Eight European countries will be represented by both teams, men and women, in Las Vegas

The 5th Men's European Championships, which concluded Saturday at Plus Bowling in Vienna, Austria, served as the qualifying event for the 2013 WTBA World Championships. The combined championships for men and women will be held from Aug. 18-31 at Sunset Station's Strike Zone bowling center in Henderson, Nev. in suburban Las Vegas.

202 players from 34 European Tenpin Bowling Federation (ETBF) member federations participated in the MEC. Each team consisted of maximum six players, who competed in five disciplines: Doubles, Trios, Teams, All Events and Masters.

Each team received ranking points in each discipline according to a system decided by the European Tenpin Bowling Federation Congress in 2011.

 

Masters 1-5 indicated the number of players in the Masters competition. The top 15 countries qualify for the 2013 Combined World Championships.

Despite not having won a gold medal in Austria, England (one silver and two bronze) finished atop the 26 countries, which received points in one of the five disciplines, with 1268 total points. Sweden, also a non-titlist in Austria (one silver, three bronze), was second with 1233.

Denmark, which lead the medal tally with three golds, one silver and one bronze medal, was third with 1155. Rounding out the top four was Finland (two golds, one silver) with 1068.

Joining the top 4 countries at the 2013 World Championships are Norway, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Austria, Israel, Greece, Switzerland, South Africa and Poland. Each team must send at least five players to the Championships.

According to the ETBF Constitution (Article 5.5.8,) no substitutes will be send in case of withdrawals. However, the WTBA Executive Board has decided that substitutes will be invited in case of withdrawals.

The 15 women teams, who will represent Europe at the 2013 combined World Championships, have been decided based on the same point system at the 2012 Women's European Championships June 6-17 at Dolfijn Bowling in Tilburg, Netherlands.

Eight countries - Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland and Sweden - will be represented by both teams, men and women, at the 2013 Worlds. The seven countries, who will be represented by a women's team only, are Catalonia, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine.

The seven countries, who will be represented by a men's team only, are Austria, Belgium, Greece, Israel, Norway, South Africa and Switzerland.

 

 

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2012 Men's European Championships in Vienna, Austria
Sweden leads top 15 European women teams to World Championships 2013

 

 

2012 Men's European Championships - Point Standings

The top 15 countries qualified for the 2013 World Championships

Complete Standings (pdf file)

1. England, 1268
2. Sweden, 1233
3. Denmark, 1155
4. Finland, 1068
5. Norway, 974
6. Germany, 790
7. Belgium, 333
8. Netherlands, 285
9. France, 266
10. Austria, 254
11. Israel, 210
12. Greece, 210
13. Switzerland, 165
14. South Africa, 136
15. Poland, 105

Missed Cut:
16. Iceland, 100
17. Czech Rep. 65
18. Catalonia, 61
19. Italy, 48
20. Romania, 35
21. Ukraine, 32
22. Turkey, 25
23. Wales, 20
24. Latvia, 18
25. Estonia, 15
26. Bulgaria, 9