112 Men, 48 Women and 17 Wheelchair players have entered the 8-ball individuals at the 2014 Dynamic Billard European Championships in order to grab the title in their respective division.
Defending Champion David Alcaide (ESP) seems to be hard to stop at this year's Dynamic Billard European Championships. After taking the 10-ball title earlier this week, he is right on track in the 8-ball as well. With victories over Vincent Facquet (FRA) 8:4, Marcus Chamat (SWE) 8:3 and Alex Montpellier (FRA) 8:4, he made his way to the stage of the final 32 players where he will meet his fellow countryman Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (ESP) tomorrow morning at 09:00 local time. A big upset happened in the match between Konstantin Stepanov (RUS) and Georg Hoeberl (AUT). The Austrian eliminated the Russian superstar with 8:6 from the event. Somehow, these Austrians seem to be in a perfect shape these days. Jürgen Jenisy (AUT) ousted Tomasz Kaplan (POL) 8:5 from the 8-ball event. Probably the biggest surprise was the victory of Ioan Ladanyi (ROM) over 10-Ball World Champion Hudji See (NED) with 8:0 ! A whitewash for the World Champion from a complete underdog! Albin Ouschan (AUT) could not follow his teammates in to the next round. He lost clearly with 2:8 to Jakub Koniar (SVK). Daryl Peach (GBR) was another famous victim of today's play. He had to bow to Christian Surdea (ROM) with 7:8. Two Romanians taking care of two major upsets. Niels Feijen (NED) just crossed the finish line with an 8:7 victory over Kasper Kristoffersen (DEN).
In the women's division, defending Champion Line Kjoersvik (NOR) is straight on track. She won her first two matches over Alice Marcotte (FRA) 6:0 and Eylul Kibaroglu (TUR) 6:3. She has booked her seat in the single elimination round of the last 16 players. Among others, she is joined by Tamara Peeters-Rademakers (NED) who surprisingly sent Oliwia Czuprynska (POL) to the loser's side with 6:4. All time favorite Jasmin Ouschan (AUT) has also secured her spot in the round of the last 16 players. She won over Claudia Kunz (SUI) 6:3 and Nathalie Seichter (NED) 6:0. Last year's runner-up Marika Poikkijoki (FIN) did not have smooth sailing today. She won her first match with Kynthia Orfanidis (NED) 6:3 but then fell to Martine Christiansen (NOR) 5:6. On the loser's side, Poikkijoki had to deal with Russian Anna Mazhirina (RUS). Mazhirina made too many potting errors and opened the way for Poikkijoki to win the match with 6:3. Kamila Khodjaeva (BEL) came up with some impressive 8-ball action today. She defeated Sandra Baumgartner (AUT) 6:4 and Kristina Schagan (GER) 6:1. The strong Polish women Katarzyna Wesolowska (POL) and Oliwia Czuprynska (POL) did not have too much luck in their game today. While Czuprynska managed to get back into the round of the last 16 players through the loser's round with a 6:4 victory over Veronika Hubrtova (CZE), Weslowska's 8-ball journey has ended for 2014. She lost to unheralded Severine Titaux (FRA) 5:6.
The wheelchair division saw all favorites making their way through to the quarter-finals today. Defending Champion Fred Dinsmore (IRE) started his journey today with a 5:2 victory over Aslam Abubaker (GBR). Then he just managed to defeat Leszek Blumczynski (POL) with 5:4 to book his seat among the final eight players. Multi-time European and World Champion Jouni Tähti (FIN) took down Joachim Schuler (GER) 5:1 and then Craig Welsh (GBR) 5:0. He was definitely in a good stroke all day long. Belgium's Kurt Deklerck (BEL) won over Tony Southern (GBR) 5:3 and then got the better of Tankred Volkmer (GER) with 5:4. Finally, Henrik Larsson (SWE) won his matches over Daniel Luton (GBR) 5:2 and David Himpe (BEL) 5:1. These four players can be considered the serious favorites in the wheelchair division. However, they will get an opponent from the loser's side and have to continue in single-elimination mode from tomorrow on to find out who will be the Champion in 8-ball.
Play will commence tomorrow morning 09:00 local time with the 8-ball competition. All results and more info can be found on www.epconline.eu. LIVEStream can be viewed at www.kozoom.com.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.epconline.eu or contact our press office press@epbf.com.
