With just over five weeks until the start of the 21st annual PartyPoker Mosconi Cup, Darren Appleton and Karl Boyes are named as the final two members of the European side charged with defending the title at the Tower Circus, Blackpool from 1st to 4th December.
With seven previous Mosconi Cup appearances between them including six on the winning side, both players bring plenty to the table as Team EUROPE look towards their fifth consecutive win in the annual Europe v America 9 ball battle.
Appleton, who made his debut in 2009 as Europe crashed to defeat, has been an ever-present in the side since, racking up a 52% win percentage from 29 matches.
Commented Appleton, “I’m so excited to be picked! The last few days have been so stressful and I’ve not slept very well. I've been thinking about it every minute of the day since the US Open and I feel the Mosconi Cup has taken over my life - it's that big and that exciting.
“The Cup brings something out of me I can't explain – emotion and passion. So I really pushed myself these past few months to do what I could to give myself a chance of a wild card.
“Earlier in the year I was considering taking a break from pool to focus on other things that were important, but I forced myself to go tournaments and push hard all because of the Mosconi Cup, so to finish the last couple of months the way I did and make the team makes me very grateful, relieved, thankful, emotional, honoured and proud.”
For Blackpool man Karl Boyes, it’s a dream come true to be representing Europe in front of a huge crowd of his home town fans. The 30 year-old will be making his third appearance in a blue shirt and sports nine wins from 11 matches (82%) after being part of the winning side in 2010 and 2013.
“After last year’s event in Vegas it was announced the 21st Mosconi Cup will be in Blackpool and it was that moment I decided to base my full season on qualifying to play in pool’s biggest tournament representing Europe in front of my friends and family who all live close by.
“This will be an amazing moment in my career. I have taken my little girl there to watch the circus and the arena is perfect for the Mosconi Cup and its European fans. I'm sure they won't let us down and be louder than ever and boy, that room will be loud!”
The 2014 PARTYPOKER Mosconi Cup is sponsored by PartyPoker.com, the world's leading online poker site. The Official Table of the Mosconi Cup is supplied by Diamond Billiards, the cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and the Official Balls are Super Aramith by Saluc. Predator is the Official Cue and Mosconi Cup clothing is supplied by Universe.
