Chasing a ruthless champion at European ladies

ANKARA - The success story started for Therese Klompenhouwer in 2005 with the first European three-cushion title for ladies. It’s 10 out of 10 for now, because in all 10 European championships the Dutch lady finished as the winner. The very first Europeans she won was played in Manisa, Turkey, and for the fourth year in total, the ladies will travel to Turkey again, this time Ankara. The 11th European championship is played on Thursday and Friday (14 and 15 March) with 24 players in the preliminary rounds. The individual tournament will be followed by the Women's European Team Championship on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 March. And also there, Therese Klompenhouwer will defend the title with the Netherlands, which she won last year with Monique van Exter. The matches are at the Turkish federation center in Ankara and are broadcast by Kozoom.

Reigning champion Therese Klompenhouwer, again, is seemingly unbeatable, but certainly ruthless, as never in the history of the Women's European Championships from 2005 the Dutch committed a misstep. The most high class rival in recent years comes from Denmark, where Charlotte Sörensen is slowly developing into a player who could threaten Therese on one of her best days. Other well-known players like Karina Jetten, Gülsen Degener, Danielle Le Bruyn, Steffi Träm, Jaimie Buelens and Guzin Mujde Karakasli could not make a serious grab for the top trophy in the hunt for the champion.

For a Dutch sports lady, albeit in a smaller sport, the hegemony in the home land takes the form of Marianne Vos in cycling and Femke Bol in athletics. Therese is the only true professional player in European women's billiards and is a bridge ahead of the competition. It has to be said, though, that the Asian players (Orie Hida, Sruong Pheavy, Natsumi Higashiuchi, Ayako Sakai, Jieun Han) have made the step to the Korean pro league LPBA and can no longer best Therese at a World championship. But certainly in Europe, where women's billiards is an amateur sport, Therese remains the undisputed queen.

The European federation intends to further promote the discipline, for now, however, the progression of organized tournaments and training is not yet visible. So it will be another frantic attempt to shine against the phenomenon in the coming days, waiting (in vain) for a lesser day and hoping that the title race can stagnate.

Therese will meet the youngest Danish, Nanna Petersen, and a relatively unknown Turkish, Ayca Oren, in the group stage. Charlotte Sörensen is paired with Helga Mitterböck and Christel Morel. Danielle Le Bruyn faces, among others, a French routinier, Mélanie Hallier and Jaimie Buelens faces a Greek with a resounding name: Angeliki-Savvina Skolarikou. Perhaps the group of death is that of Belgium's new top seed, Karolien Matthys, who meets Katja Titze and Estela Cardoso. Steffi Träm is not to be underestimated, not even by Monique Wilkowski. Irena Michalkova is always an outsider, including for Güzin Mujde Karakasli. What many of the Turks are looking forward to is still the leading lady for years, Gülsen Degener, who has fought many wars with Karina Jetten.

The European ladies' promoter leading the event is Eva Viding Bussel, the indicated dress code is compulsory, the groups play to 25 points, at the last 16 to 30 (maximum 50 innings). The main prize is 1700 euros, second earns 800 euros, numbers 3 and 4 get 500 euros and five to eight go home with 250 euros.

It is two hours later in Ankara than in Western Europe. Kozoom will start broadcasting from 10.00 am Turkish time on Thursday. Therese Klompenhouwer plays her first match at 12.30 (10.30 in the Netherlands).

The preliminary rounds:

Group A:

Therese Klompenhouwer (Neth), Ayca Oren (Tur), Nanna Petersen (Den)

Group B:

Charlotte Sörensen (Den), Helga Mitterböck (Aus), Christine Morel (Fra)

Group C:

Danielle Le Bruyn (Bel), Ioanna Kormpi (Gre), Mélanie Hallier (Fra)

Group D:

Jaimie Buelens (Bel), Ana Juarez (Spa), Angeliki-Savvina Skolarikou (Gre)

Group E:

Estela Cardoso (Spa), Katja Titze (Ger), Karolien Matthys (Bel)

Group F:

Steffi Träm (Ger), Monique Wilkowski (Neth), Miranda Taban (Tur)

Group G:

Guzin Mujde Karakasli (Tur), Irena Michalkova (Cz), Yenny Bajtner (Swe)

Group H:

Gülsen Degener (Tur), Karina Jetten (Neth), Natascha Al Mamar (Aus).