News

Spectacle in Switzerland ! Last 16 at the World Championship Three cushion 2009

With the last 16 players remaining, spectators at the Beaulieu were involved in an intense day of high quality billiard matches.
High runs, magnificent averages and major upsets; it was a memorable day.
First of all, we have seen the exit of two major favorites; Dick Jaspers and Dani Sanchez. It was turkish player Tayfun Tasdemir, who beat multiple world Champion Dick Jaspers with 3-1 averaging a 1.724.

Jaspers was not the only world champion who had to leave the tournament. was Dani Sanchez, lost his match suprisingly against a fantastic Eddy Leppens in straight sets. With a run of 9, Leppens came to an impressive average of 2.500

The most remarkable performance was seen in the match between Fillipos Kasodikostas and Kim Kyung-Roul. The Korean top player did not play that bad, with a match average of 1.957. But Kasodikostas his game was incredible. Winning 3-1, with an average of 3.058 !

When all battles we fought at the Gabriels Imperator tables, the final phase turned out to be an European affair only. Next to Tasdemir, Leppens and Kasodikostas, we can find Forthomme, Caudron, Blomdahl, Zanetti and Merckx in tomorrows quarterfinals.


Published in November 2009.


First players qualify for last 16 at 2009 World Championships 3-cushion

During the 3rd day of the event, the first decisions in the various groups are made.

Eddy Leppens, Jozef Philipoom, Tayfun Tasdemir, Fillipos Kasodikostas and Christian Rudolph all have secured their spot for the main phase of the event.

As a result, some high ranked players are eliminated already. Jeremy Bury, Nikos Polychronopoulos and Jean Paul de Bruijn will all be dissapointed that their partcipation has ended in the group phase.

As play continues, more names will follow. On thirsday evening all favorites eased past their opponents. They now will have to focus again, to win their 2nd group match.

It was Roland Forthomme who impressed the audience with a lightning fast match as he beat Pedro Piedrabuena with an average of 2.142. Forthomme made a run of 13, so matched the tournament highest run of Sergio Jimenez form Spain.


» The latest video updates from Lausanne

Published in November 2009.


High runs during opening day at Lausanne

At the Beaulieu congress centre in Switzerland the World Championships 2009 finally took off.

At the immense venue the first 16 matches were playes. A first surprise was caused by Belgian player Ronny Brandts, as he beat Jozef Phillipoom in an all Belgium encounter. (3-2; 14-15, 14-15, 15-7, 15-9, 9-15). Even a high run of 11 didn't win the match for Phillipoom. Both players will face former World Champion Umeda in their group on tuesday.

Later that evening it was spanish player Jimenez who made the highest run of the day. As he suffers a hand injury, this was even more remarkable. Unfortunately for Sergio Jimenez, he only won the first set in his group Match against Andreas Efler from Austria.

Play continues on Thursday, then we will see how all favorites start their conquest for the World title.

picture right: Burgman, de Bruijn and Jaspers represent the Netherlands in 2009

» WC 3-cushion Photo gallery by Kozoom

Published in November 2009.


Live Coverage of World Championship three cushion

During the 2009 World Championship you are able to follow the tournament through the live coverage of Kozoom.

Please visit the link below, and do not miss a single detail of the event! The first matches will start at 11.30 hours CET.



» Live Coverage

Published in November 2009.


Nikos Polychronopoulos wants to perform in Switzerland !

As table supplier of the 2009 World Championships, Gabriels billiards is looking forward to the "Championnat de Monde de Billard" in Lausanne Switzerland.

We have asked the opinion of Nikos Polychronopoulos, one of Europe's top players and official Gabriels dealer in Greece.

Asked what he expects of the upcoming event, Nikos states that he foresees a very close tournament.
"As the first stage is the group stage, you simply need to win both of your matches. Off course I have a tough opponent in Eddy Leppens, but my other match against a unknown player (Juan Carlos del Salto)is just as important"

"In my opnion, a World Championship will always have surpises, this as a result of the group phase and due to the fact that the high ranked players are not protected during the draw. This in contrary to the World Cup events where the top 4 of the UMB World ranking can only face eachother at the semi-finals"

Nikos Polychronpolos won a bronze medal during the 2004 World Championships in Rotterdam and he finished as runner-up at the 2006 edition in Sankt Wendel Germany.

