Updated with Full Results - France's Franck Bona Wins the Coogee 2017 Pinball HQ Marathon

* Updated 28th February - Full results added

The two time European Pinball Champion, and currently ranked 48th in the world, Franck Bona from France sweeps the Australian competition and wins the 2017 Pinball HQ Marathon.

Franck Bona 1st place (right, eyes closed thinking about how much beer he can buy with that money), Paul Jones 2nd (left) and Richard Rhodes 3rd (centre).

Franck Bona 1st place (right, eyes closed thinking about how much beer he can buy with that money), Paul Jones 2nd (left) and Richard Rhodes 3rd (centre).

Our locals did give him a good run for his money though, with IFPA World Championships representative Paul Jones coming 2nd, and former Australian ranked number 1 Richard Rhodes finishing 3rd. Full results will be reported as they come to hand.

Full results:

1 Franck Bona
2 Paul Jones
3 Richard Rhodes
4 Greg Gee
5 Paul Higginbotham
6 Pat Nichols
7 Paul Reid
8 Brett Goodwin
9 Greg McMahon
10 Naiomi Goodwin
11 Andrew Waszkiewicz
12 Matthew Venables
13 Gavin Drogemuller
14 Mark Tibbetts
15 Michelle Clark
16 Dejan Golja
17 Andrew Ferguson
18 Zac Veron
19 Reon Seeney
20 Peter Menzel
21 Duncan MacDonald
22 Aaron Crichton
23 Michael Morrison
24 Lindsay Dawtrey
25 Martin Snicer
26 William Gill
27 Regan Rist
28 Ian Hooper-Richardson
29 Lisa Conroy
30 Daniel Barden
31 Rod Brooks
32 Larissa Goscombe
33 Chrysanthe Psychogios
34 John Arena
35 Ralphe Nunn
36 Josh Goscombe
37 Angus Macarthur
38 Jett Reid
39 Norbert Snicer
40 George Alexandrou
41 Nicholas Little
42 Cherryl Brooks
43 Kerby Reid
44 Glen Crowe
45 Jamie Brodrick
46 Dominic Rogers
47 Ken Owen
48 Zdenka Snicer

Paul Jones Awarded Top Qualifier at Pinball HQ Marathon 2017

The top 24 finalists at the currently running Pinball HQ Marathon has been locked in, and the top qualifier award goes to Paul Jones!

Paul Jones receives the trophy for top qualifier at the Pinball HQ Marathon 2017.

Paul Jones receives the trophy for top qualifier at the Pinball HQ Marathon 2017.

An incredibly tough field including big names such as Richard Rhodes and Franck Bona, an even more amazing achievement for Paul considering that the Marathon allows for unlimited qualifying scores for an entire week. Well done to Paul Jones and good luck to the 24 finalists who will be battling it out all day today!

Updated Finals Standings! Meet the Marathon Pinball Players for 2017 - Pinball HQ Marathon Qualifying on Now!

* Updated Sunday 26th for finals

The Pinball HQ Marathon, now in it's 4th year, is on again with qualifying taking place all week! It's not just called a Marathon for the sake of sounding exhaustive - if you wish to qualify you will have your endurance tested as competitors attempt to get within the top 24 finalists by posting scores all week, 11am to late every day. Not only that, but there are 16 different pinball machines you have to register scores on. I'm tired just thinking about it...

Norbert Snicer awarding the first Endurance Medal to Jett Reid, the first under 15 year old to play all 16 qualifying machines. Photo from the Pinball HQ Facebook page.

Norbert Snicer awarding the first Endurance Medal to Jett Reid, the first under 15 year old to play all 16 qualifying machines. Photo from the Pinball HQ Facebook page.

There will be the usual prizes, cash and trophies for the top finishers for the event. However, in addition, there are a swathe of prizes given out to competitors including; highest ranked rookie, highest rank qualifier, highest ranked female player, highest ranked under 15 year old, highest ranked under 10 year old, and an endurance medal for all players under the age of 15 who play all of the 16 qualifying machines! Norbert, the organiser of the Marathon, has really pulled out all stops for this tournament.

Fresh out of the shipping container - Aerosmith is Stern Pinball's latest machine, and not only is it part of the Pinball HQ Marathon tournament, but it's the only one currently in the country! Photo from the Pinball HQ Facebook page.

Fresh out of the shipping container - Aerosmith is Stern Pinball's latest machine, and not only is it part of the Pinball HQ Marathon tournament, but it's the only one currently in the country! Photo from the Pinball HQ Facebook page.

It's Thursday morning as of this writing, and so we are well into the qualifying stages. Here are your qualifying leaders so far, with two days left to go before finals on Sunday!

* Updated finals standings - Top 24 are through for today's main event.

1    PAUL JONES
2    RICHARD RHODES
3    FRANCK BONA
4    PAT NICHOLS
5    BRETT GOODWIN
6    PAUL REID
7    GAVIN DROGEMULLER
8    MATTHEW VENABLES
9    GREG GEE
10    ANDREW FERGUSON
11    ZAC VERON
12    REON SEENEY
13    GREG McMAHON
14    MARK TIBBETTS
15    NAIOMI GOODWIN
15    MICHELLE CLARK
17    DEJAN GOLJA
18    DUNCAN MACDONALD
19    PAUL HIGGINBOTHAM
20    MICHAEL MORRISON
21    REGAN RIST
21    ANDREW WASZKIEWICZ
23    PETER MENZEL
24    AARON CRICHTON
25    LINDSAY DAWTREY
26    MARTIN SNICER
27    IAN HOOPER-RICHARDSON
28    WILLIAM GILL
29    DANIEL BARDEN
30    LISA CONROY
31    ROD BROOKS
32    LARISSA GOSCOMBE
33    CHRYSANTHE PSYCHOGIOS
34    JOHN ARENA
35    RALPHE NUNN
36    JOSH GOSCOMBE
37    JETT REID
38    GEORGE ALEXANDROU
39    NORBERT SNICER
40    GORAN KLEUT
41    ASHLEY KINGSTON
41    NICHOLAS FREESTONE LITTLE
43    GLEN ANTHONY CROWE
44    KERBY REID
45    CHERYL BROOKS
46    JAMIE BRODRICK
47    KEN OWEN
48    ZDENKA SNICER
49    MICHAEL ANDERSON
50    JENNIFER MILLER
51    YVETTE TAM
52    TIM McREIS
53    TREVOR WALSH
54    JACK JOSEPH KINGSTON