CAMBY, IN. — Aspiring young pool players will be offered a rare opportunity to learn from, and interact with, some of the game’s legends at the inaugural Black Widow Junior’s Camp, former world champion Jeanette Lee announced today.
“Our future champions need and want our guidance and friendship,” said Ms.Lee, who established the Black Widow Foundation in order to develop programs like the Black Widow Junior’s Camp. “Students will have the opportunity to interact and bond with other players with similar interests and skill levels. They will also experience first hand the skill and dedication of the professional players.”
The Black Widow Junior’s Camp is designed to bridge the gap between accomplished junior players (age 14-18, with intermediate-to-advanced skill) and professionals. Class sessions will be short, designed to hold the interest of the students, allowing for maximum on-table instruction and demonstration. In addition to on-table instruction, campers will be offered short classes on marketing, public relations, nutrition and fitness, and career planning.
The program will feature core curriculum as well as electives, allowing for an experience that can be tailored to the specific needs and interests of individual campers.
The cost is $1,000 per student, which includes instruction, activities, lodging, all meals, snacks, prizes and 24-hour chaperones.
The Black Widow Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable foundation, established in 2013. The BWF is committed to the positive development of personal character and leadership skill sets of aspiring youth amateur and professional billiard players, as well as supporting the positive development of atrisk youth and individuals facing difficult life challenges.
About Jeanette Lee
Jeanette Lee, known throughout the world as “The Black Widow,” has enjoyed one of the most illustrious careers in billiards history. Formerly ranked the No. 1 player in the world, Ms. Lee has won more than 30 national and international titles. She is also a member of both the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame (2013) and the Women’s Professional Billiard Association Hall of Fame (2012), and has been ranked among the industry’s most recognizable and influential people by Billiards Digest.
The day started rather stormy. The sea which is normally inviting the people for a nice swim was rough and capricious. Maybe that was a presage for today’s straight pool matches. 95 men and 45 women had taken up the challenge to see who will wear the crown in European straight pool in 2014. Defending Champions were Jasmin Ouschan (AUT) and Nick Van Den Berg (NED) and they knew that it will not be an easy task to claim the title again this year.
Van den Berg had a tough opening match against Daniele Corrieri (ITA). The Italian stood out at recent Euro-Tours by always making it to the final stages of the event. So the match was expected to be a tough fight… and it was! Van den Berg made a mistake at 4:0 and allowed Corrieri to enter the table with a clear shot. The Italian thanked him and made 56 balls. Racing to 100 points, that was more than half the points he needed for the victory. Then, van den Berg ran 28 balls but allowed Corrieri again back to the table with a shot. It looked like Corrieri would run the match but he scratched at 74:32 and allowed van den Berg to the table with ball in hand. That was all the Champion needed to send out a signal. He ran the needed 68 balls without allowing Corrieri back to the table. 100:74 was the final result in favor of van den Berg. Corrieri obviously lost too much energy in this match. He lost the next straight match to unheralded Dino Cerimagic (BIH) with 79:100. Van den Berg got Jürgen Jenisy (AUT) in the single elimination round of the final 64 players. Again, things did not look too bright for him in the beginning of the match. In fact, he was trailing 54:99 when Jenisy made a mistake. That brought van den Berg back into the match and woke his killer instinct. He did not allow his opponent any more clear shot in that match; to the contrary, Jenisy only managed to commit two more fouls while van den Berg was able to decide the match in his favor. 125:97 was the final result that puts van den Berg one round further where he will face Aki Heiskanen (FIN) while Jenisy will have to settle for 33rd place.
Niels Feijen (NED), van den Berg’s teammate, did not have a good start. He played Jakub Koniar (SVK) in the winner’s qualification round and was leading 92:78 when he made a mistake. Koniar kept calm and pocketed ball after ball, sending favored Feijen to the one-loss side.
Even BCA Hall of Famer Ralf Souquet (GER) could not get through this day unwounded. He lost to David Alcaide (ESP) with 1:100 with Alcaide running 101 balls on him.
As the tournament went on, more tight matches came around. Nicolas Ottermann (GER) just managed to win over Murat Teker (TUR) with 100:96 and get to the single elimination stage of the final 64 players.
