ANKARA - Within two weeks, the World championship cycle get started in Ankara, Turkey, with a total of four world titles at stake. Starting on 6 September to 23 September, four championships are played at the centre of the Turkish federation in Ankara. The kick-off is with the men's World three cushion championship from September 6 to 10, followed by the ladies World championships from September 12 to 14, the Junior World championships from September 15 to 17 and finally the Artistic World championships from September 20 to 23. Tayfun Tasdemir is defending his title in men's three-cushion, Therese Klompenhouwer in women's three-cushion, Burak Hashas in junior three-cushion and Sedar Gumus in artistic. By the way, the Turk took that title in 2012, eleven years ago. After that, the artistic World championship was not played due to the lack of organizers. For the next three years, Ankara hosts the world artistic title battle. The previous artistic World championship was postponed in February because of the earthquakes in Turkey.
The Men's World three cushion championship at the Golbasi Billiard Centre is played with 48 players from the different continents. The qualifiers are with 16 groups of three players to 40 points. Two players from each group qualify for the last 32 players to 50 points. The opening ceremony is on Wednesday, September 6.
Top ranked seeded players:
Tayfun Tasdemir (reigning champion), Dick Jaspers, Marco Zanetti, Torbjörn Blomdahl, Myung Woo Cho, Eddy Merckx, Sameh Sidhom, Haeng Jik Kim, Quyet Chien Tran, Jérémy Bury, Nikos Polychronopoulos, Jung Han Heo, Jun Tae Kim, Martin Horn, Ruben Legazpi, Myeong Jong Cha, Dion Nelin.
Other best-known players:
For Europe: Berkay Karakurt, Robinson Morales, Jacob Sörensen, Jean Paul de Bruijn, Gwendal Maréchal, Roland Forthomme, Michael Nilsson.
For America: Pedro Piedrabuena, Huberney Cataño, Hugo Patino
For Asia: Phuong Vinh Bao, Ryuuji Umeda
For Africa: Mashhour Abu Tayeh
Wildcards: Tolgahan Kiraz, Omer Karakurt
Tayfun Tasdemir shows up in in a strong group with Javier Vera and Robinson Morales in the qualifiers. Dick Jaspers with Jean Paul de Bruijn and Ji Hun Ahn, Torbjörn Blomdahl with Ryuuji Umeda, Eddy Merckx with Gwendal Maréchal and Rui Costa, Quyet Chien Tran with the two wildcards Tolgahan Kiraz and Omer Karakurt, Jérémy Bury with Pedro Piedrabuena and Carlos Mario Villegas, Nikos Polychronopoulos with Phuong Vinh Bao and Radovan Hajek, Ruben Legazpi with Roland Forthomme and Luis Martinez.
The Women's World championship starts with its strong title holder Therese Klompenhouwer. The tournament will be played with 24 players.
The best-known players:
For Europe:
Therese Klompenhouwer, Mirjam Pruim and Monique van Exter (Netherlands), Charlotte Sörensen (Denmark), Danielle le Bruyn (Belgium), Gülsen Degener (Turkey),
Magali Declunder (France), Estela Cardoso (Spain).
For the Americas: Jackeline Perez (Peru), Soledad Gomez (Colombia).
For Asia: Shin Young Lee (Korea), Yuko Nishimoto (Japan).
Wildcard: Güzin Mujde Karakasli (Turkey).
The qualifiers: 8 groups of 3 to 25 points, 2 players to next round. Final with 16 players knock out, 30 points.
Therese Klompenhouwer, the all time best and again the main contender for the title
For the World Junior championship, the local favorite Burak Hashas is the title holder.
Best-known players from Europe are:
Burak Hashas, Denizcan Akkoca, Abdullah Kaya (Turkey), Dimitrios Seleventas (Greece), Marcos Morales (Spain), Nikolaus Kogelbauer (Austria), Nick Rosier (Belgium), Joris van 't Zelfden (Netherlands), Lukas Mortensen (Denmark), Nathan Duriez (France), Amir Ibraimov (Germany)
For Asia, the contenders are: Ye Sung Jeong, Myeong Gyu Oh (Korea), Ruuto Kimura (Japan).
Wildcard: Alptekin Canozkan (Turkey).
Burak Hashas, title favorite in his own country
The World Artistic Championship finally returns to the calendar after a long silence. The Turkish federation is breathing new life into the championship, after in previous years it was only played at European level. The last European champion was Haci Arap Yaman, who is also now among the contenders in his own country.
Best-known participants:
For Europe: Jop de Jong, Sander Jonen, Rene Dericks (Netherlands), Sedar Gumus, Baris Cin, Haci Arap Yaman (Turkey), Erik Vervliet, Eric Daelman (Belgium), Hector Cuadrado, Xavier Fonellosa (Spain), Michael Hammen, Jean Reverchon, Kevin Tran (France), Manfred Hekerler (Austria), Thomas Ahrens (Germany), Sergio Sanchez (Spain).
Haci Arap Yaman, the last European champion in artistic