THE 2026 PREDATOR European Pool Championships concluded on Tuesday evening as the Spanish men and German women took home the gold medals in the team tournaments. Germany had a chance to take both golds but the men fell to a battling Spanish side, while in the women’s final, Germany edged past Austria in a match that was decided in a one-rack shoot out after they shared the two matches.
In the men’s final it was three matches of 8-ball, 9-ball and 10-ball and the first team to win two emerging victorious. Individual 8-ball gold medallist Juan Carlos Exposito got his team off to a flyer as he wrecked Tobias Bongers’ hopes with an 8-1 win that took just 50 minutes. Spain needed one of the other two ties go their way with both finely poised.
It was Jonas Souto, a 9-ball runner-up earlier in the day, who delivered the winning blow as he edged out Felix Vogel by 9-8 in a thrilling match that delivered the gold medal to Spain.
Commented Exposito, “It was really lucky against Tobias but I had my chances and I took it and I was very happy. Two gold medals in 8-ball and in teams so good for me,”
Souto said, “I’m very happy for the team as its one of the biggest tournaments in the year for teams so the feeling is so much better when you win. So I’m really happy for these guys; they fought really good, they played really good and it’s great that we’ve won the European Team Championship. It was an incredible game with Felix, incredible luck for him and for me but I got lucky and won 9-8 and we won the European Championships.”
The last word went to Alvaro Canoniga; “It feels so good because we’re not only a team, we’re a family so we are so emotional now so it’s time to enjoy it and time to celebrate because, for Spain, it was a great European Championships.”
The podium was completed by Switzerland and Türkiye.
In the women’s it was a different format with two players per team and a one-rack scotch doubles decider should the two matches be shared. And so it transpired. Ina Kaplan defeated Jasmin Ouschan 7-6 in the 9-ball in a match that she trailed throughout to open the scoring. Miriam Steiner trailed 5-2 to Lena Primus before recouping her losses as the match stood at 5-5. Primus though, prevailed to take the match to a shoot-out which the Germans won via three-fouls.
Kaplan has had a magnificent championships with three golds and a silver, and she said, “We were trailing 6-2 in the 9-ball and Miriam was trailing 5-2 so we just thought it was over, almost. But, you know, it’s only over when the finish line is crossed and we fought till the end and luckily, I got to 6-6 and Miriam to 5-5.
“Jasmin was running out and it’s over but luckily, she didn’t get position on the 9 and played safe. I played a bank shot across the whole table and I did it and won. Miriam was not so lucky, losing 6-5 but we got the doubles,” she added.
Steiner said, “At the beginning of the 10-ball shoot-out we forgot about the break box and Jasmin reminded us so otherwise it might be a different result so thanks and fair play. After the break it was really messy, many clusters and not a nice layout so we went for the safeties, were a little bit lucky and got them on three fouls! Two months ago, I didn’t even know I was playing in the European Championship, it’s my first time ever and I’m absolutely thrilled!”
Bronze medals went to Poland and France.
The opening Euro Tour event of the year gets underway on Thursday 12th March with the Predator Turkish Open in both men’s and women’s divisions. Tables 1, 2 and 3 will be streamed throughout on YouTube, via the Pro Billiard TV channel - https://www.youtube.com/@ProBilliardTV
For all results, live scoring and draw, visit www.epbf.com/tournaments/european-championships/
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