Squad 1 leader Sweden: L-R Victoria Johansson, Rebecka Larsen and Ida Andersson.

Rebecka Larsen, Ida Andersson and Victoria Johansson of Sweden averaged 226.89 on short pattern (36 ft. Los Angeles) to take the early lead in Trios at the 2015 Women's World Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The Swedes led the 24 trios in the first of two squads after a 695 opening game, fell to third behind their low game of 663 and regained the lead with 684 in the last game to set the pace with 2042 total.

Andersson, the runner-up in the 2015 European Bowling Tour women's ranking, led the way with 736 and was followed by two-time European champion Rebecka Larsen with 667 and Johansson with 639.

The Swedes were able to weather a late charge by Team USA's World Champions Shannon Pluhowsky, Kelly Kulick and Liz Johnson (left, l-r), who finished with a huge 740 game to jump from sixth to second place, missing the top spot by just four pins with 2038 (226.44).

Johnson, who closed with 269, led the team with 722. Pluhowsky, who started the last game with eight strikes in a row, was next with 673 and Kulick contributed 643.

The next four team averaged over 220 to sit close behind the leaders. Denmark in the line-up of Sascha Wedel, Britt Brøndsted and Mai Ginge Jensen (above right, l-r) had games of 682, 641 and 672 to overtake third place with 1995 (221.67).

The Philippines with Lara Posadas, Bea Hernandez and Dyan Coronacion were mere four pins behind in fourth place with 1991 (221.22).

Just three pins off the pace for the top four was Singapore with 1988 (220.89). Jazreel Tan, Daphne Tan and Joey Yeo (ledt, l-r) fell from second to fifth place behind a 590 last game.

Rounding out the top six were Anggie Ramirez, Rocio Restrepo and Clara Juliana Guerrero of Colombia (right, r-l) with 1981 (220.11). Another four teams, Canada (1971; 219.00), Korea (left - 1936; 215.11) featuring Singles finalists Jeon Eunhee and Hwang Yeonju; Malaysia (right - 1914; 212.67) and Indonesia (below right - 1906; 211.78) averaged over 210 in this squad.

Squad 2 will complete the three-game round on short oil before both squads will roll the second block on long oil (43 ft. Tokyo) in the afternoon and evening after which the cut to the top 4 for the medal round on Wednesday will be made.