Pro9 - Europe's No.1 Pool Player Resource

THE NORWEGIAN 9-BALL CHALLENGE 2006
ElbowRoom
Klingenberggaten 4
Oslo
Norway
Tel: (+47) 47 30 00 43
www.norwegian9ballchallenge.com
www.elbowroom.no
roy@elbowroom.no
Jan Ingvoldstad Photo Gallery - More photos added!!!

*** Update No.4 at 11:14 GMT 17 July 2006 ***

Wednesday-Saturday 12-15 July 2006

Live BETandWIN broadcasts from the last 64 matches in Norway!!!

The Norwegian 9 Ball Challenge has been narrowed down to the final 64 elite players who have survived the group stages.

The bookmakers must have really taken a beating after Sweden's Marcus "Napoleon" Chamat finished his 7 matches with the following unbelievable scores: 5-0, 5-0, 5-0, 5-0, 5-1, 5-1, 5-1.

On BetandWin.com you can bet on traditional bets like who will be the winner of the tournament, or who will win the match, but also make innovative bets like how many balls are sunk on the break, who will win the lag, or even if it will be a "Golden Break"!

"Read more" for the updating last 64 table.

Tournament Director Roy Steffenson said, "We have a very good Norwegian field here, I think Bj�rn L'Orange will do very well. He is a good former European Champion and has played professional snooker back in 1997 with Drago and O'Sullivan. He can do good and although he has a tough draw, I think maybe he will win his upcoming matches".

Norway's Ronnie Oldervic vs. England's Raj Hundal will be a tough match too, according to Steffenson - both player's are highly respected for their abilities in their home countries.

The most dangerous man at the tournament is Tony Drago apparently, he is showing some REALLY good form and has won a legion of admirers on this trip to Norway, with his ultra-fast pace and "never miss" ability.

Even better, Drago will meet another ultra-fast paced Norwegian player in the last 32 stage on Saturday. Roger Lysholm has his own army of fans in Norway and will provide a full test of Drago's talent and determination.

Current "hot tips" for winning the tournament are Tony Drago, Niels Feijen, Mika Immonen and Bj�rn L'Orange. Oliver Ortmann isn't actually playing particularly well, but he walked through his comparatively easy group without a hiccup - even his worst match he won with relative ease.

Sweden's Marcus Chamat, you would think, would be hot favourite for the whole event after finishing his 7 group stage matches with nearly a perfect clean sheet... Not bad for an alternate break tournament. (He only conceded 3 racks in 7 matches). But he crashed out in spectacular style when he was beaten by a relative newcomer to the international scene Kurt Maflin.

Maflin, from the host country Norway, has been hotly tipped by other players, was 7:3 down in his match with Chamat, but managed to claw his way back and win the match 9:8!

At hill-hill, Chamat missed a relatively easy shot on the one-ball, trying to get perfect position on the next ball, and in a rare display of "pique", Chamat lost his cool and "he went nuts" according to one spectator!

Visibly raging with himself, it was clear that he didn't want to speak to anyone after the match and he "stormed out" of the playing arena!

Maflin will meet Finland's Pauli Laakso in the final day's play in Oslo, at The Norwegian 9 Ball Challenge tomorrow, Saturday 15th July 2006.

Niels Feijen focuses intently on his next shot, at The Norwegian 9 Ball Challenge.
Picture courtesy of professional photographer Jan Ingvoldstad

UPDATE

Finland's Mika Immonen has won the first Norwegian 9 Ball Challenge in Oslo, 15 July 2006.

It was no surprise that it was a final between two former World 9 Ball Pool Champions in the tournament that attracted several of the best players in the world, among them Tony Drago, Niels Feijen, Raj Hundal, Jasmin Ouschan and Marcus Chamat!

In the final, Mika Immonen from Finland met the top player from Germany, Oliver Ortmann, but the balls didn't roll Ortmann's way and with Mika playing very well it ended 9 - 4 to Mika!

Bronze Medalists were Brian Beekers from Holland and Kurt Maflin from Norway.

The playing mode was race to five in the group stages followed by a single knockout race to 9 from the last 64 stage.

All the matches played on the TV Table on Friday and Saturday are available on the Norwegian TV channel TV2. http://webtv.tv2.no/webtv/main.do?treeId=2750

You will need to register for a small amount of 5 Euros, but then you have unlimited access and can watch all the matches over and over again till the end of September!

