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World Cup 2002

From Lydia Rypcinski, AMF Bowling World Cup media coordinator
38th AMF Bowling World Cup, Riga Latvia, October 19-26

Finland's Mika Luoto Claims Men's Bowling World Cup Title

RIGA, LATVIA, October 26- Mika Luoto of Finland, the eighth-seeded player in the 
Round of 8, defeated #7 seed Remy Ong of Singapore, 2 games to 0, to take the 
men's title at the 2002 AMF Bowling World Cup in Toss Boulinga Halle. 

Luoto, a 33-year-old bowling center owner from Hyvinkaa, easily dispatched the 
triple gold medallist form the recent Asian Games, 232-216 and 279-222. Luoto 
defeated Saudi Arabia's Talal Al-Towereb, 2 games to 0 (211-188, 244-191) in the 
semifinals to move into the championship round. The victory made Luoto the first 
Finnish player to win the Bowling World Cup since 1990.

Ong reached the championship round by defeating the USA's Andrew Cain in the 
semis, 2 games to 1 (220-203, 224-268, 255-172). 

 USA's Shannon Pluhowsky takes our Nikki Harvey of England

Pluhowsky, a 20-year-old Phoenix resident who attends the University of 
Nebraska, advanced to the title round by defeating Pascale Moynot of France, 2 
games to 1 (204-176, 221-253, 225-211). In the match against Harvey, Pluhowsky 
converted the 6-7-10 split and two difficult four-pin spares to roll up scores 
of 224 and 202 to Harvey's 165 and 183.  

This is the third major international victory for Pluhowsky in 2002. Earlier in 
the year, she captured the Masters titles at the American Zone Youth 
Championships in Costa Rica and at the World Youth Championships in Thailand. 

Harvey advanced to the championship match by defeating Australia's Amanda 
Bradley in the other semifinal match, 2 games to 1 (216-170, 248-278, 238-194).

Championship results (best-of-three-games matches): 

 Men 

#8 Mika Luoto, Finland, def. #7 Remy Ong, Singapore, 2 games to 0 (232-216, 
279-222). Mika Luoto, Finland, wins the men's 2002 AMF Bowling World Cup. 

 Women 

#1 Shannon Pluhowsky, USA, def. #7 Nikki Harvey, England, 2 games to 0 (224-165, 
202-183). Shannon Pluhowsky, USA, wins the women's 2002 AMF Bowling World Cup. 

   Semifinal results (best-of-three-games matches): 

 Men

Match 1: #8 Mika Luoto, Finland, def. #6 Talal Towereb, Saudi Arabia, 
2 games to 0 (211-188, 244-191) 

Match 2:  #7 Remy Ong, Singapore, def. #5 Andrew Cain, USA, 
2 games to 1 (220-203, 224-268, 255-172)

 Women

Match 1: #7 Nikki Harvey, England, def. #5 Amanda Bradley, Australia, 
2 games to 1 (216-170, 248-278, 238-194) 

Match 2: #1 Shannon Pluhowsky, USA, def. #3 Pascale Moynot of France, 
2 games to 1 (204-176, 221-253, 225-211) 

   Quarterfinal results: 

 Men (best-of-three-games matches; 
 winner advances to semifinal round) 

Match 1: #5 Andrew Cain, USA, def. #4 Ahmed Shaheen, Qatar, 
2 games to 1 (181-189, 226-198, 275-241)

Match 2: #6 Talal Al-Towereb, Saudi Arabia, def. #3 Wayne Greenall, England, 
2 games to 0 (224-181, 206-204) 

Match 3: #7 Remy Ong, Singapore, def. #2 Kai Guenther of Germany, 
2 games to 0 (221-187, 268-242) 

Match 4: #8 Mika Luoto, Finland, def. #1 Paul Trotter, Australia, 
2 games to 0 (215-160, 244-222) 

 Women (best-of-three-games matches; winner advances to semifinal round)

Match 1: #5 Amanda Bradley, Australia, def. #4 Mari Kimura, Japan, 
2 games to 1 (226-181, 190-211, 213-207) 

Match 2: #3 Pascale Moynot, France, def. #6 Sara Vargas, Colombia, 
2 games to 0 (190-182, 194-185) 

Match 3: #7 Nikki Harvey, England, def. #2 Wendy Chai, Malaysia, 
2 games to 1 (200-255, 207-179, 207-195) 

Match 4: #1 Shannon Pluhowsky, USA, def. #8 Teresa Piccini, Mexico, 
2 games to 0 (183-177, 221-206)