Oh Fiddlesticks! It would have been a full opening squad on Tuesday night for the 34th Ciutat de Barcelona but for a couple of no shows, one of them being none other than the ubiquitous Brian Voss of the United States, USBC and PBA Hall of Famer. So he and the other missing player, name not known at this moment, go into the sin bin.

We do have the pleasure of watching newly crowned PBA titlist Osku Palermaa, hopefully now fully recovered from his stomach bug whilst in Italy a couple of weeks ago, and Venezuelan star Ildemaro Ruiz, a visitor very much enjoying the European Bowling Tour.

Naturally, there are many Catalan and Spanish players on the lanes for this opener, and they cannot be ruled out as cannon fodder, especially local star Marcial Ovide.

Bowling Pedralbes, despite its small size of just 14 lanes, is one of those centers that stays in mind for years. Great organization,

fantastic ambience and good conditions set by Kegel's John Janawicz bring the players back year after year.

There are currently 131 players on the roster, representing 21 nations, a really nice number for the 14 lanes, giving space for re-entries come Friday and Saturday. The top 42, plus six women who do not make that cut, will advance to the final rounds on Sunday. Full tournament details on www.fcbb.cat. That website will also feature web streaming of the finals at 18.15 precisely on Sunday evening.

But back to tonight's squad.

And the squad winner is: Ildemaro Ruiz from Venezuela, taking pole position with 1424 which included his high game of 255, but steady bowling with that high and the low just 219.

This is my third visit to Barcelona," explained Ruiz. "I came last year and enjoyed it, the food is good, so I really like it here.

"I was in San Marino last week and I worked a lot with my game and I think I am doing the right thing with my moves  and the transition so I think the work that I have been doing is paying off.

"This is my last tournament in Europe. I am going back home after this and then I go to Colombia for two events and then to Las Vegas for the American tournament."

It was a tenth frame decider between ruiz and Osku Palermaa, the Finn suffering an open final frame to let Ruiz take squad honors, 1424-1399. Palermaa also had the high game of 255, his second game after a lowly 174 beginning.

Local hero Marcial Ovide came into the frame by taking third place on 1389. The honor of holding the high game goes to a Romanian, Catalin Gheorge, rolling a 279.

Full tournament details and standings: www.fcbb.cat

TOP TEN STANDINGS AFTER SQUAD 1:

QUALIFICATION - Squad: 1 - Tuesday

 

P	Player	Club	Federation	1	2	3	4	5	6	Pins	Hdcp	Total
1	Ildemaro Ruiz	Independent	Venezuela	228	238	255	219	245	239	1424	0	1424
2	Osku Palermaa	Patteri/Pergamon	Finland	174	255	232	259	247	232	1399	0	1399
3	Marcial Ovide Marron	Diagonal	Catalonia	234	235	267	217	202	234	1389	0	1389
4	Moi Perez Ibañez	Diagonal	Catalonia	233	236	223	202	182	247	1323	0	1323
5	Marius Piticariu	Elcomex Delfin II	Romania	247	179	225	232	210	204	1297	0	1297
6	Cristina Sanz Moreno	Diagonal	Catalonia	195	253	175	190	254	173	1240	48	1288
7	Catalin Gheorge	Elcomex Delfin II	Romania	172	162	177	269	211	279	1270	0	1270
8	Aude Saint Marc	B. Adour Bayonne	France	213	226	214	157	177	167	1154	48	1202
9	Artur Colomer Soler	Sweetrade	Catalonia	214	181	174	179	204	215	1167	0	1167
10	Mikael Kanold	Independent	Sweden	177	176	218	194	165	227	1157	0	1157