Triumph over adversity

Delayed flights, missing baggage and bowling balls, sleepless nights hanging around airports - all the problems from the striking French air traffic controllers were forgotten as the multi-nation group took to the lanes with a full complement for Thursday;s 17:00 squad, the first of two scheduled for today, thanks to the efforts of the Catalan Federation's wizard Clara Roca, who put her foot down with a heavy hand to gently persuade some of the competitors on the later squad to come forward to this one.

A quintet of Swede's, headed no less than by the ebullient Patrick Backe from Helsingborg, who we haven't seen around the tour for donkey's years, and Helen Johnsson from Lund, a truly welcome sight, came through the doors just minutes before the squad commenced, so everything went like clockwork. All hunky-dory as the locals are not heard to say.

With such a talented group gracing the 14 lanes of Bowling Pedralbes there were many hopes of scores to match. Representing Colombia and all the way from her home, now in Texas, was Clara Guerrero, due to be presented with the WBW 2009 Bowler of the Year trophy and be inducted into the WBW Hall of Fame on Sunday next, all on TV. She started out with a humble 406 over her first two games and, through feeling a little out of health, struggled through her six game stint.

But it was fellow Colombian Luz Adriana Leal who not only took the squad honors but also became the new tournament leader, posting 1366 over her six games and become 'woman on top'. Her high game in the set was 246 and low 198, the final game and the only one under 200.

Nicole Sanders from the Netherlands also fared well, placing second on the squad behind Leal by 42 pins.

"I have just moved to Barcelona to live a month ago," Leal told us. "I'm with my boy friend here, he's from Palma, Majorca, and I am hoping to work with the Catalan Federation. I love it here, it is so nice to be close to the sea and in such a vibrant city."

As squad winner, Leal automatically qualifies for a place in Sunday's finals line-up so can enjoy more travels around her new home.

Guerrero dropped to seventh place on the squad, not firing on all cylinders, so is determined to fight again tomorrow.

Local player Marcial Ovide topped the men's scores on this squad with third place and 1311 and Patrick Backe shows promise with 1300 even.

STANDINGS AFTER SQUAD 3:

ALL QUALIFICATION - 25-02-2010 to Squad 3

P Player Federation 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pins Hdcp Total
1 Luz Adriana Leal Colombia 221 215 203 246 235 198 1318 48 1366
2 Yoan Alix France 181 208 233 246 194 287 1349 0 1349
3 Nicole Sanders The Netherlands 170 146 258 278 201 223 1276 48 1324
4 Marcial Ovide Marron Catalonia 207 256 183 226 216 223 1311 0 1311
5 Patrick Backe Sweden 214 201 234 236 213 202 1300 0 1300
6 Marilyn Planchard France 212 191 184 235 228 197 1247 48 1295
7 Hélen Johnsson Sweden 176 203 220 207 227 213 1246 48 1294
8 Mathias Arup Sweden 181 213 196 238 217 222 1267 0 1267
9 Clara J Guerrero Colombia 177 221 196 220 194 204 1212 48 1260
10 Philippe André France 195 213 195 187 247 213 1250 0 1250
11 Lluis Montfort Rifé Catalonia 189 244 183 187 226 214 1243 0 1243
12 Moises Perez Ibañez Catalonia 245 192 197 225 202 182 1243 0 1243
13 Raúl Gálvez Galisteo Catalonia 229 193 176 248 175 206 1227 0 1227
14 Camilla Lindqvist Sweden 237 167 175 203 201 193 1176 48 1224
15 Martin Paulsson Sweden 187 232 192 188 202 222 1223 0 1223
16 Peder Grimsen Sweden 163 192 199 202 230 235 1221 0 1221
17 David Kendall England 201 182 225 197 203 203 1211 0 1211
18 Tore Torgersen Norway 235 210 175 180 257 151 1208 0 1208
19 Diana Zavjalova Latvia 187 173 188 201 204 206 1159 48 1207
20 Arturo Rueda Colombia 168 254 191 218 186 169 1186 0 1186
21 Axel Guimó Miranda Catalonia 213 181 213 184 178 215 1184 0 1184
22 Sandra Torrents Pelaez Catalonia 178 181 167 215 201 190 1132 48 1180
23 Peter Ljung Sweden 187 202 214 164 160 248 1175 0 1175
24 Oriol Ros Badia Catalonia 199 216 180 170 203 207 1175 0 1175
25 Karl Wahlgren Sweden 198 191 179 201 201 205 1175 0 1175
26 Bengt Wehlin Sweden 188 173 192 235 185 191 1164 0 1164
27 Wendy Kok The Netherlands 190 205 179 179 196 166 1115 48 1163
28 Jesus Alberto Dacorte Gomez Spain 200 190 168 171 197 228 1154 0 1154
29 Mathias Sarmadi France 196 157 171 203 202 225 1154 0 1154
30 Balbir Singh Kaur Catalonia 150 188 208 203 219 185 1153 0 1153
31 Âlvaro Jose Cardona Rosell Catalonia 167 182 200 168 209 217 1143 0 1143
32 Alvar Cardona Burguès Catalonia 193 166 204 174 171 224 1132 0 1132
33 Artur Colomer Soler Catalonia 232 162 176 185 199 171 1125 0 1125
34 Sten Trygve Solberg Norway 187 211 183 210 163 170 1124 0 1124
35 Monica Boldo Pascual Catalonia 165 184 174 223 160 168 1074 48 1122
36 Pierre Luc Sanchez France 181 190 182 180 188 197 1118 0 1118
37 Rosa Mas Puiggros Catalonia 192 138 158 198 150 231 1067 48 1115
38 Joan Creus Martori Catalonia 203 157 160 170 202 218 1110 0 1110
39 Ilja Schneider Germany 190 173 181 153 201 207 1105 0 1105
40 Lluis Monfort Gómez Catalonia 181 192 160 178 180 207 1098 0 1098
41 Miguel Angel Guimerà Gavilan Catalonia 207 168 190 196 162 163 1086 0 1086
42 Alexandre Lepolard France 179 148 164 191 175 213 1070 0 1070
43 Paqui Nuñez Hernandez Catalonia 166 157 171 178 169 166 1007 48 1055
44 Ermes Pacchiosi Catalonia 165 128 198 184 148 218 1041 0 1041
45 Carlos Martí Pi-figueras Catalonia 144 146 161 185 166 236 1038 0 1038
46 Patrik Tanaskovic Sweden 170 146 233 150 145 190 1034 0 1034
47 Martin Donato Argentina 157 201 177 192 159 146 1032 0 1032
48 Joan Pique Reig Catalonia 170 161 184 178 156 182 1031 0 1031
49 Keenan Glover Catalonia 201 157 188 143 160 175 1024 0 1024
50 Hector Roca Roig Catalonia 193 141 194 145 156 170 999 0 999
51 Carlos Huerta Chacon Catalonia 181 174 157 172 149 150 983 0 983
52 Jose Huerta Chacon Catalonia 152 180 141 132 160 162 927 0 927
53 Gerard Moreno Castan Catalonia 166 118 149 160 149 168 910 0 910
54 Daniel Alberti Corominas Catalonia 164 165 163 108 120 188 908 0 908
55 Gloria Sala Mestres Catalonia 141 120 138 160 172 113 844 48 892