3-Cushion
VIERSEN - The president of the UMB, the world billiards federation, Mr. Farouk El Barki, has officially opened the World championship for national teams this Thursday morning. In the Festhalle in Viersen, Germany, where the 16 teams were presented for a crowded hall with fans, officials and school children, the UMB boss spoke about a new era with a full calendar of tournaments and dramatically increased prize money. ,, We are making a big step forward this year towards the professionalization of our sport.''
With the new impulses for global billiards and the new setup of tournaments, billiard players all over the world can earn a total of 2.118.000 euros this year. That is the highest amount ever paid out in three cushion. In 2019, with even more tournaments, the prize money will be increased to 2.640.000 euros. Mr. Barki assured during the ceremony: ,,We are in this championship at the start of a new year, among others with a new phenomenon, the Ceulemans Cup, in which the eight best European players and Asia meet. In addition, there, three new Masters tournaments are coming up. We are looking forward to this new future. And I must say: without our UMB partner, Kozoom International, these dreams would never have come true.''
The circuit of three Master series, in the second part of 2018, will be expanded to six tournaments spread over the whole calendar as of next year. This year also the traditional tournaments are on the UMB calendar: the world championships seniors, ladies, juniors and national teams, seven World Cups and three international (invitation) tournaments: Verhoeven Open, the new New York tournament, the McCreery 3C Champion of Champions and the Lausanne Billard Masters.
The world championship for national teams is held for the 32nd time. The organization has also signed a sponsorship contract for the next five years, so that Viersen is on the calendar at least another five times. The tournament format has been changed this year: 16 teams instead of 24 countries were invited for this year. From last year, the World championship was played according to the Scotch Double system, with four players from two countries simultaneously at the billiard in a fight to finish the 40 caroms first.
Sixteen teams are divided into four groups:
Group A:
Belgium
France
Japan
Lebanon
Group B:
The Netherlands
Egypt
Ecuador
Austria
Group C:
South Korea (defending champion)
Vietnam
Greece
Denmark
Group D:
Turkey
Germany
Colombia
Peru.
The first matches on the opening day:
12.00:
Group D: Turkey-Peru and Germany-Colombia
14.00:
Group C: Korea-Vietnam, Denmark-Greece
16.00: The Netherlands-Ecuador, Austria-Egypt
18.00: Belgium-Lebanon, France-Japan.
20.00: Next matches Group D.
All matches can be seen live on Kozoom.