World's 5 pins in Milan to final rounds

MILAN - The official start shot of the 22nd World championship in 5-Pins has sounded and the main tournament is complete with forty seeded players from thirteen countries and eight players from the qualification tournament. Mr. Andrea Mancino and UMB delegate Mr. Torsten Danielsson opened the World championship in a packed tournament hall in Milan - Segrate.

The Argentine Gustavo Torregiani defends his third world title in a field with great champions like Michelangelo Aniello (World's 2006 and European champion), Andrea Quarta (2008) and among the players the biathlon champions Martin Spoormans (Belgium) and Erling Sjorup (Danmark).

A total of 1115 players competed for only eight places in the main tournament. Fantastic performances led to these eight players:

Matteo Gualemi, Italy
Fioravante Vecchione, Italy
Sandro Giachetti, Italy
Nicolas Fillia, Argentina
Riccardo Belluta, Italy
Simone Spagna, Italy
Gaetano Romeo, Italy
Paolo Marcolin, Italy

The 48 players are divided into 8 groups of 6 players, who play round robin to best of 5 sets to 60 points. The four best players in each group qualify to the final knock out tournament with 32 players, where the distance changes to best of 7 set to 60 points.
The ambiance at the Idroscala in Milan is fantastic. A packed hall with spectators follow the best 5-Pins players in the world fighting at 24 tables for the title as the world's best.

The groups:

Group 1:
Eddy Laurer (Uy)
Hector Filippi (Arg)
Henri Degreef (Lux)
Gualemi Matteo (It)
Daniel Lopez (It)
Matthieu Hingant (Fr)

Group B:
Alejandro Martinotti (Arg)
Ricardo Belluta (It)
Rein Ruben Dos (Uy)
Georges Achten (Lux)
Ivan Franzese (Ch)
Michael Mortenen (DK)

Group C:
Ulisse Calzi (Ch)
Yves Schiettecatte (Be)
Gustavo Longo (Arg)
Michelangelo Aniello (It)
Antonio La Manna (Ita)
Christophe Duvernoy (Fr)

Group D:
Giovanni Susca (Lux)
Gaetano Romeo (It)
Davide Della Balde (SM)
Sven Petzke (De)
Cedric Fourre (Fr)
Crocefisso Maggio (It)

Groupe E:
Fioravante Vecchione (It)
Erling Sjorup (Dk)
Sandro Giachetti (It)
Thomas Hahne (De)
Nicolas Fillia (Arg)
Mosad Elzeky (Eg)

Groupe F:
Jose Rodriguez (Uy)
Pietro Mancina (SM)
Orla Skjoldbjerg (Dk)
Walter Ingegnieri (Arg)
Martin Spoormans (Be)
Simone Pagna (Ita)

Groupe G:
Gustavo Torregiani (Ar)
Alejandro Moran (Uy)
Andrea Quarta (It)
Maurizio Gobbi (SM)
Angelo Cosso (Ch)
Gerd Kunz (De)

Groupe H:
Paolo Marcolini (I)
Ruben Rivero (Uy)
Peter Debaes (Be)
David Keller (Hun)
Julio Barrios (US)
Marcelo Della Gaspera (Arg).