TOMAS LEANDERSSON estimates that he has participated around 25 times in the AIK Tournament at Bowl-O-Rama, Stockholm.

The traditional and popular event celebrated its 30th anniversary with the finals on January 6 and for the first time it was Leandersson who walked away with the winner’s trophy.

It was about time. The Swedish standout missed by close margin last year when he was runner-up to Mattias Olsson and fell in the semi-final two years ago to Pergamon team-mate Martin Larsen.

“This time I found the strike pocket immediately in the step ladder. That is what it is all about in a step ladder format, to quickly find your game on both lanes”, said Tomas after defeating his eternal rival, Norwegian star Tore Torgersen, in the final match.

During the earlier stages of the final day it looked as if it was going to become an all-Pergamon affair. Before the last game of the quarterfinal, top four consisted of Torgersen, Leandersson, Martin Larsen and Robert Andersson. However, in the 12th and last game, Larsen and Andersson struggled and were narrowly defeated by Ivan Ljungholm and Gärda Lind.

In the stepladder Lind, the best woman of the tournament, defeated Ljungholm, 232-198. Next, Leandersson safely cruised to victory against Lind, 235-187, to set up the championship match with Torgersen.

While Tomas hit the pocket with almost all of his shots, Tore Torgersen never found the striking touch which had given him the first seed position earlier in the day. Leandersson lead by 32 pins in the fifth frame and controlled the game after that. He won it, 215-193.

For the first time on the Super Six Tour a new lane pattern was introduced, namely the WTBA medium pattern Montreal.

According to Super Six officials the tour intends to use WTBA lane patterns on all stops in 2010.

After the finals of the AIK Tournament, the finals of the Super Six Tour 2009 were conducted using the traditional shoot-out format. Six players were qualified for the Super Star and the VBS Ladies Tour finals respectively. Each player was given the opportunity to strike nine times.

Swedish International Malin Glendert won the VBS Ladies Tour shoot-out for the third straight year. Both Glendert and Victoria Johansson had seven strikes after nine frames. In the next frame, Victoria missed and Glendert secured her victory by a Brooklyn strike.

The Super Star final also went to overtime as Martin Larsen and Dennis Eklund each had seven strikes. In the extra frame, Martin couldn´t strike and Dennis immediately used the opportunity by hitting a perfect strike.

AIK Tournament, final results: 1. Tomas Leandersson, Sweden  40 000 SEK; 2. Tore Torgersen, Norway 25 000 SEK;
3. Gärda Lind, Sweden  15 000 SEK; 4. Ivan Ljungholm, Sweden  10 000 SEK; 5. Martin Larsen, Sweden  8 000 SEK;
6. Robert Andersson, Sweden  8 000 SEK; 7. Martin Paulsson, Sweden  8 000 SEK; 8. Perttu Jussila, Finland 8 000 SEK.

Super Star 2009: Dennis Eklund, Sweden  40 000 SEK.

VBS Ladies Tour winner 2009: Malin Glendert, Sweden 40 000 SEK.

All results are available at http:..supersix2010.bowlorama.se.dynamic.start.asp

—Photo  by Jonas Brändström, Swebowl

—Report by Hans Karlsson, Press officer, Swedish Bowling Federation