions of the event on bowl.com, and bowling fans around the world will be able to watch the finals and select semifinals.
Hwang and Gang entered the last game of the six-game block with a 68-pin lead over Gales and Rasmussen, and when Rasmussen closed things out with a 267 game and 482 team effort, Gang answered with three strikes of her own to end the threat.
Hwang paced the Korean pair with a 1,313 set, while Gang contributed 1,300 for a 2,613 doubles total. Gales and Rasmussen are second with 2,608, England's Hayley White and Jo Cundy are third with 2,548 and Indonesia's Putty Armein and Shalima Zalsha are fourth with 2,533.
"When we are bowling, we focus on each frame so we can acquire the highest score," Hwang said. "We think about the score, but try to ignore it and focus on one shot at a time. We also depend on each other."
Also during the day's opening squad, Colombia's Maria Jose Rodriguez rolled the first perfect game of this year's event and the fourth in tournament history. She finished the day with a 1,263 set and teamed up with Alejandra Mora for a 2,377 doubles total, which currently is 14th.
Team USA's Liz Johnson and Stefanie Nation are in eighth place with 2,456.
Doubles competition will continue throughout the day Wednesday with squads at 4:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. EDT.
Representatives from 45 countries will roll six qualifying games on the tournament's medium pattern (WTBA Athens, 40 feet) Wednesday, and the top four pairs overall will advance to the semifinals, which will be held Thursday at 10 p.m. EDT. The top seed will take on the No. 4 pair, and the No. 2 and No. 3 teams also will meet for a spot in the final. The semifinal winners then will battle for the gold medal, while the losers settle for bronze.
This year's tournament marks the first time professionals are allowed to compete at the World Women's Championships, and all competitors will compete in singles, doubles, trios, team and Masters competition before the event concludes Sunday. Medals also will be awarded for all-events.
USBC plans to live stream portions of the event on bowl.com, and bowling fans around the world will be able to watch the finals and select semifinals.