In the single elimination, Albin Ouschan (AUT) set a new record for the event. The race was raised to 125 points. Ouschan used only one (1!) inning to win over Mindaugas Salkauskas (LIT) with 125:0. That was an exclamation mark set by Ouschan. Aki Heiskanen (FIN) ended Chris Melling’s hopes for a straight pool title, eliminating him with 125:50. Another big name fell in the first single elimination round. Ralf Souquet (GER) got ousted by Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz with125:77. However, Sanchez’ journey ended in the next round when he unexpectedly fell to Christian Sparrenloev-Fischer (SWE) with 95:125.
The results in the men’s division prove the high standard of the event. One mistake is very often enough to decide a whole match.
In the women’s division, tight matches could be found very often. Kynthia Orfanidis (NED) had to give her first round match away to Sara Rocha (POR) with 74:75. The same result was final for Ina Kaplan (GER) in her match with Oliwia Czuprynska (POL). Kaplan was leading 74:68, being at the table with a complicated but possible layout. She needed one more ball to win the match. The cue ball was lying in a cluster but a shot at an object ball in the side pocket was possible. Kaplan missed that shot and left an open table for Czuprynska. The young Polish went to the table and pocketed the remaining balls, sending Kaplan to the loser’s side with 75:74. There, Kaplan was able to recover and eliminated Kynthia Orfanidis (NED) with 75:41 from the straight pool competition.
Defending Champion Jasmin Ouschan (AUT) had no mercy with her opponents. She defeated Martine Christiansen (NOR) with 75:53 and then Kristina Schagan (GER) with 75:7 to book her seat in the single elimination field of the last 16 women. She will be joined there by Kamila Khodjaeva (BEL) who won a tough fight over Marika Poikkijoki (FIN) with 75:64 in the loser’s qualification round. Another big name in the round of the final 16 women is Louise Furberg. She won with 75:66 over Anna Mazhirina (RUS), then 75:45 over Zrinka Antonijevic (CRO) and finally 75:37 over Silvia Gaudino (ITA). Line Kjoersvik (NOR), Nataliya Seroshtan (RUS), Ana Gradisnik (SLO) and Katarzyna Wesolowska (POL) complete the names of the women who made it through the winner’s round. The other eight names will be determined after the 09:00 round on Monday, March 31st.
The action will continue tomorrow morning at 09:00 local time.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.epconline.eu or contact our press office press@epbf.com.
The final match was determined by safety play in the beginning. After seven racks, van den Berg was leading 4:3 when Burford had an open layout in front of him. He got to the 10-ball and ran a bit out of position. However, he managed to pocket the 10-ball but shockingly scratched with the cue ball. Instead of tying the match at 4:4, suddenly he found himself trailing 3:5. Van den Berg made use of that situation and carried the advantage through until he was on the hill, leading 7:5. It was again Burford at the table then. He ran out of position for the 8-ball. He tried hard and left a very tough shot for van den Berg. „El Niño“ aimed at the ball and fired it in. He then pocketed the remaining two balls to wear the crown at the Dynamic Billard Treviso Open 2013. Van den Berg did not only take the title, he also won the Euro-Tour series 2013 by finishing as ranked number 1 player.
"It feels great to win the tournament", stated van den Berg after the final, "but it feels even greater to be number 1 at the end of the year."
"All in all I’m quite happy with my second place here in Treviso. Hats off to Nick, he played a very good match against me and deserved the victory", added Burford.
In the semifinal match between Burford and Alcaide, the Brit was already trailing with 3:1 when he started a great comeback and took four consecutive racks to take a 5:3 lead. That broke Alcaide’s neck and the Spaniard could not get a foot in the door anymore. 8:5 was the final result that booked Burford’s seat in the final match.
The other semi-final was an all Dutch clash between van den Berg and Huidji See. It can be clearly stated that van den Berg simply was the better player today, leaving no chance for See and winning rightfully with 8:3.
The women have also continued with their event today. Favorite player Jasmin Ouschan (AUT) who just flew in today from the USA, won her first two matches with 6:1 and 6:1 and easily entered the single elimination stage. Ina Kaplan (GER), currently ranked number two behind Ana Mazhirina (RUS), had more work to do when she met her teammate Christina Schagan (GER). With 6:5 she managed to defeat Schagan by a hair’s breadth. Number 1 ranked player Ana Mazhirina as well as Dutch top favorite player Kynthia Orfanidis are still alive in the event and will be playing tomorrow in the single elimination round.
