The European Pocket Billiard Federation today announced its team to face the Americans during this year’s staging of the Atlantic Challenge Cup taking place 28th to 30th November 2019 in Treviso Italy at the BHR Premier Best Western hotel.
The European team this year consists of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Sanjin Pehlivanovic, Netherlands Jan Van Lierop, Poland’s Wiktor Zielinski, and making up the final boys spot this year is Germany’s Christian Froehlich. On the girls’ side representing Europe this year are Sweden’s My Nguyen and the Ukraine’s Darya Siranchuk. The European players are selected on their results at the European and World championships along with the highest ranked U19 player on the professional men’s Eurotour. Jan van Lierop received his spot on the team through the Eurotour rankings while the other five team members won at least one gold medal at the European Championships in 2018 to make the team.
After last year’s win, the EPBF youth sports director Tomas Brikmanis said, “It’s another amazing team that has been assembled for this year’s event in Italy. I am quietly confident of another victory, but I will not let my guard down. I know the Americans are hurting from last year’s result and I am aware of the potential of an upset. My players are as hungry as ever and will be ready when November comes.”
Team USA and both team captains will be announced soon.
Launched in 2015, the Atlantic Challenge Cup features the best youth players from Europe and America in a Mosconi Cup style event for the U19’s age category. Six players on each team, four boys and two girls, battle it out on an annual basis to see who has bragging rights across the Atlantic. The event is the result of a joint venture between the European Pocket Billiard Federation and the Billiard Congress of America.
Stay tuned to AtlanticChallengeCup.com for continuous updates on the 2019 event.
Press release issued by the EPBF & BCA.