THE STATS

Mika Immonen from Finland - Norwegian 9 Ball Challenge Champion.
Picture courtesy of professional photographer Jan Ingvoldstad

The Entrants
Alexander Hagen, Norway
�ystein Haug, Norway
Christopher Koba, Sweden
Mikael Mutto, Sweden
Knut Kvaal Pedersen, Norway
Kjartan Maraas, Norway
Kim Soo Garmark, South Korea
Jan Keller, Denmark
Jan Erik S�raa, Norway
Malvin Bjelland, Norway
J�rgen Nilsen, Norway
Anita Rizzuti, Norway
Tom Bjerke, Norway
Timo M�kel�, Finland
Tony Drago, Malta
Kevin Zarakani, Sweden
Roger Lysholm, Norway
Ruben Andr� Waage, Norway
Henrik Herrebr�den, Norway
Henrik Ohlsson, Sweden
Morgan Cederstr�m, Sweden
Mohamed Obaid, U.A.E.
Joonas Ohtonen, Finland
Marcus Chamat, Sweden
Sondre Noraberg, Norway
Ola Johnsen, Norway
David Larsson, Sweden
Ronny Hansen, Norway
Tron Engebakk, Norway
Morten Skifjeld, Norway
�zg�r Simsek
Stig Dahl, Norway
Per Henrik Pedersen, Norway
Geir Fosse, Norway
Ali Nael, Norway
Bengt Lind, Sweden
Henrik Larsson, Sweden
Anthony Illingworth, UK
Katrine Jensen, Denmark
Line Kj�rsvik, Norway
Stein Amundsen, Norway
Per Yngvar Hodnebrog, Norway
Hanni Al-Howri, U.A.E.
Petri Makkonen, Finland
Mohamed Al-Hosani, U.A.E.
Thomas Stadler, Sweden
Kahlil H. Avis, Norway
Jan R. Pedersen, Norway
Kenneth Rognstad, Norway
Egil Arne S�rensen, Norway
Kenneth Dagestad, Norway
Leif Loogna, Sweden
Pauli Laakso, Finland
Niels Feijen, Holland
P�l Hatteberg, Norway
Martine Christiansen, Norway
Johannes T�rresdal, Norway
Anders Westgaard, Norway
Courtney Symons, UK
Harri Suni, Finland
Bj�rn Strandhus, Norway
Tommy Str�m, Norway
Fredrik Andersson, Sweden
Karl Lind, Sweden
Geir Allan Lande, Norway
Christian Laland, Norway
Roman Hybler, Chezk Republic
Bj�rn L`Orange, Norway
P�l Morten Kristiansen, Norway
Per-Egil Fjell, Norway
Kenneth Bendiksen, Norway
Roy Flaate, Norway
Askild Hansen, Norway
Brian Beekers, Holland
Martin Havnvik, Norway
Stig Ringebo, Norway
Stein Inge Kvalvik, Norway
Roy Steffensen, Norway
Lars Harby, Norway
Navid Eslah, Norway
Valtteri Virtanen, Finland
Kurt Maflin, Norway
Christian Johannessen, Norway
P�l Filipsveen, Norway
Stig Olsen, Norway
Ronny Oldervik, Norway
Tuomas Riipinen, Finland
Lars Harald Riiber, Norway
Jan Terje �yen, Norway
Arild Kr�kvik, Norway
Trond Larsen, Norway
Oliver Ortmann, Germany
Kent Halldin, Sweden
Jorg Wilhelmi, Holland
Christoffer Magnusson, Sweden
Jason Hansen, Norway
Torunn Fosse, Norway
Rune Bratbergsengen, Norway
Rolf Jensen, Norway
Mats Schjetne, Norway
Tron Kenneth Eikeskog, Norway
Paddy Mc Loughlin, Ireland
Harald Zimmermann, Germany
Henrik Hagen, Norway
Petter �degaard, Norway
Lars Wibe, Norway
Matey Ullah, Norway
Mika Immonen, Finland
Kevin Uzzell, UK
Raj Hundal, UK
Martin Correia, Portugal
Jasmin Ouschan, Austria
Said Alavinasb, Norway
Joakim Haugen, Norway
Mubarak Al-Junaibi, U.A.E.
Mahmut Mutto, Sweden
Vesa-Ville Virtanen, Finland

