On the tenth and final day of the European Billiards Championships in Brandenburg/Germany there were three medal decisions. In the 3-Cushions Team-Event the gold medal went to the Dutch team which was some kind of a little surprise. After the first game that Frédéric Caudron (Belgium) had won 40:32 against Raimond Burgman, it initially looked good for the favorites. But then Dick Jaspers hit back with a 40:29-win over Eddy Merckx, so in the end the overall average "points/innings" was in favor of the Dutch duo.
The third place and the bronze medal went to the second Belgium Team as well as to Greece with former world champion Filipos Kasidokostas.
In the discipline Cadre 71/2 the Dutchman Raymund Swertz won his second gold medal during the European Championships. After winning the title in Cadre 47/2 he also showed his skills in Today’s final against Marek Faus from Czech Republic. After 5 innings the score was 200:200 so another twenty points needed to be scored. Swertz made them in the first inning but Faus missed the opening shot by surprise.
The bronze medals were received by Swertz fellow countryman Henri Tilleman and Nikolas Gerassimopoulos from Greece.
The best European 3-Cushions club-team comes from France. Peter de Backer and Filipos Kasidokostas played for Team Andernos and won the gold medal against Mecidiyeköy Spor Kulubu from Turkey with Birol Uymaz and Can Capak. Bronze was shared by Post Luchtkanalen (Netherlands) and Bahcelievier Belediye Spor Kulubu (Turkey).
The continental federation Confédération Européenne de Billard (CEB) looks back on a very successful European Championship. The experiment to run these championships under one roof with all carom disciplines was undoubtedly a success. About 400 players from all member states played daily in the Stahlpalast in Brandenburg. Around 3,000 spectators found their way to the tournament within the last ten days.
More superlatives were the total prize money of 104,400.00 Euros and twenty billiard tables which were broadcasted live on the Internet.
All results of the European Billiards Championships can be found on www.eurobillard.org under section “Calendar & Tournament Info” whilst all pictures and further media-information are published on www.touch-magazine.net
Pay-per-View-Livestream is broadcasted by www.kozoom.com
