One’s loss is other’s gain. So can you say, when the first tournament of the PBA in the beginning of January was cancelled. This is how we get to have Mika Koivuniemi in the 40th anniversary of the Ballmaster Open. Mika was glad to receive the news; he has wanted to come to Finland in January for many years now.

”I have wanted to come to play the Ballmaster Open many times and now especially this jubilee tournament. The prizes are in the same class as in our tournaments. In that aspect the cancellation of the Medford tournament is not as big blow to me as it is to some others”, Mika explained. ”It is difficult to get to California, as I am able to leave Finland only in Monday and the official practice starts on Tuesday. But I did not let that to ruin this opportunity”.

Mika won the Ballmaster Open in 1998. After that he has been busy in the PBA and he has not had a chance to come to the tournament. ”I am happy to come to Finland to play the Ballmaster Open. I don’t think I have played it after I won it. This year the format is very good, especially when I have to travel a long way. With that format you know you will do good, if you play well. And only by making the finals you come out almost even”, Mika ponders.

The cancellation of the Medford tournament was released in November 14th. Mika had heard about it a little earlier. After that he started the arrangements. ”PBA informed me about the cancellation before it was published, but I did not open my mail just then and I did not know until Saturday. The firs thing I checked the schedules about the Ballmaster Open and our next tournament in California. I noticed I had a chance to come to play the Ballmaster. I immediately sent an e-mail to the PBA and asked for permission to play in Finland and I received a confirmation in an hour. Then I contacted Kimmo and told him the news…” Mika tells.

So it is good news to all bowling fans in Finland. Some of them saw Mika in Lahti Open and now you can check him out in Tali in January. Stuart Williams, Tim Mack and Mike Fagan are the other playes from PBA to come to Ballmaster Open.

- seija lankinen