THE GREATEST TEENAGE players from across Europe will be gathering in the picturesque hillside town of Podčetrtek in Slovenia as the 42nd annual Dynamic Billard European Pool Championships for Youth break off this Wednesday.
Over the course of eight days, a total of 13 gold medals will be contended for across four disciplines as well as team competitions. From its beginnings in Bern, Switzerland in 1981, the Youth European Championships has become a fertile training ground from which tomorrow’s stars of the game emerge.
However, the event is so much more than that as youngsters from across the continent who have trained and competed over the past years, building their skills and standing, finally get the opportunity to tests themselves against their European peers.
Dennis Lazskowski (GER)｜©EPBF
There are 13 separate events across the tournament with four disciplines in play – straight pool, 10-ball, 8-ball and 9-ball. Both age categories of boys – U17 and U19 – compete in all four disciplines while the girls play sit out the straight pool category. In addition, there is a much-anticipated team competition for the two boys age categories. In total there will be 117 athletes in attendance representing 28 different countries.
Many of the favourites for the various disciplines have plenty of medal-winning experience at the Dynamic Billard European Youth Championship. Plenty of last year’s U17 medal-winners are moving up to the older category and will be looking to bring their momentum with them.
2022 U17 gold medallists Lazar Kostic (SRB), Mika Van Berkel (NED) and Karl Gnadeberg (EST) – who also claimed the WPA U17 World Championship – all move up an age group and will be bringing their best games. U17 10-ball champion from last year, Germany’s Felix Vogel still competes in that age division and will be hard to beat in any of the disciplines.
Karl Gnadeberg (EST)｜©EPBF
Yannick Pongers (NED) who had an incredible run last year, winning two golds and a silver, is back competing in all four disciplines and his recent success at the men’s European Championship where he won a silver and a bronze should portend to more medal success.
The same can be said for Germany’s Dennis Laszkowski who took gold in the U19 10-ball division in ’22 and will be back in Podčetrtek to defend his title. The young German showed what a huge prospect he is by winning the gold medal in the 8-bal division at the recent men’s European Championship in Tampere.
Schuurman (L) and Pongers (R)｜©EPBF
Commented Tommi Lamminaho who is the Youth Pool Director for the EPBF, “This is a tough competition and I’m looking forward to seeing the new talent and how much progress has been made over the last couple of years.
“All of the kids competing this week have had to battle hard all year though domestic competition to even be here in Slovenia. This is a real test, putting these young players in the spotlight and coping with the pressure is part of the deal.
“However, without doubt, this is the best event of the year. The standard is incredibly high and any medal is hard won and I’m very much looking forward to seeing these amazing kids perform to their best.”
All the matches can be viewed live by visiting http://www.epbf.com/tournament
Schedule, results, live scoring and draws are available at www.epbf.com/tournaments/europ