ZOERSEL - The Danish finalist Charlotte Sörensen has made a real battlefield among the Dutch billiards players at the European Championships. The 39-year-old player, who only plays three cushion for two years, eliminated Monique Wilkowski, Mirjam Pruim and Karina Jetten successively and now faces Therese Klompenhouwer, the titleholder and undisputed contender for her ninth European gold medal, this afternoon, Sunday, at 16.00 o'clock.
The Dutch connection lost with Karina Jetten in the semi finals against Sörensen the expected finalist (30-18 in 34 innings). Therese Klompenhouwer had to fight for victory for the first time in the tournament against Gülsen Degener, a long time rival who made it difficult for the champion until Therese's final sprint (30-25 in 45 innings).
Charlotte Sörensen, a 39 year old from Copenhagen, started her punishing expedition impressively. She forced Monique Wilkowski to a draw in the group stage, which left the Dutch out of the race. Then Sörensen defeated Mirjam Pruim in the quarterfinals in a thriller-like final sprint 30-29. And early on Sunday, Karina Jetten also had to bow to the Danish, who is the big revelation of this EC.
The Danes are with three at this EC: with a veteran, the 59-year-old Marianne Mortensen, who once, in 2017 also in Zoersel, surprised at the World Championships with a victory over Therese Klompenhouwer in the quarterfinals. Charlotte Sörensen is this year's Danish champion and young Nanna Petersen (24) is an even bigger surprise on the stage, who although was eliminated in the preliminaries by Monika Steinberger and Karina Jetten, is making rapid progress in three cushion.
Who are these two Danish debutants?
Charlotte Sörensen is married to a billiard player (Tommy), who grew up playing 'kegelbilliard', which is more popular among women in Denmark than three-cushion billiards. She lives in Copenhagen, where she is a member of Gröndal, the club of Dion Nelin and other big players.
Charlotte was successful in pool billiard in European championships and was devoted to 'kegel', which in Denmark has about 70 to 80 female players compared to 5 to 6 female players in three cushion billiards.
Marianne Mortensen inspired her many times to change to three cushion billiards, but it only happened three years ago. Then it soon was clear that Charlotte has talent for all disciplines, has a nice stroke and is especially mentally very strong. She proved that at this European Championship in the matches against Monique Wilkowski and Mirjam Pruim. Charlotte Sörensen got her first lessons from Tonny Carlsen, Martin Horn and Andreas Efler.
Nanna Petersen (24) is still a novice in three cushion. She comes from the small village of Korsør in the Zealand region, follows studies at school and initially played kegelbilliard. She was also asked by Marianne Mortensen to try three cushion. ''At first, I didn't want to play outside Denmark, because I don't know enough about three cushion,'' she says.
When she finished third at the Danish ladies Championship this year, following Charlotte Sörensen and Marianne Mortensen, the invitation for the European Championship was inevitable. The young girl agreed, stepped into the car with Marianne and Charlotte for the trip to Zoersel and entered for the first time an European Championship three cushion.
''I found it a great experience'', she assured after the two matches in the preliminaries. ''My start was against two experienced ladies. And of course I lacked experience, but also I had to get used to the billiards, which were much different than in our hall in Denmark. But I can look back on a nice tournament. I can't wait to start practice more at home and to return to the big tournaments.''
The final at the European Championship between Therese Klompenhouwer and Charlotte Sörensen is at 16.00(to be followed live on kozoom).
Charlotte Sörensen, in the final match against Therese Klompenhouwer
Nanna Petersen, new young lady at the Europeans in Belgium