THE LAST 64
Kurt Maflin	9 : 8	Marcus Chamat
Pauli Laakso	9 : 5	Harald Zimmermann
Kevin Zarakani	9 : 4	P�l Hatteberg
Roman Hybler	9 : 7	Rune Bratbergsengen
Morgan Cederstr�m	9 : 3	Stig Dahl
Henrik Larsson	9 : 7	Christian Laland
Joonas Ohtonen	9 : 8	Line Kj�rsvik
Matey Ullah	9 : 5	Stein Inge Kvalvik
Oliver Ortmann	9 : 1	Roy Flaate
Valtteri Virtanen	9 : 3	Petri Makkonen
Christoffer Magnusson	9 : 8	Kevin Uzzell
Ola Johnsen	9 : 7	Courtney Symons
Knut Kvaal Pedersen	9 : 7	Vesa-Ville Virtanen
Paddy McLoughlin	9 : 6	Martin Havnvik
Tony Drago	9 : 2	Lars Harald Riiber
Roger Lysholm	9 : 4	Lars Harby
Niels Feijen	9 : 3	Tommy Str�m
Christian Johannessen	9 : 3	Allan Lande
Raj Hundal	9 : 6	Tuomas Riipinen
Ronny Oldervik	9 : 4	Per Henrik Pedersen
Askild Hansen	9 : 8	Leif Loogna
Bj�rn L'Orange	9 : 5	David Larsson
Tron Engebakk	9 : 3	Harri Suni
Mika Immonen	9 : 1	J�rgen Nilsen
Mahmut Mutto	9 : 5	Malvin Bjelland
Jasmin Ouschan	9 : 4	Bengt Lind
Christopher Koba	9 : 2	Kenneth Rognstad
Kim Soo Garmark	9 : 5	Mohamed Al-Hosani
Jorg Wilhelmi	9 : 5	Per Y. Hodnebrog
Brian Beekers	9 : 5	Timo M�kel�
Mikael Mutto	9 : 8	Joakim Haugen
Rolf Jensen	9 : 4	Anders Westgaard

THE LAST 32
Kurt Maflin	9 : 7	Pauli Laakso
Roman Hybler	9 : 2	Kevin Zarakani
Henrik Larsson	9 : 7	Morgan Cederstr�m
Joonas Ohtonen	9 : 7	Matey Ullah
Oliver Ortmann	9 : 4	Valtteri Virtanen
Christoffer Magnusson	9 : 4	Ola Johnsen
Paddy McLoughlin	9 : 2	Knut Kvaal Pedersen
Roger Lysholm	9 : 6	Tony Drago
Niels Feijen	9 : 6	Christian Johannessen
Raj Hundal	9 : 5	Ronny Oldervik
Bj�rn L'Orange	9 : 4	Askild Hansen
Mika Immonen	9 : 3	Tron Engebakk
Jasmin Ouschan	9 : 7	Mahmut Mutto
Christopher Koba	9 : 4	Kim Soo Garmark
Brian Beekers	9 : 6	Jorg Wilhelmi
Mikael Mutto	9 : 8	Rolf Jensen

THE LAST 16
Kurt Maflin	9 : 4	Roman Hybler
Henrik Larsson	9 : 3	Joonas Ohtonen
Oliver Ortmann	9 : 6	Christoffer Magnusson
Roger Lysholm	9 : 6	Paddy McLoughlin
Raj Hundal	9 : 8	Niels Feijen
Mika Immonen	9 : 5	Bj�rn L'Orange
Jasmin Ouschan	9 : 2	Christopher Koba
Brian Beekers	9 : 6	Mikael Mutto

THE QUARTER FINALS
Kurt Maflin	9 : 3	Henrik Larsson
Oliver Ortmann	9 : 3	Roger Lysholm
Mika Immonen	9 : 5	Raj Hundal
Brian Beekers	9 : 8	Jasmin Ouschan

THE SEMI FINALS
Oliver Ortmann	9 : 0	Kurt Maflin
Mika Immonen	9 : 8	Brian Beekers

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Mika Immonen	9 : 4	Oliver Ortmann

RELATED ARTICLES AT WWW.PRO9.CO.UK

Last 64 Results from The Norwegian 9 Ball Challenge

Updated Norwegian 9 Ball Challenge Results - Latest!

Norwegian 9-ball Challenge - FULL RESULTS HERE AT 15:00

Norwegian 9-ball Challenge announces TV coverage deals

Norwegian 9-Ball Challenge Groups Announced

Portugal AND England win the Norwegian 9-Ball Challenge Qualifier

Norwegian 9-Ball Challenge Qualifier at Rileys Victoria

Pro9 Promotions to hold qualifier for Norwegian 9-Ball Challenge

Invitation to Norwegian 9-Ball Challenge extended to UK Players

Comments