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27 July - 4 August 2012
The Gold Medallists, Wahl (left) and Eschment Foto: EPBF/DK
Straight Pool finals decided in Brandenburg a.d.Havel
Saturday, 28 July 2012: The final matches have been played in the Straight Pool competition. Finn Eschment and Raphael Wahl (both GER) have taken the Gold Medals.
The match in the junior’s division was pretty one-sided. Eschment played the highest run of the tournament so far. He was leading 13:5 in the third inning. The fourth inning was 95:5. Eschment ran 82 balls. The next inning was the final one. Wolf had no answer to that and Eschment seized the crown off him, winning 100:5.
In the pupil’s division, the match was more exciting. Wahl took a 73: 13 lead over Filler and it looked like the match would be over soon. But Filler struck back and made the score 66:73. Then, he missed an easy 8-ball with 2 balls remaining on the table. That was just enough for Wahl. He pocketed the two balls and won the crown in the pupil’s division.
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Top Eight Finishers Straight Pool:
Juniors
1. Finn Eschment GER
2. Jan-Henrik Wolf GER
3. Vitaly Pavlukhin RUS
Wojciech Szewczyk POL
5. Berk Mehmetcik TNC
Hugo Pereira LUX
Tobias Bongers GER
Adrian Borowiec POL
Pupils
1. Raphael Wahl GER
2. Joshua Filler GER
3. Daniel Tangudd SWE
Mikolaj Zabecki POL
5. Dudanets, Maksim RUS
Patryk Statkiewicz POL
Can Salim-Giasar GER
Jan van Lierop NED
Tomorrow, the matches will continue at 09:00 CET. The team competition will begin and the 10-ball will also commence.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.epconline.eu , follow us on twitter @EPBF_News or contact our press office.
Jan-Henrik Wolf (GER) Foto: EPBF/DK
4 out of 4 German players win their semi-final matches
Saturday, 28 July 2012: What an amazing performance in the semi-finals of the straight pool competition of the Dynamic Billiards European Youth Championships!
Juniors Division, race to 100 points: The first match was the encounter between Wojciech Szewczyk (POL) and Jan-Henrik Wolf (GER). The paper would have probably said that Szewczyk is the favourite player, having in mind all his previous accomplishments. But Wolf had a few words to say to that. Indeed, a 3-foul-penalty and a series of 46 balls gave Wolf a comfortable 59:-4 lead. But Szewczyk was far from giving in. He fought back but could never close the gap. Wolf just played too strong and steady for him today.
The final score was 100:40 for Wolf. “Gladness!”, was Wolf’s answer when asked after the match what his feeling is. “I knew before the match that Wojciech was the favoured player and I would need to play on a very high level”, stated Wolf. “He was a bit unlucky but in the end I also played well”. Wolf will play his fellow countryman Finn Eschment in the final of the straight pool EC.
Finn Eschment (GER) Foto: EPBF/DK
Eschment made it to the finals with a thrilling win of 100:95 over Vitaly Pavlukhin (RUS). That match was sheer drama. Pavlukhin was probably also the favoured player and he had a small lead over Eschment. But the gap never got too big. Eschment overtook Pavlukhin who also did not let the German youngster get away too far from him. Towards the end of the match, the drama unfolded.
Pavlukhin was leading 94:90 when he missed a makeable ball. Eschment could not capitalize on it and the match stayed open. Pavlukhin pocketed two balls and played a safety on the next break shot, making the score 96:91. It looked like Eschment held the shorter end of the stick. But then Pavlukhin scratched during the upcoming safety play. That was Eschment’s chance and he used it! He won the match by a whisker of 100:95 over Pavlukhin. “I think it was a bad match in the end”, stated a happy but exhausted Eschment after the match, “I think the luckier guy has won here”.
Pupils Division, race to 75 points: The semi-final matches in the pupil’s division were also very eventful. Joshua Filler (GER) defeated Daniel Tangudd (SWE) 75:50. The match was an up and down for both players. Filler was taking the first lead with 23:5 and things looked promising for him. Then Tangudd shifted into overdrive and made 30 balls, leading 44:25. Filler seemed to be impressed but he stayed focussed. “That was the moment when I took a time out and told myself that I can do better”, said Filler. “I did not want to come out of the match without having tried everything to win it”. So he came to the table and made 40 balls to take a 73:48 lead over Tangudd. That broke the young Swede’s neck. Tangudd was able to pocket two more balls, before Filler ran out the match and won it with 75:50.
