IZMIR - The sixteen best ladies billiard players in the world will take the spotlights at the three cushion World championship in the next three days. The Turkish town of Izmir, with four million people, is hosting the tournament, in which Japanese Orie Hida defends her title. The ladies top in billiards finally feels recognized with an annual World championship on the calendar. Next year Valencia has already been announced, for the next three years the Netherlands is the organizer. The playing arena for this week is a hall in the football stadium of Altay SK, today is the start of the pre-rounds at 14.00 (13.00 Western Europe).
The Turkish champion Gülsen Degener feels ready for a shot at the title for the first time in her career. The ambitions? ,,I want to be world champion.'' Therese Klompenhouwer, two-time champion, is focused to her fingertips to regain the title. ,,I don't look at my competitors, only at myself. The world title is in my focus and my mind for months. I did it all to be ready. The main contender is the champion herself: Orie Hida. The Japanese is the four times world champion, the record holder defends the title she took in Belgium last year. ,,We can certainly expect a battle between the Asians, Therese and me'', says Degener.
The Turkish home player is happy with the tournament in her own country. ,,The ambiance is good, a wonderful venue, where many spectators are expected. Lots of nice bars and restaurants in the area, only the surroundings look a bit poor. But by taxi (2 euros) you can visit the center where it's all nice and cosy.''
Three cushion for women has not been spoiled with yearly world championships in the last ten years. The UMB (world federation) couldn't find an organizer for every year. Therefore, the ladies top could only play three times for the worlds gold between 2008 and 2016. The championship is now guaranteed for the next five years, now in Izmir,next year in Valencia. The Dutch federation has signed up for the three ladies and junior World championships for three organizations: 2020, 2021 and 2021. ,,The motivation is that we want to promote billiards for women and youth in the Netherlands'', says Paul Brekelmans, chairman of Three cushion in the Netherlands, who travelled to Izmir with a delegation from the board to gain knowledge. ,,We are here to see how the Turkish organization is managing this big event.''
The Women's World championship takes place in three days, after that (starting Friday) the Junior World championships will be played in the same Halkapinar arena. In the women event, the sixteen players start in four groups of four to 25 caroms. The two best places in the four groups advance to the knockout with eight, in which the matches are over 30 caroms. Besides the world champion Orie Hida, will show up, seven players from the CEB, European federation, the hosting confederation, four from America, three from Asia and one wildcard for Turkey, Guzin Mujde Karakasli.
The group composition:
Group A: Orie Hida (Japan), Jeanette Jensen (Denmark), Steffi Daske (Germany), Sruong Pheavy (Cambodia)
Group B: Gülsen Degener (Turkey), Johana Sandoval (Colombia), Claudia Lalinde (Colombia), Ayako Sakai (Japan)
Group C: Therese Klompenhouwer (Netherlands), Helga Mitterböck (Austria), Paola Castillo (Colombia), Guzin Mujde Karakasli (Turkey)
Group D: Jacqueline Perez (Peru), Jaimie Buelens (Belgium), Bo Mi Kim (Korea), Aysegul Fendi (Turkey).
The first matches for today, Tuesday:
14.00:
Jeannette Jensen-Steffi Daske
Orie Hida-Sruong Pheavy
Johanna Sandoval-Claudia Lalinde
Gülsen Degener-Ayako Sakai
16.00:
Helga Mitterböck-Paola Castillo
Therese Klompenhouwer-Guzin Mujde Karakasli
Jaimie Buelens-Bo Mi Kim
Jackeline Perez-Aysegui Fendi.
All matches are broadcast live by Kozoom for Premium subscribers.
The three Turkish ladies in the field: Gülsen Degener, Aysegui Fendi and Guzin Mujde Karakasli
Three Dutch delegees to watch the organization in Izmir: Bennie Deegens, Paul Brekelmans and Hans de Bruin