3-Cushion
MANIZALES - The figureheads of the South American three cushion are gradually preparing for one of the most important tournaments in this contingent. The 20th edition of the Feria de Manizales, with a total prize money of 28 million Colombian pesos, is coming up from 4 to 9 January 2016. The billiard room is in the Coliseo Menor Ramón Vargas Marin, located next to the monumental Palogrande Stadium.
The organization is headed this year by the sportsman and businessman Antonio Tabares, who has announced a major update to stimulate the tournament. Tabares guarantees 23 to 28 million Colombian pesos in cash, of which 10 million for the winner. Furthermore, the participation of players in the main tournament will be expanded to eighty.
The Open Manizales is known for its short and spectacular matches in which the main contenders are vulnerable against minor class players. The qualifications have a limited number of registrations: players who want to inscribe, must pay 150.000 pesos before January 3. The first qualifications are played in groups of four.
For the main event, a lot of well known players will show up like the Mexicans Luis Avila, Jesus Lara, Roberto Rojas, Rodolfo Covarrubias, Saul Corro, Jesus Gallegos, Carlos Elias, the Ecuadorians Javier Teran and Luis Aveiga and all Colombian top players, led by last year's champion and current Pan American champion Huberney Cataño.
Eighty players are in the main draw from, twenty of them come from the preliminaries.