Raphael Wahl (GER) Foto: EPBF/DK
The other semi-final was taking place between Mikolaj Zabecki (POL) and Raphael Wahl (GER). The match was tight at all times and saw Wahl turning out to be the winner, making the score 75:70 in his favour in the end. Wahl will play Filler in the final of the pupil’s division.
What a successful day for Germany’s pool billiard youth!
Bence Varga (HUN) Foto: EPBF/DK
No major upsets on day to yet
Saturday, 28 July 2012: Today, the 10-ball competition of the Dynamic Billiards European Championships Youth started.
In the junior’s division, Bence Varga (HUN) was the only player remaining from last year’s medallists. He had a walk over in his first match, then defeated Jose Alberto Delgado Hernandez (ESP) with 7:5.
Another favourite in this division is definitely Wojciech Szewczyk (POL). He also won his first two opening matches (7:2 over Borna Vukojevic).
In the pupil’s division, the cards are shuffled completely new this year. Last year’s runner up Tian Zhang (SWE) is the only remaining top 3 player. Pavlukhin and Seroshtan left for the junior’s division since they have reached the age limit for pupils. Zhang has won his opening match 6:3 over Eimantas Sveikauskas (LIT) and will now meet Mikolaj Zabecki (POL) in the winner’s qualification round. Other favourites in the juniors could be Joshua Filler and Can Salim-Giasar (both GER). The German Team won the team competition over the strong Russians last year. Filler and Salim are both in the winner’s qualification round.
Unlike in the pupil’s division, last year’s medallists in the girl’s division are almost complete. Except last year’s winner Darya Sirotina (RUS), all medallists are in attendance in Brandenburg a.d.Havel. Nataliya Seroshtan (RUS), Oliwia Czuprynska (POL) and Kamila Khodjaeva (BEL) are definitely to be counted among the favourites in this division. Seroshtan had to play Khodjaeva in the second round of the competition already and lost 2:5. But she will still have a chance on the loser’s side. Two players who could come out as a surprise of this year’s girl’s 10-ball competition are Nathalie Seichter (NED) and Veronika Ivanovskaia (GER). Both won their openers and will try to make it to the single elimination stage on the direct way.
The tournament continued today at 15:00 CET with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final matches in straight pool, junior’s and pupil’s division.
Joshua Filler (GER) Foto: EPBF/DK
Filler eliminates Szolnoki in an epic thriller
Friday, 27 July 2012: In a real high level match in the pupils division, Joshua Filler (GER) eliminated Oliver Szolnoki (HUN) from the straight pool tournament.
The early phase of the match belonged to Szolnoki. He got a 25:2 lead over Filler and seemed to dominate over the young German. But then Filler got into gear and it seemed as if he developed more and more self-confidence. However, whenever Filler was about to start shooting, he made a mistake and lost his rhythm through silly mistakes. Szolnoki benefitted from that. He managed to keep the match open for quite a long time. After several innings which were mainly determined by safety play, the score was tied at 35:35. Filler has equalized Szolnoki’s advantage and seemed to be on the role now. But whenever one thought that he would start shooting some balls, he made a mistake. However, Filler played the better safety shots and almost always came out as the winner from the safety duels that the two had. At a score of 57:54 for Filler, Szolnoki misses a makeable shot. Filler pockets one ball and then the balls were racked. He pocketed the break ball but found himself in an awkward position. Again, he played the better safeties and won another safety play over Szolnoki. This time Filler made no mistakes and got a advantage of 71:54 over Szolnoki before the next safety duel started. That was obviously too much for Szolnoki to handle. He succumbed again to Filler’s safety play and Filler took the match with 75:54. Filler advances to the quarter-finals of the straight pool discipline which will be played tomorrow at 15:00 CET while Szolnoki leaves the discipline and comes in 9th place.
Other notable results include Jan van Lierop (NED) defeating Daniel Guttenberger (AUT) in the same round with 75:58.
