The International Hammer Challenge 2025 concluded at Tali Bowl in Helsinki, Finland, with Petteri Salonen claiming the title. In the final, Salonen defeated Sweden’s Alex Joki 228–211.

Salonen advanced to the main field from the seniors qualification and then went on a strong run through the final rounds.

50-year-old defeated Teemu Putkisto 3–1, Pyry Puharinen 3–1, Jarno Lahti 3–0, and Juhani Tonteri 3–0 to reach the televised finals.

There, he faced Storm Lucky Larsen Masters runner-up Juho Rissanen, winning narrowly 201–199 to secure a place in the championship match.

Alex Joki earned his spot in the final by defeating Denmark’s Nicolas Carter 253–199 in the semifinal.

Salonen started a final match better, making a strike and a spare. Joki, meanwhile, missed a spare in the second frame, to be in a role of a chaser. But then, in the third frame, Salonen suffered a blister on his right hand’s ring finger, which burst during a spare attempt. He continued to bowl with a bleeding finger and managed to strike four times in a row from frames six to nine to take control of the match. He only needed a good count in the tenth frame to seal the victory.

Salonen celebrated his first major open tournament win by falling to the ground in tears of joy after the final shot. Despite having previously collected medals for Finland in international competitions, such as European Senior Bowling Championships, this was his first big individual victory in an open field.

For the win, Salonen collected 7,000 euros. Runner-up Joki received 4,500 euros, while Rissanen and Carter each took home 2,800 euros for their third and fourth-place finishes.

The 2025 edition of the International Hammer Challenge attracted 286 participants, marking the third running of the event.