At the player’s party of the recently held Dynamic Billard European Championships for Men, Women and Wheelchair Athletes in the Salgados Palace Hotel in Albufeira, Portugal, Albin Ouschan (AUT) was awarded the title of EPBF Player of the Year 2016.
Five players were in the race for the award. Henrik Larsson (SWE), Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz (ESP), Kristina Tkach (RUS), Jasmin Ouschan (AUT) and Albin Ouschan were up for vote. Albin Ouschan was the clear winner in the end, taking all three categories: the public vote, the member vote and the Board and sponsor vote. Probably one huge advantage for him was his achievements in 2016 which include winning the 9-ball World Champion title and the European Champion title in straight pool on his home soil in St. Johann i.Pg, Austria.
Also during the recent Championships, the European Pocket Billard Federation held its General Assembly and several Board meetings. After many years, former Treasurer Frans van den Bergh and Youth Sports Director Sandra Hanf left the Board and were honoured at the General Assembly with standing ovations. Their places will be filled with Ine Helvik from Norway for the treasury and Tomas Brikmanis from Lithuania as the new Youth Sports Director. The rest of the Board members have all been reelected for another term in their respective offices. David Morris will serve as Board member now with Kurt Roos taking over the position of the Vice President from him.
