In just two weeks, the European Billiards Federation, the Polish Billiards Association, FORTIS Kielce, and the World Billiards Association will organize the two most important billiards events, in the discipline Heyball, of the year on the European continent. From August 1st to 5th, male and female players will compete for medals in the European Championships Heyball while from August 6th to 10th, players from around the world will compete in the Heyball European Open.
Kielce and the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship will once again host this largest and most important billiards event on the European continent in the discipline Heyball.
The competition will take place at the Grand Hotel (which has previously hosted the Cup and World Championships), where 16 JOY billiards tables will be installed. One of the rooms will have 14 tables, and the other will have 2 tables for the finals. Participants will stay at the Grand Hotel, which has become a permanent fixture in hosting the most important billiards events not only in Poland, but also in Europe and the world. The competition will have excellent media coverage.
All 16 tables will be broadcast live, with the final table featuring commentary in English and interviews. There will also be an extensive photo gallery and video summaries. More than a dozen media outlets from Poland and around the world are providing media patronage for the event. In addition to the live broadcasts, the most important matches will be rebroadcast on TVP 3 and Sportklub Polska. TVP 3 will also produce a special daily competition magazine.
A team of more than a dozen international EPBF referees will ensure the rules of the game, with Ingolf Höns, acting as the EC Tournament Leader, overseeing the entire event.
The European Championships will feature four sets of medals, separate for women and men, who will compete in individual events and, for the first time, in team events. The Heyball European Open will feature separate individual events for women and men. The prize fund for this event will be USD 116.00. Nearly 150 players from five continents, including countries as far away as the USA, South Africa, Japan, Thailand, New Zealand, and over 20 European countries, will participate in the competition.
„We are extremely pleased that Poland and our region are once again hosting major events. This is proof of the trust of the EPBF and WPA authorities, but also a significant organizational challenge. At the same time, it gives a wider group of Polish athletes the opportunity to participate in the most important event. Not to mention the promotional aspect. I would like to sincerely thank the Marshal's Office and the Ministry of Sport for their support, as well as the trust placed in us by the EPBF and WPA authorities. I hope that we will be able to rise to the challenge and satisfy the participants and guests, and that our athletes will add to this good sporting result,” said Grzegorz Kędzierski, President of the Polish Billiards Association and EPBF Board Member.
Gre Leenders – President of the EPBF stated: „it is an honour for the EPBF to be able to organise these events in the Heyball discipline in collaboration with one of our leading members, namely ‘The Polish Billiard Association’.
From the first day onwards, talent, teamwork and sportsmanship come together. We are at the start of a tournament in which everyone wants to give their very best, but in which respect for one another is just as important as winning.
Given that Heyball is still a ‘young’ discipline, the sport is still in its early stages of development in Europe. Despite being in its infancy, our athletes are proving that they can ‘hold their own’ against the world’s best in this discipline too. The first week of August will once again show whether Europe has managed to take another ‘step’ forward in the development of this discipline.
I would like to thank our member in Poland, the Polish Billiards Association, for their willingness to organise these events, which are sure to be characterised once again by high standards of organisation. Together with the EPBF, I am convinced that we will once again demonstrate that these events will be organised to the highest possible standard.
On behalf of the European Pocket Billiards Federation, I wish all participants every success, the organisers a smooth event, and the public some wonderful matches”.
The event is being held thanks to the support of: JOY Billiards from China, the European Pocket Billiard Federation, the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, the Marshal's Office of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, FORTIS Bilard Kielce, Aramith from Belgium, Liber Win from China, Dyna|spheres™, Targi Kielce, and the Grand Hotel. The event is held under the honorary patronage of the Marshal of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Renata Janik.
Media Patronage: TVP3 Kielce, Sportklub Polska, TVSPORTSPL, Radio Kielce, Echo Dnia, Telewizja Świętokrzyska, Radio EM, Radio Kielce, Radio Fama, Radio ESKA 2, CKsport.pl, W Kielcach, Allison Chang, AZBilliards, 77 Billiard, WPA Live, OnCue Podcast.