3-Cushion
RANDERS - The president of the Danish billiard federation DDBU, Torsten Danielsson, would like to invite all billiard fans in the world to visit the 72nd World championship three cushion (Tuesday 26-Saturday 30 November) in the organizing country Denmark or to watch the event on tv and internet channels. He wants to address a few words to all of you on the day before the start. The World championship in the discipline three cushion is being organized in his country for the third time in history.
By Torsten Danielsson, President DDBU
''The preparations for the 72nd World championship in three cushion started more than 3 years ago with an intensive finish the last six months. 48 players from 23 nations are ready for the battle from Tuesday 26th November to Saturday 30th November in the beautiful venue of "Ridehuset" in Randers, northern Denmark.
The conditions are perfect for billiards, the building is a former training hall for military horses. Few years back, it got completely refurbished and transformed into a modern concert- and exhibition hall with excellent facilities of highest standards. It is the second time DDBU organizes the World championship in three cushion at this venue. First time was in 2002, where Marco Zanetti won the world title in the final against Dion Nelin.
We of course hope for a return match, but the strong field of players makes it unpredictable who will make it to the top. We have 3 incredible strong players - Dion Nelin, Jacob Haack-Sørensen and Thomas Andersen. They can all make it to the finals, if they reach their top level in the right matches. But I see 20 or more potential World champions in the total field of players.
The media exposure will be immense. The Danish top sport channel TV-2 Sport will broadcast live more than 10 hours per day throughout the week. It is the largest TV-exposure ever for billiard in Denmark. This is a unique opportunity to show to the public how beautiful and elegant our sport is. It is important that we understand and appreciate the value of such an interest and don't take it for granted. We must show we are worthy of it, so we can build a long-term relationship with the media, enabling us to transform three cushion into a professional sport on the highest level.
The Danish Billiard Federation (DDBU) is in a change management process moving from being a traditional billiard federation into being an organisation operating on professional business principles. Only by taking these steps, we will be able to attract sponsors, investors and the best and most qualified staff and board members.
This World championship is for DDBU an important step forward. DDBU intends to organise at least one major billiard event every year from now on. We hope that many of the European federations will follow us in the plans of moving forward. Why do we let an organisation like PBA initiate professional billiard sport and not responding with even larger perspectives and visions?
CEB and her federations must take the lead and show to the billiard world, that three cushion is a product that can be shaped into a highly valuable brand and be marketed as such. PBA is a good and welcome wake-up call for all of us.
Who will be the next World champion? In less than one week we will know. Maybe, we will all be surprised, and we might see a new rising star on the throne?''
The venue for the World championschip in Randers