THERE WERE THREE more finals contested this afternoon at the Dynamic Billard European Seniors Championships as the 8-ball division played out. In the 45-plus category, Spain’s Francisco Diaz Pizarro made light work of it, to take his gold medal tally to two, while the women’s champion, Christine Steinlage (Germany) also added to her medal haul.
The 55-plus division was dominated by Austria’s Johan Schernthaner who also became a multiple medallist.
In the 45-plus division, Diaz-Pizarro was going for his second gold medal of the Championships, having triumphed in the 14.1 division earlier in the week. Out to stop him was Switzerland’s Sascha Specchia and it was the Swiss who got things underway. He delivered a dry break, though and Diaz Pizarro selected solids. There was nothing overly complicated ahead of him and the Spaniard ran out to take the opener.
Diaz was successful off the next break and taking stripes, he quickly cleared for 2-0.
Specchia made a much-needed ball off the break but came undone as he missed the 9-ball with just two stripes left on the table. Diaz, looking in total control of his game, cleared the spots to increase his lead to 3-0. Two balls on the break for Diaz set him up for the stripes and although he lost position slightly, that was soon recovered and he downed the black 8-ball for a big 4-0 lead.
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Specchia made a ball from his break but left two difficult clusters that he would have to negotiate. A super shot on the only available stripe kept him alive but a table-length bank shot was his undoing. With all his balls still on the table, Diaz went to work. There was little difficulty for the Spaniard as he advanced his lead to 5-0.
Specchia was now hoping for something to go his way but there was no such luck in the sixth game as Diaz Pizarro‘s break kept him at the table. Playing solids, Diaz breezed through the table but lost position on the 8 ball to hand Specchia a life-line in the rack. The big Swiss duly cleared to get his first point of the match.
Any momentum for Specchia was derailed as he scratched from the break in the seventh game. Diaz accepted the invitation and he rapidly cleared to put himself on the hill at 6-1. From his break, Diaz avoided the scratch with a timely kick and he was on his way, electing stripes. With no problems ahead of him, he ran out to win 7-1 and claim 8-ball gold for his expanding collection.
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Commented Diaz Pizarro on his almost error-free performance, “I made just one mistake, getting position on that 8-ball, but I thought the rail was going to jump a little bit more so I came up short but that was the only mistake I made all game, so I’m very happy.
“I don’t practice 8-ball too much but the thing is the break is very important because if you break good, the table will be open and it will be easy to run out. I will try for a third gold medal in the 9-ball but I’d like to dedicate this win to my wife as I know she loves 8-ball!” he concluded.
Medals – 45-Plus 8-Ball
Gold – Francisco Diaz Pizarro (ESP)
Silver – Sascha Specchia (SUI)
Bronze –Benoit Nadjar (FRA)
Tommi Welling (FIN)
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Germany’s Christine Steinlage made up for her defeat in the 10-ball final as she controlled her championship match against Cristina Moscetti (Italy) to claim gold in the women’s 8-ball division. Steinlage, who was also part of the German squad that claimed team gold late last night, took an early 3-0 lead from which her opponent never recovered.
Despite pulling back a couple of racks to make it 3-2, it was Moscetti’s final contribution as Steinlage ran out a 5-2 winner for her first-ever individual gold medal in European Championships.
“I was so happy that we won the gold medal last night, playing with those nice guys. It’s my first time and I’m so happy. I thought that if my break didn’t work, I would break on the second ball. I only made it when I lead 4-2 because before that she was having a little bit of a run and I hoped to stop her and I think that worked!”
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Steinlage with two golds and a silver in the three events so far, will be highly confident moving into the 9-ball division which commences on Saturday evening
Medals – Women 8-Ball
Gold – Christine Steinlage (GER)
Silver – Cristina Moscetti (ITA)
Bronze – Brigit Heidorn (GER)
Tiina Nakari (FIN)
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Austria’s Johann Schernthaner was back among the medals, this time with a gold as he defeated Sten Jaerledal 7-3 to claim the 8-ball title.
Earlier in the Championships, the Austrian was edged out in the 10-ball final and had to settle for silver. There was no such disappointment this time around as he broke away from an evenly poised match – it was 3-3 at the halfway stage – to claim four consecutive racks and secure the gold medal.
Hailing from Taxenbach, near Salzburg, it was Schernthaner’s first ever European Championship gold although he has plenty of championship winning form in Austrian National Championships.
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Commented Schernthaner, “This one is very special though. 8-ball is my favourite discipline although my national medals were in all disciplines. I’m looking forward to the 9-ball, success there would be mega but I’m going to give it my best as always.”
Medals – 55-Plus 8-Ball
Gold – Johann Schernthaner (AUT)
Silver – Sten Jaerledal (SWE)
Bronze – Manuel Pereira (POR)
Miroslav Kremenovic (SER)
Play goes on later today (Saturday) with the first matches in the 9-ball divisions which continues on Sunday, playing to a conclusion on Monday.
The Championships can be followed on a daily basis on https://www.epbf.com/tournaments/european-championships/ and every match from every table is streamed live https://www.reelive.de/stream-preview/eurotour/events