Historical marathon with two best players in the world

GANDIA - Dr. Juan Jose Trilles from Gandia beach resort in the province of Valencia in Spain gave the discipline of Artistic billiards a great boost in September of this year by organizing an event with eight players, who met each other in a combination of artistic and trickshots. The event was a huge success for everyone, especially the audience for whom the discipline was completely new.

Together with Xavier Carrer, the owner and founder of Kozoom, Dr. Trilles has developed a new, spectacular plan for a meeting between the two best three-cushion players in the world, who will play a marathon match over five days and six hundred caroms.

The 'Challenge' probably will take place between June and September next year (2012).

We had an interview with Dr. Juan Jose Trilles about this wonderful initiative.

Mar Sadra What can we expect, how will it look like, the ’Juanjo Trilles Challenge’?

Juanjo Trills: ,,It is an original bet in carom billiard that intends to gather, within a given modality, the world’s two best players. That is to say, the number one and number two in the international ranking in order to celebrate a long duration match – 3 to 5 days- and determine who is really the best player in the world for that modality. Due to the fact that it is a ‘long run’ match, we expect to minimize the ‘luck’ factor which normally has an excessive influence in regular competitions with shorter matches. In the ‘Challenge’ the one who wins can truly be considered the best.’’

MS: What was the origin of the idea?

JT: ,,The initiative is an exclusive conception of Xavier Carrer, CEO of Kozoom. He is a very intelligent person with remarkable driving talents, that enjoys all my trust. He designed the basis as well as the main details of the Challenge and asked me to sponsor it and to use the facilities that had already been used in the Juanjo Trilles Cup. I gladly accepted.’’

MS: What billiard modalities will be considered?

JT: ,,With time, all of them: three cushions, one cushion, balkline, free game and artistic. Initially we will do it with three cushions with a match of 600 points during 5 days of competition, from Wednesday to Sunday. The dates are not yet decided but they will be probably during the period June-September 2012. ‘’

MS Is there any relationship between the ‘Juanjo Trilles Challenge’ and the ‘Juanjo Trilles Cup’?

JT: ,,The success of the ‘Juanjo Trilles Cup’ that took place in September 2011, in which eight from among the best players in the world in the artistic modality competed, has got the attention of many players, clubs and federations in the billiard world. Its structure was innovative and the atmosphere was very unique, with about 100 physically present people enjoying not only the players exhibitions but also the meals, parties, dancing, etc. that were offered to them free of charge. There are videos, to be seen in Youtube, showing the different acts of the Cup.’’

JT: ,,As a consequence I have received requests to repeat the event and also suggestions to do other types of tournaments in the same place, with the same atmosphere, organization, etc. This has been the case of the initiative of the ‘Juanjo Trilles Challenge’ proposed by Xavier Carrer that I have pleasantly welcomed.’’

MS: We have heard something about a ‘Juanjo Trilles School’?

JT ,,Yes indeed, this is a project under progress intended to provide top-ranking teachers, normally world champions, to discover their secrets to attending pupils in order for them to rapidly achieve a very high playing quality. Nothing can be said yet about the date of the School’s launch or the places, names of teachers, programs, etc., although some works constituting the School material have been already prepared. At this moment I cannot give further information about the School. We must wait.’’

MS: But let’s come back to the ‘Challenge’. Who will be the contenders in the first edition?

JT: ,,I cannot yet provide this information because the project is still a newly born one but I hope to have all the information ready in a few weeks so that the interested public may decide if they want to assist personally or prefer to follow the tournament through the live Internet broadcast made by Kozoom. What I can say is that Kozoom will destine its best equipment and team to making a full and top-professional coverage of this event that I think will be one of the most attractive to watch in the history of the carom billiard.’’

MS We will wait until all details are defined. Will I have the opportunity then, of doing a new interview to know all important aspects of the Juanjo Trilles Challenge?

JT ,,Yes. With pleasure.’’