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Duke Challenge January 19-22, Masters 22-28 of March

11/05/2020

Published by frits bakker

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© © Ton Smilde
Jean van Erp, public hero in the region, with his fans in last year's Masters event

NISTELRODE/BERLICUM - The tightened Corona measures have consequences for two major three-cushion events: for the annual KNBB Jumbo Masters in Berlicum, where all Dutch top three-cushion players compete for the Dutch title have been postponed. And for the new, prestigious invitation tournament The Duke Challenge in Nistelrode with international stars in a special setting and an exceptionally high prize pool (77,000 euros). The KNBB competitions are cancelled until January 1.

While many events around us have been cancelled, announced the KNBB in a press release, or are being postponed to a date yet to be determined, new dates have already been found in the international calendar for the two Dutch top events. The Duke Challenge, first scheduled from 25 to 27 November 2020, will now take place from 19 to 22 January 2021. The KNBB Jumbo Masters, initially scheduled from 14 to 17 January 2021, will be moved to the week of 22 until March 28, 2021, exact playing dates in coordination with Ziggo Sport.

The organizers Ad Smout and Harry Mathijssen of Stichting Biljart Evenementen Nederland: ''Given the current measures, it was obvious to postpone the Duke Challenge, with all the international stars that will participate, however the location was surely safe and without an audience, yet the risk of cancellation or foreign players not being able to participate, was simply too big. By moving it for two months, we expect to have minimized these risks.''

Harry Mathijssen: ''A Masters without our great audience is not Masters.''

''Full stands are a requirement for our annual spectacle in Berlicum, the KNBB Jumbo Masters, but given the stricter measures and the developments of the corona virus, the chance that we could play these Masters in our usual atmosphere was not very high. That's s why we have postponed it to the end of March, when we hope that the audience will be welcome again. And in the open period in January, where the Masters first were scheduled, we moved the Duke Challenge to these days. Because: it will be played without audience anyway.''

''We have coordinated all these dates well with all parties involved. Fortunately, there was a possibility for that on the international calendar. And Ziggo Sport, which had already promised to broadcast both events, can move it in their schedule, these new data.''

''With a change like this, we will look whether we might be able do even better. We consider to do the Duke Challenge not in three but in four days. Maybe we have chances to invite two great Asian players into the schedule. We can't give the names, yet but assume that at least one and most likely two top Asians will participate!''

Paul Brekelmans of KNBB Section Three Cushion: ''As a result of the measures, taken by the cabinet this week, it was obvious that organizing the Masters in January would give too much risk. This annual billiard party deserves a wonderful ambiance. The presence of many billiard fans in the stands is a must. We are therefore pleased that we, as the Section Three cushion, together with Biljart Events Netherlands, have come to a nice solution. By postponing the Duke Challenge to January and the KNBB Masters to the end of March, as far as we are concerned, there are only winners. The BEN organizers see the many preparations for the Duke Challenge as being rewarded now. We all can focus now on a hopefully successful edition of the KNBB Masters in March.''

The new dates: Duke Challenge (Nistelrode), 19-22 January 2021, KNBB Jumbo Masters (Berlicum), week from 22-28 March 2021.

Text: KNBB/KNBB Section 3-cushion/BEN foundation.

 

 

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