1-Cushion
CERVERA - The 57-year old German Wolfgang Zenkner defends the European title one cushion in the Casal de Cervera in Spain next week. The tournament will be played in accordance with the traditional format. The European federation has announced to organize the European championships in all disciplines all together in Brandenburg from 2013 (probably in April).
The Spaniards have to say goodbye to a discipline which they really liked to organize in recent years. Two years ago the Europeans were held in Cervera, last year in Llinars del Valley.
Who will be the top favorite this year in the field of 51 players, who has signed up for the tournament in Cervera? Will it be the reigning champion and veteran Wolfgang Zenkner, who won the German title last week and the European title last year with 12.037 average, before Xavier Gretillat and Alain Remond. Zenkner, living in Munich, is not only the European champion, he won the world title in 2009.
Frédéric Caudron didn't play in the European championship last year. The Belgian is again very busy these weeks: he has just returned from a week in Seoul, where he played some exhibitions and matches in the new billiard center of his sponsor. Tonight (Thursday) Caudron plays with Agipi in the French league, then he travels to Germany for a league match, on Sunday he plays with Frans Bevers in the Dutch league and a few days later he will play the European championships in Cervera.
Caudron won the title one cushion three years ago for the fifth time. That was in Carvin (France) in a final against Xavier Gretillat (150-46 in ten innings).
Jean Paul de Bruijn, six-time winner, is one of the best players in this discipline in the world. The Dutch, however, stumbled in the previous editions in the circuit that would lead to the final: last year in the eighth finals against John Petit (150-95 in 6), two years ago in the final battle against Zenkner (150-78 in 6).
The group of favorites of course is not limited to the three champions. The Swiss Xavier Gretillat (four times winner of silver), the Spaniards Francisco Fortiana, Esteve Mata and Raul Cuenca, the Dutchman Rene Tull, the Belgian Patrick Niessen, the Austrian Arnim Kahofer and Frenchman Alain Remond are shining stars in this discipline and are contenders for a place at the podium.
For the main tournament in Cervera have been seeded nine Frenchmen, seven Spaniards, two Dutch, two Belgians, two Swiss, one German and one Austrian player.
The pre-qualification will be held on Tuesday, November 22 at 10.00 am, Wednesday, November 23 is the next qualifying round. The main event starts on November 24 with 32 players. On Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 are the final rounds.
For members of Kozoom the tournament can be seen for free on November 22 and 23. For the main event a Premium Pass is required.