BRANDENBURG AN DER HAVEL - The European billiards championship in Brandenburg an der Havel, not so far from Berlin, highlights all the disciplines of billiard sport from April 25th to May 5th. The mega-tournament combines all the popular disciplines in one championship. In total, over 500 athletes from 21 different countries will battle for the coveted European titles in the eleven days 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 1:
The EC artistic on April 25th, 26th and 27th.
The 5 pins individually and under 21 is on April 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th and for teams from April 28th to the 30th.
The wizards of the billiards, with their magical, wonderful caroms and the 5 pins players are at the start of the European billiards championship in Brandenburg an der Havel on Thursday, April 25th. The tournament in all disciplines, from artistic to free games, balk-lines, one cushion, three cushion and 5 pins billiards, is played in the Stahlpalatz sports centre.
The title defender in the artistic is the Turk Serdar Gümüs. Also starting the first days, from April 25th to April 28th, the European 5-pin championship will be played. The title holder is the Italian Gualemi Matteo. The 5 pins discipline is played individually, for players under 21 and for national teams.
The preliminary rounds in the artistic are played with 8 groups of three players on April 25th and 26th, the final rounds will be on the 27th. The tournament lasts from April 25th to Sunday, May 5th. Five hundred athletes from 21 countries play for a total of 18 titles. The individual tournaments in three cushion are in the last weekend with the European championship for men and women at the end.
The artistic championship, the opening of the eleven-day event, is played in matches in the preliminaries to 150 points and from the quarter-finals to 200 points. The most known players are Walter Bax, Sander Jonen, Erik Daelman, Erik Vervliet, Serdar Gümüs and Jean Reverchon.
The playing system is new, the field has many other contenders, including the young Dutchman Jop de Jong, Hammen, Fonnelosa, Dericks, Quadrado and Cin.
The winner will receive 2,000 euros, the number two 1,000, the number three 750, up to the number eight 500 euros.
The games start on Thursday at 7:30 PM, on Friday at 9;00 and on Saturday at 9:00. The final is at 3:00pm.
The 5 pins championship is spread over four days. The group matches are on April 25th and 26th, the 1 / 16th and 1 / 8th finals on April 27th and the quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals on April 28th. Gabrio Volante is the tournament director for the 5 pins. The title holder is the Italian Gualemi Matteo, the wild card holder the German Toni Rosenberg. The Italians, also with well-known player Andrea Quarta, are the favorites for the podium. The total field of participants consists of 64 players. Group matches are played the best of 3, in the final rounds the best of 5. The distance is to 60 points per set.
The winner is rewarded by 3,000 euros, the number two 1,500, the number three 1,000 euros, going down to 500, 250 and 150 euros.
A few days later will be the European championships 5 pins under 21 will be played on April 28th and 29th. The championship for national teams will be on April 28th, 29th and 30th with the Italians as the big favorites for the title.
The group format for the country teams:
Group A: Italy, Belgium, Austria
Group B: Germany, Denmark, San Marino
Group C: Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg
Group D: France, Spain, Czech Republic
The matches start on Thursday at 7:30, on Friday at 11:30, on Saturday from 9:00 with the 1/16th finals, on Sunday from 9:00 the 1/4 finals, at 5:30 the final.
The 5 pins under 21 starts on April 28 at 11:30, the semi-final is on April 29 at 11:00, the final at 2:30. The 5 pins for national teams starts on April 28 at 9:00, on April 29 at 9:00 am, the semi-finals are on April 30th at 9:00am, the final at 2:00pm.
The Italian team that took the last European title for nations
The group formats for the European championship artistic:
Group A:
Serdar Gümüs (Trk)
Sander Jonen (Dutch)
David Keller (Hon)
Group B:
Hector Cuadrado (Sp)
Jean Reverchon (Fra)
Jean-Luc Miller (Fra)
Group C:
Michaël Hammen (Fra)
Jop de Jong (Nl)
Bernd Singer (Ger)
Group D:
Xavier Fonellosa (Sp)
Erik Vijverberg (Nl)
Lászio Tóth (Hon)
Group E:
Walter Bax (Bel)
Thomas Ahrens (Ger)
Manfred Hekerle (Aus)
Group F:
Baris Cin (Tr)
Erik Vervliet (Bel)
Marvin Heinrich (Germ)
Group G:
Erik Daelman (Bel)
René Dericks (Dutch)
Benoit Clement (Fra)
Group H:
Kevin Tran (Fr)
Sergio Sanchez (Sp)
Markus Schuster (Aus).
The full, all-days schedule at the Europeans:Thursday, April 25:
Group matches artistic billiards
Group competitions 5 pins
Friday, April 26:
Group matches and 1/8th final artistic
Group matches 5 pins
Group matches balk-line 71/2
Group matches three cushion under 17 (small table)
Group matches free game ladies (small table)
Saturday, April 27:
Finals artistic billiards
1/16 and 1/8 final 5 pins
Finals balk-line 71/2
Finales three cushion under 17 (small billiards)
Group matches free game ladies (small)
Finals free game ladies
Sunday, April 28:
Finals 5 pins
Group matches in balk-line 47/2
Group matches free game under 17 (small)
Group matches 5 pins national teams
Group matches club teams three cushion (small table)
Monday, April 29:
Quarter and semi-final balk-line 47/2
Finals free game under 17 (small)
Finales 5 pins under 21
Group matches 5 pins national teams
Quarter-final 5 pins country teams
Group matches club teams three cushion (small table)
Group matches biathlon teams under 21
Tuesday, April 30: 1
Final balk-line 47/2
Finals 5 pins national teams
Group matches club teams three cushion (small table)
1/8 and quarter-final club teams three cushion small
Group matches biathlon teams under 21
Group matches one cushion
Wednesday, May 1:
1/8 and quarter-final club teams three cushion small
Finals biathlon teams under 21
Finals one cushion
Group matches three cushion under 21 (match)
Group matches three cushion (small table)
Thursday, May 2:
Finals club teams three cushion small
Finals three cushion under 21
Group matches three cushion (small)
Group matches three cushion individual (match)
Group matches free game under 21 (match)
Friday, May 3:
Group matches three cushion (small)
1/16, 1/8 and 1/4 final three-cushion individual (match)
Group matches free game under 21 (match)
Semi-final free game under 21 (match)
Group matches three cushion ladies (match)
Saturday, May 4:
1/16 and 1/8 final three-cushion individual (small)
Finals three-cushion individual (match)
Final free game under 21 (match)
Group matches three cushion ladies (match)
1/8 and 1/4 final three cushion ladies (match)
Group matches three cushion country teams (match)
Sunday, May 5:
Finals three-cushion individual (small)
Finals ladies three cushion (match)
Finals three-cushion national teams (match).