In the junior’s division, Wojciech Szewczyk (POL) creams Kenneth Ohr (AUT) 100:13 and advances to the last 16 players in the straight pool discipline. The dark horse of the event, Berk Mehmetcik (TNC) wins again. This time his victim was Marcel Fortunski (POL) with 100:47.
Mehmetcik will meet Vitaly Pavlukhin (RUS) in the quarter-finals. Pavlukhin eliminated his fellow countryman Andrey Seroshtan with 100:37.
Berk Mehmetcik (TNC) Foto: EPBF/DK
Szewczyk loses to Mehmetcik in first winner’s round of straight pool
Friday, 27 July 2012: One of the things that make sports so special is that one cannot always predict what is going to happen.
In the first winner’s round, defending 9-ball European Champion and runner-up at last year’s juniors World 9-Ball Championship, Wojciech Szewczyk (POL) got clearly defeated by unheralded Berk Mehmetcik (TNC) with 10:100. Mehmetcik played very well and used the few chances that he was given. “I did not get to play my A-level game”, said Szewczyk after the match, “and luck was not on my side. But in all fairness, Berk deserved to win since he has played much better than I did”. That was a statement from the modest Polish gentleman as we know him – always a sportsman, always fair. He now needs to make his way through the loser’s bracket while it will be interesting to see how Mehmetcik will proceed in the event.
Another unexpected match was taking place between Finn Eschment (GER) and Tobias Trattnig (AUT). Both players are known to be steady straight pool players and normally perform on a high level. However, today’s match between the two was far from that. The encounter was determined by errors and mistakes from both sides. “I have no idea what is wrong with Tobias,” said Erich Matheis, one of the Austrian coaches, “it looks like he has not even arrived at the EC yet”. Consequently, Eschment won the match with 100:20.
The defending Champion in the juniors 14/1 competition is Bence Varga from Hungary. He defeated Nicolas Ernst (SUI) 100:53 and his victory was never really in danger.
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Final preparations are being made
Wednesday, 25 July 2012: Two days before the opening ceremony of the Dynamic Billiards European Youth Championships in the Stahlpalast in Brandenburg a.d. Havel, Germany, the preparations have come to the final stage.
Endless kilometres of cables and wires, technical and electronic equipment and last but not least 24 pool tables, with three of them in the famous EPBF TV-arena are assembled and almost ready for use. The Kozoom TV crew has also arrived and is about to install the equipment which is needed to bring the event to your homes. Up to 24 tables will be shown in the LiveStream.
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Tomorrow, the accreditation of the athletes will begin and youth players from all over Europe will come to Brandenburg a.d.Havel to fight for the titles. 19 girls, 56 juniors and 58 pupils from 28 European nations make up the total field of 133 players in the youth championships. 13 European Champion titles will be on the line these upcoming 10 days. A total of 52 medals will be handed out to young hopefuls. Many youth players will arrive here with the same dream, but only a few can make it come true.
Oliwia Czuprynska (POL) - Foto: EPBF/DK
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Youth Championships open a month of high class pool in Germany
Monday, 23 July 2012: The Dynamic Billiard EPBF Youth Championships will begin later this week in Brandenburg a.d.Havel, Germany. Over 150 junior players will compete in three divisions and five different disciplines over the next 1 ½ weeks for the medals.
Straight pool, 8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball and team competition will be on the schedule for the participants in the pupils, juniors and girls divisions.
That huge tournament will launch a billiard festival in Brandenburg. Europe’s top athletes will be in Brandenburg to compete for the titles. Among them will be Oliwia Czyuprynska from Poland, the current 9-ball World Champion in the girls division.
After the youth championships are over, the seniors and ladies will start and fight for their titles. Once they are done, there will be a Dynamic Billiard Euro-Tour tournament for men, followed by a Euro-Tour tournament for women. Altogether four tournaments back to back can be viewed in the upcoming four weeks in the Stahlpalast in Brandenburg a.d.Havel.
For all of those who cannot attend the matches on site, the event will be covered online by the media partner of the EPBF, Kozoom.com. Up to 24 tables will be broadcasted LIVE during the day in the live stream with one feature table. For more information, visit www.kozoom.com.
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