2010 WEC Latvia

Krista Pöllänen, Finland, defeated Sandra Andersson, Sweden, two-games-to-one to win the gold medal in Masters in the 3rd Women's European Championships 2010 Saturday at Zelta Boulinga Center in Riga, Latvia. Andersson received the silver medal while Hayley White, England (0-2 vs. Andersson), and Kamilla Kjeldsen, Denmark (0-2 vs. Pöllänen), shared the bronze medal. Five of the 23 participating countries shared the medals in Doubles, Trios, Team, All Events and Masters. 

The women from Denmark (pictured) secured two gold medals on the penultimate day of competition in the 3rd Women's European Championships Friday at Zelta Boulinga Center in Riga, Latvia. Britt Brondsted, Kamilla Kjeldsen, Mai Ginge Jensen, Anja Ginge Jensen, Rikke Holm Rasmussen and Sascha Wedel won the title in the five-player Team event while Rasmussen finished atop the leaderboard in All Events. The top 24 of the All Events standings advanced to the best-of-three games Masters finals.

The five-player team from the Netherlands got off to a blistering start as Wendy Kok, Lisanne Breeschoten, Ghislane van der Tol, Bianca Wiekeraad and Priscilla Maaswinkel tallied a 3436 series on short oil to lead the Team event at the Women's European Championships after 3 of 6 games with a 229.07 average. Sweden, however, was mere 26 pins behind in second place with 3410. Third place belonged to Denmark with 3312 and Germany was fourth with 3297.

England's Nicki Ainge, Lisa John and Hayley White (pictured) came from behind to win the Trio title in the 3rd Women's European Championships Wednesday at Zelta Boulinga Center in Riga, Latvia. Starting the second day of the preliminaries in 9th place, the English trio fired the highest 3-game series on long oil (2046, 227.33 average) to grab the fourth and final spot for the playoffs and went on to defeat No. 1 seed Denmark and No. 2 seed Netherlands to claim the gold medal.

Kamilla Kjeldsen, Mai Ginge Jensen and Rikke Holm Rasmussen rolled games of 728, 648 and 723 to take a comfortable 134-pin lead in the Trios event of the 3rd Women's European Championships 2010 in Latvia after the first 3-game block on short oil with 2099 pinfall total and an average of 232.22. The Danes outaveraged their nearest competitors from the Netherlands by almost 15 pins.Sweden is third and Finland in fourth place. The second block and the playoffs will follow on Wednesday.

Nina Flack and Helen Johnsson (r-l) claimed the first gold medal at the 3rd Women's European Championships 2010, when the Swedes successfully defended the Doubles title Monday at Zelta Boulinga Center in Riga, Latvia. In the championship match, the 2008 WEC Doubles champions defeated Finland's Piritta Kantola and Krista Pöllänen, 454-429. Finland took the silver medal and England and Denmark shared the bronze medal. The championships will continue Tuesday and Wednesday with the Trios event.

Hayley White and Lisa John set the pace in Doubles at the 3rd Women's European Championships as the competition has reached the halfway mark Sunday at Zelta Boulinga Center in Riga, Latvia. The duo totaled 2850 pins and averaged 237.50 over six games on short oil to lead Finland (2756), Denmark (2716) and defending champion Sweden (2708). The 53 doubles from 21 countries will bowl another six-game block on long oil before the cut to the top 4, who will bowl for the medals.