ANTWERP - The five time world champion Torbjörn Blomdahl and three time world champion Dani Sánchez are in the spotlights at the Supercup gala in the Hilton hotel in Antwerp this Saturday (5th of March). The Swedish 2015 World champion and Spanish 2015 World Cup winner will battle it out for the trophy in a wonderful atmosphere in short sets to seven points. The replay of Kozoom is available on Saturday evening right after the match and the ceremony.
The Supercup gala is a tradition of which Ludo Dielis was the instigator in 2001. The world's best players are parading at the gala performance, followed by the election of the Player of the Year, for which three players have been nominated: Torbjörn Blomdahl, Dani Sánchez and Tayfun Tasdemir. The first fifty players of the world ranking and the federations have sent their nominations to the UMB. At the end of the evening, two former world stars, Raymond Ceulemans and Ludo Dielis, play a match with Blomdahl and Sánchez.
The media interest is huge: the gala is growing every year with its many VIP guests and real billiards fans. The winner of the Supercup will receive 5000 euros, the loser 1000 euros. The Player of the Year will also receive € 5.000, the runner-in 1500, the number three 1000. The three times elected Player of the Year over five years is rewarded by the Ludo Dielis 3-Cushion World Player Award, a thin diamond trophy with an estimated value of 50.000 euros.
Ludo Dielis revealed during the press conference in the historical Antwerp town hall. ,,This Supercup Gala will continue as an annual event, but we are thinking about a new creation in Antwerp: a kind of Masters with the best eight players in the world.''
UMB-president Farouk Barki: ,,The Super Cup gala and Player of the Year event, in the historic city of Antwerp with its inspiring architecture, medieval streets and world class shopping, is a perfect venue for an epic match between the world champion and the world cup winner. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to Mr. Ludo Dielis for his continual efforts in organizing this event for many years and we hope for many more.''
The palmares of the two stars at the gala:
Torbjörn Blomdahl:
5 times world champion
9 times European champion
11 World Cup overall wins
42 World Cup tournament wins
2 times winner Super Cup
2 times Player of the Year
Dani Sánchez:
3 times world champion
4 times World cup winner
12 World Cup tournament wins
2 times World games winner
3 times European champion
2 times Super Cup winner
3 times Player of the Year
The list of honour of the Supercup winners:
2001: Torbjörn Blomdahl defeats Raymond Ceulemans
2002: Torbjörn Blomdahl beats Zanetti
2003: Semih Saygıner beats Torbjörn Blomdahl
2004: Dani Sánchez defeats Jaspers
2005: Frédéric Caudron-Dani Sánchez ends in a draw, Sánchez wins after shootouts
2006: Eddy Merckx beats Dani Sánchez
2007: Riuuji Umeda defeats Torbjörn Blomdahl
2008: Marco Zanetti defeats Dick Jaspers
2009: Frédéric Caudron beats Filippos Kasidokostas
2010: Dick Jaspers beats Dani Sánchez
2014 Frédéric Caudron beats Sung-Won Choi.
The Player of the Year:
2001: Torbjörn Blomdahl
2002: Marco Zanetti
2003: Semih Saygıner
2004: Dani Sánchez
2005: Dani Sánchez
2006: Dani Sánchez
2007: Torbjörn Blomdahl
2008: Dick Jaspers
2009: Frédéric Caudron
2010: Dick Jaspers
2014: Sung-Won Choi.