HEERHUGOWAARD - The combined World three-cushion Championship for ladies and juniors (players under 22), which was to be organised from 23 September to 3 October 2021 in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands, has been postponed to a date to be determined. That was officially announced by the World federation UMB and the Dutch billiard federation KNBB at 18.00 o'clock today.
Due to the serious COVID-19 situation in many countries, the slow vaccination process, which many countries worldwide are facing, and the associated security travel and access restrictions, the world federation UMB and the KNBB after consultation with the organization (Dirk Snip) decided to postpone the World Championship.
The side event, the Night of the Magic Balls, planned for 23, 24 and 25 September prior to the World championship events, also will be organized at a later date for the time being. The new organizational details will be announced later.
Also the World Cup in Korea from 6 to 12 September has been postponed to a later date.
The Dutch organizer Dirk Snip reacted with dismay to the news. ''For the third time in three years I am faced with this huge setback, that the tournaments are cancelled. I just received the news and I still cannot believe it'', said the Dutchman, who recently underwent a surgery after an accident with a fracture in his thigh and just left the hospital.
The organizer had almost sold out his Night of the Magic Balls for the three days in the run-up to the World championship events. ''I really do understand the world federation, because the situation in Asia and South America has deteriorated again. And after all, the players have to come from all countries. In the Netherlands, we are now code red again. I can imagine that you can't tell young players and students that after the World championship they have to spend two weeks in quarantine in their home country.''
Paul Brekelmans, from the section three-cushion of the KNBB: ''This cancellation is disastrous, because a lot of people have already done a lot of work. And then, at the last moment, six weeks before the World Championships, comes this ban. I can understand it, because of the situation in the world. Most juniors are students, they can't go into quarantine for another two weeks after the World championship.'' The Dutch section president hopes that a suitable, new date will be found soon.
The European billiard federation CEB also announced two new dates today. The European Championship under 25 in Spain, Los Alcazares, will be played from 17-19 December 2021.
The European Three-Cushion Individual Championship, hosted in Berlicum, Netherlands, has been rescheduled for 14-18 June 2022.