All results and more can be seen at www.eurotouronline.eu .
10 tables will be streamed LIVE throughout the event. Join in on www.kozoom.com/en/pool-billiard/ and become a premium member in order to enjoy all features of the site.
You can check all information around European pool at www.epbf.com Enjoy!
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website http://www.eurotouronline.eu or contact our press office.
Alcaide probably lost the match in the first few racks. He made some grave mistakes that put him in arrears and he never seemed to recover from those mistakes. Huidji See was even taking a nice 5:1 advantage over Alcaide. Though the Spaniard tried a comeback, he was not able to tie the match again at any time. The closest he could get was a 4:5 deficit to See. Then the Dutch World 10-ball Champion won another 3 racks in a row which put him on the hill with 8:4. Alcaide fought and tried to avoid the defeat but all he could do was win another rack and lose the match finally with 9:6.
Other notable results from this morning include The Dutch women’s team, consisting of Kynthia Orfanidis and Tamara Rademakers, winning over Team Sweden with Louise Furberg and Caroline Roos with 2:0. Team Norway (Ine Helvik and Line Kjoersvik) sent team Spain (Silvia Lopez and Amalia Matas) home with 2:0.
In the men’s team competition, team Spain eliminated team Sweden with 3:0. A small upset was team Poland winning over favoured team Russia with 2:1.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.epconline.eu , follow us on twitter @EPBF_News or contact our press offic
Left to right: Natalya Seroshtan, Jouni Tahti and Mario He Foto: EPBF/DK
The three European 8-Ball Champions 2012 are Mario He (AUT), Natalya Seroshtan (RUS) and Jouni Tahti (FIN).
In the men’s division, the final match was a catastrophe for opponent Artem Koshovyi (UKR). He had played so well during the event but in the final, the balls definitely rolled for He. The Austrian demolished Koshovyi with 8:0 and demonstrated his performance skills in a very impressive way. “I am really happy to have won this tournament”, said He, “I still can’t believe it.” “I hope all my friends in Austria will party tonight and celebrate this historic victory with me”.
In the women’s division, 15-year-old Natalya Seroshtan ended Marika Poikkijoki‘s winning streak with some very good pool. After 5 racks, Seroshtan was ahead with 4:1. Again, a shot-clock was introduced to the match since Poikkijoki used too much time for her shots. Whether that affected her game or not can only be guessed. But it definitely did affect the performance of young Seroshtan. She remained strong at the table and won deservedly 6:3. “This victory means so much to me”, she said very modest when interviewed after the final. When asked about a role model, she said “Jasmin Ouschan, of course!” Jasmin heard that and threw her a big smile and gave thumbs up for her play.
In the wheelchair division, Jouni Tahti (FIN) grabbed the 13th European Champion title of his career. He defeated Roy Kimberley (GBR) after a long and hard battle with 5:2
The Dynamic European Championships will continue on Wednesday morning, 09:00 CET.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.epconline.eu , follow us on twitter @EPBF_News or contact our press office
|8977|Around midnight on Sunday November 13th, the Delfshaven 9ball Open Championship was decided between ‘El Nino’ Nick van den Berg and Gijs van Helmond. Van den Berg’s game was immaculate. After thirteen hours of non-stop game time, he was still fresh and composed. ‘El Nino’ dominated with surgical precision, while Van Helmond was struggling with fatigue. Van Helmond only got a few opportunities and capitalized on the occasional fluke. The end result speaks for itself: Nick van den Berg 9-4 Gijs van Helmond.
This first edition of the Delfshaven 9ball Open in Rotterdam (Holland) was a big success with 138 participants enlisted. The prize for ‘best lady’ was split between European champion Kynthia Orfanidis and Ellen Gouw. The best junior was Tobias Bongers from Germany. He reached 9th place in a field counting international stars, such as multiple European champion Alex Lely, world champions Huidji See and Niels ‘The Terminator’ Feijen.
The Delfshaven 9ball Open was brought to you by Poolcafé Delfshaven in Rotterdam (Holland) in cooperation with promoter Çakti Aswan and with support of Rotterdam, Jupiler beer, Pool Gear, Kamui, Longoni professional cues and the Dutch Pool Billiards Federation.
