After 11 days of play, the 42nd annual Dynamic Billards European Championships for Men, Women and Wheelchair users concluded on Saturday 12th March. With 15 separate events to contend for, nearly 200 athletes from across Europe came to the picturesque Slovenian town of Lasko.
In the end it was the German squad who topped the medal table with five gold, three silver and three bronze to total 11 medals overall. They were some distance ahead of Finland in second place who secured five medals – three gold, a silver and a bronze. In total, 21 different countries were among the medals.
Individually, there were four multi-medallists in the men’s divisions. Veteran Niels Feijen (NED) headed the table with a gold medal in the 9 ball plus two bronzes. Sanjin Pehlivanovic (BIH) grabbed a gold in the 10 ball plus a bronze in the 8 ball. Poland’s Wojciech Szewczyk took two silvers in the 10 ball and team event respectively. Finally, Mario He of Austria took a silver and a bronze.
In the ladies’ events, it was the fast-improving Pia Filler of Germany who led the way. She collected gold medals in the 8 ball and the team competition as well as a silver in the straight pool. In total, seven other players collected two medals each. Amalia Matas (ESP), Oliwia Zalewska (POL), Tina Vogelmann (GER) and Eyllul Kibaroglu (TUR) all won a gold plus a bronze while Ana Gradisnik (SLO) took two silvers. The other two multi-medallist women were Line Kjorsvik (NOR) and Sara Rocha of Portugal.
In the wheelchair division, it was once again Finland’s Jouni Tahti who came out on top with two gold medals. The other gold was won by his long-time rival Henrik Larsson who also left with a silver and a bronze. Ireland’s Fred Dinsmore came close twice but had to settle for two silver medals and a bronze. The remaining double-medallist was Britain’s David Beaumont who collected a brace of bronzes.
MEDAL TABLE
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | ||
| 1 | Germany | 5 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
| 2 | Finland | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | Poland | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Norway | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 5 | Sweden | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | Bosnia Herzegovina | 1 | X | 2 | 3 |
| 6 | Netherlands | 1 | X | 2 | 3 |
| 6 | Spain | 1 | X | 2 | 3 |
| 9 | Turkey | 1 | X | 1 | 2 |
| 10 | Austria | X | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 10 | Ireland | X | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 10 | Slovenia | X | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 13 | Czech Republic | X | 1 | X | 1 |
| 14 | Great Britain | X | X | 2 | 2 |
| 14 | Portugal | X | X | 2 | 2 |
| 16 | Belgium | X | X | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | Croatia | X | X | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | Denmark | X | X | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | Serbia | X | X | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | Slovakia | X | X | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | Switzerland | X | X | 1 | 1 |
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