BRANDENBURG AN DER HAVEL - The European billiards championship in Brandenburg an der Have highlights all the disciplines of billiard sport from April 25th to May 5th. The mega-tournament combines all the popular disciplines into one championship. In total, over 500 athletes from 21 different countries will do battle for the coveted European titles in an eleven day marathon in the Stahlpalast. All games are broadcast live on kozoom.com. The overall leading is in the hands of CEB chairman Diane Wild. The general sports director and competition leader is Jean-Pierre Guiraud.
Kozoom reporter Frits Bakker provides the previews of all disciplines during the championship.
Today: part 3
Biathlon teams under 21: 29th of April through the 1st of May
3-cushion under 17: April 26th and 27th
Free play under 17: April 28th and 29th
BRANDENBURG AN DER HAVEL - The young Belgian Nick Rosier arrives at the European championships for a real marathon. As an all-round player, he will participate in four tournaments: free game under 17, three cushion under 17 and under 21 and biathlon (teams) under 21. The eight-time Belgian champion does not rate himself highly, but hopes for a podium place in the free game. "In the other disciplines, it is a matter of survive and getting as far as possible."
Nick Rosier, who lives in Kieldrecht, Belgium and is in the final year of his secondary education in economics and informatica, arrives in Brandenburg on the opening day (Thursday, April 25th) and will stay there until Saturday May 4th. He has achieved his eight Belgian titles in three cushion, free game and one cushion.
''The favorites for the game types in which I play are Nathan Duriez from France in three cushion, Nick Dudink from the Netherlands in free game, Maxime Panaia from France in three cushion under 21 and the Italians Alessio d'Agata and Riccardo Matino in biathlon.''
The biathlon discipline is not widely known in the billiard world, but is played at the European championship by national teams under the age of 21, in which one player plays three-cushion and the other 5 pins.
The team line-ups:
Austria: Nikolaus Kogelbauer, Sebastian Heimrath
Germany 1: Max Gabel, Marcel Bax
Germany 2: Michel Pieters, Simon Blondeel
Italy 1: Alessio D'Agata, Ricardo Matino
France 1: Florian Guingard, Nathan Duriez
Belgium 1: Dylan Parent, Nick Rosier
Denmark 1: Bjørn Mikkel Jensen, Lukas Mortensen
Denmark 2: Mikkel Bjørn Jensen, Oliver Pind.
The matches in the biathlon start on April 29th at 5:00pm with the Belgium-Italy match. On April 30th, the second day starts at 9:00am. The final day starts on May 1st at 9:00am, the final is at 12:30pm.
3-cushion under 17:
The three cushion under 17 already counts some well-known names in the field like Lukas Mortensen, Dimitrios Seleventas and Nathan Duriez.
The games start on Friday, April 26th and April 27th at 9:00am. The final is Saturday at 3:00pm.
The group format in three cushion under 17
Group A:
Nick Rosier (Bel)
Lukas Mortensen (Den)
Denizcan Akkoca (Tur)
Lenny Pallucca (Lux)
Group B:
Dimitrios Seleventas (Gr)
Tangui Duriez (Fra)
Jan Gaspari (Ger)
Toni Garcia (Sp)
Group C:
Nathan Duriez (Fr)
Sergio Martinez (Sp)
Ali Ibrahimov (Dui)
Goncalo Santos (Por)
Group D:
Alptekin Canozkan (Tur)
Nikolaus Kogelbauer (Aus)
Luis Mira (Spa)
Tom Gorazda (Fr).
Free game under 17
The young French girl Lucie Petit is competing in the group stage with Nick Dudink and Lennart Menzel. The 16-year-old player, turning 17 during the EC, participates for the second time at the European championship and plays in two disciplines: free game under 17 and with the ladies.
The games start on April 28th at 9:00am, on Monday April 29th are the semi-finals at 10:30am, the final is at 2:00pm.
The group layout:
Group A:
Nick Dudink (Nl)
Lennart Menzel (Ger)
Lucie Petit (Fr)
Group B:
Jelle Billiet (Bel)
Joshua Ty (Fr)
Lenny Pallucca (Lux)
Group C:
Nick Rosier (Bel)
Nathan Legendre (Fr)
Casper Østergard (Den).
The 17-year French player Lucie Petit participates in free game under 17 with the ladies
