IBRAIMOV RETAINS U25 EUROPEAN 3-CUSHION CROWN
The final day in Los Alcázares (Spain) crowned the new U25 European Three-Cushion Champion, with Amir Ibraimov successfully defending his title and becoming U25 European Champion for the second consecutive year. All four semifinalists displayed outstanding technical quality, treating the spectators to world-class billiards highlighted by impressive runs of 8, 9, and 10 points.
The first semifinal saw Denmark’s Daniel Kristiansen take on Turkey’s Alptekin Canozkan in a thrilling encounter. In the 13th inning, Canozkan produced a magnificent run of 10 to build a solid lead, but Kristiansen responded a few innings later with an excellent run of 8, narrowing the gap to 24-25. From that moment, the match turned into a closely fought battle. It was ultimately decided in the final three innings, when Kristiansen scored 4, 2, and 1 points to reach the winning mark of 40 in 33 innings. Canozkan finished on 36 and took home a bronze medal.
The second semifinal between Amir Ibraimov and Dimitrios Seleventas was a true showcase of world-class three-cushion billiards. The German talent started in spectacular fashion, opening with a run of 7 from the break and following it with a run of 9 in the fourth inning. The Greek champion, however, was far from a passive spectator and immediately answered with a brilliant run of 10. However in the following innings, Ibraimov gradually extended his advantage through a series of well-crafted runs of 4 and 5 points, establishing a 13-point lead at 36-23 in the 14th inning. Seleventas was handed an opportunity when Ibraimov went scoreless in six consecutive innings, although the German consistently left challenging positions on the table. Despite his efforts, Seleventas could only reduce the deficit and settle for a bronze medal, while Ibraimov secured his place in the final with a 40-32 victory in 22 innings.
The championship match therefore featured Ibraimov and Kristiansen. Unlike the semifinals, the final proved to be a more straightforward affair. The German quickly took control, building a commanding lead through a series of steady scoring runs and heading into the break with a comfortable 20-6 advantage after just eight innings. The pattern remained unchanged in the second half as Ibraimov continued to dominate. He eventually sealed a convincing 40-27 victory in 24 innings, celebrating his second consecutive U25 European title.
Final standings:
Gold medal: Amir Ibraimov (DE)
Silver medal: Daniel Kristiansen (DK)
Bronze medals: Dimitrios Seleventas (GR) and Alptekin Canozkan (TR)
Some statistics:
best overall average: Dimitrios Seleventas 1,656
best match average 30 points: Marcos Morales 2,307
best match average 40 points: Alptekin Canozkan 2,666
best run (12): Daniel Sainz-Pardo
second best run (11): Mio Svensson
All results are available on CEB info page.
Match replays available on Youtube.
THE FINAL FOUR FOR THE U25 PODIUM ARE SET
After two intense days of competition, the top four athletes who will fight for podium spots tomorrow have been determined.
The four are: Alptekin Canozkan (TR), Dimitrios Seleventas (GR), Amir Ibraimov (DE), and Daniel Kristiansen (DK).
The group stage concluded last night, with the third-place finishers in each group being eliminated. The Turkish player Seymen Ozbas performed best in the qualifiers, followed by Marcos Morales and Bruno Martinez (Spain), Lukas Mortensen (Denmark), and Joris Van't Zelfden (Netherlands). Rounding out the group winners who qualified were Amir Ibraimov (Germany), Dimitrios Seleventas (Greece), and Alptekin Canozkan (Turkey). Advancing to the knockout stage as runners-up were Tangui Duriez (France), Daniel Sainz-Pardo (Spain), Luis Pinto (Portugal), Luca Philipoom (Netherlands), Daniel Kristiansen (Denmark), Goncalo Santos (Portugal), Toni Garcia (Spain), and Nathan Duriez (France).
The round-of-16 pairings resulted in several clashes between compatriots—such as Philipoom vs. Van't Zelfden, Mortensen vs. Kristiansen, and Morales vs. Garcia—while the two Turkish players faced the two French players, winning both of those matches.
In the quarterfinals, we witnessed another "derby," this time between two Turkish players: Ozbas vs. Canozkan. Canozkan secured an unexpected victory, delivering an excellent performance to win 40–20 in 15 innings. The Greek player Seleventas also delivered a strong performance, eliminating one of the favorites —and the last remaining Spaniard in the tournament, Marcos Morales— in 19 innings (40–14). The reigning champion, Ibraimov, also secured a spot in the final four by defeating Santos (40–25 in 36 innings). Finally, Kristiansen—though not at his absolute best—got past Van't Zelfden to claim the last remaining semifinal seat.
The semifinals are scheduled for tomorrow at 10:00 and 12:00: Canozkan vs. Kristiansen and Seleventas vs. Ibraimov.
The matches will be broadcast live on Kozoom and YouTube.. The final will take place at 16:00.
Full results on CEB website info page.
COMING SOON: U25 3-CUSHION CHAMPIONSHIP IN LOS ALCAZARES, SPAIN
The "Infanta Cristina" High-Performance Sports Centre (CAR) in Los Alcázares (Murcia), Spain, is once again hosting a major European billiards event. The U25 3-Cushion European Championship takes place this weekend, from Friday, October 16, to Sunday, October 18, organized by the Real Federacion Española de Billar, under the auspices of the CEB.
Eleven national federations are represented at this event by the top 24 athletes in the eligible age group, all competing for the premier European title. Among them are the reigning champion, Amir Ibraimov (Germany), and the former champion, Marcos Morales (Spain), who received a wild card for the host nation. Additionally, many participants hold medals from previous European championships in the U17, U21, and U25 categories.
The tournament format begins with a group stage featuring eight groups of three players. The top two players from each group will advance to the knockout stage (Round of 16). The group stage concludes on Friday, the knockout rounds begin on Saturday, and the semi-finals and final will be played on Sunday.
The tables are fitted with Simonis cloth, and Aramith balls are used.
All matches will be available to watch on Kozoom (Free) and one table on YouTube.
Results, schedules, and standings are available on CEB website info page.
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