"This year I want to get a similar result, but as I have told the format of the event makes it a very special and difficult tournament. But I am really looking forward to play this years championship, it has been 16 years ago since I played a tournament in Switzerland as a junior player"



» Union Mondiale de Billard
» Tournaments official website

Published in October 2009.


Lausanne 2009: Qualification Groups have been announced

On November 11th the World Championship Three Cushion will start at the Beaulieu congress center. This year we are very happy to inform you that the Gabriels Imperator has been chosen as the official tournament table.

The UMB has announced the drawings of the qualification phase of the most important of the year.

This year's groups will show some very intresting encounters: Nikos Polychronopoulos will face Eddy Leppens from Belgium in the group phase. Defending champion Marco Zanetti is paired with Japanese player Tsuyoshi Suzuki and experienced Michael Nilsson form Sweden. Former champions like Jaspers, Umeda, Sanchez, Caudron and Blomdahl will all watch their group pairings with more mixed feelings, as they are all expected to withstand the opposition in their groups.

Billiard enthousiasts will also look forward to the Korean players. During the most recent World Cups, the billiards scene was surprised by the results of relatively unknowm Korean billiard players. Leader of the korean contigent is Kim Kyung-Roul, the experienced player is expected to fight his way into the final phase of the main tournament. This championshop, Kim Kyung Roul will be flanked by Heo Jung Han and Choi Sung Won, ranked as number 24 and numer 33 on the UMB World Ranking. Can these Korean three cushion specialist cause some upsets in the tournament?

More the latest news on the 2009 World Championship Three cushion please visit our website the fothcoming 3 weeks !


» Tournaments official website

Published in October 2009.


Gabriels tables give big boost to Cyprothic billiards

From August 2009 3-cushion and carom players in Cyprus have the opportunity to play on state of the art 3-cushion tables.

Gabriels representative Mr. Nicholas Orphanides (Top Set Billiards) has worked out an agreement with the Cypriothic Billiards Association.
4 Gabriels Imperator Dianite tables will be shipped to the Island in the Mediterranean

These 4 tables are equipped with the Hybrid rail System. We are very happy to see that the sport of 3-cushion is being played on our tables in so many different desitinations.

For more information on our products in Cyprus, please contact Top Set Billiards at +357 22 452595 or at topset@spidernet.com.cy


» Top Set Billiards

Published in July 2009.


Niels Feijen is crowned World Champion 14.1

In New Jersey, Dutchman Niels Feijen has won the Worldchampionship Straightpool.

This outstanding performance means the first ever world title for a dutchman in the history of pool billiards.

On his way to victory Feijen has won 10 matches, among them John Schmidt form teh USA, fellow countryman Nick van den Bergh and in the finals Feijen defeated Francisco Bustamente from the Phillipines.

Gabriels Billiards/Loontjens Biljarts is very delighted, not only with the Milestone for pool-billiards in the Netherlands, but now both our player-representatives are a current World Champion as Ralf Souquet has won the 8-ball title earlier this year

» Official Website of Niels "The Terminator" Feijen

Published in December 2008.


Ralf Souquet World Champion 8-ball

Loontjens Biljarts/Gabriels is very proud to to announce that our german Player Representative has won the World Championship 8-ball in the United Arab Emirates.

In the final he defeated defending champion Ronato Alcano from Philippines 13-9 to claim the $60,000 winner's cheque.

Souquet beat Marcus Chamat (Sweden) 10-8 in the semi-finals and Alcano beat fellow Filipino Dennis Orcollo 10-9.

The final was a sweet revanche for the lost 2006 World 9-Ball final. During that encounter in Manilla, Ronnie Alcano claimed the World Title.

The tournament was played 18-25 April 2008 at the Expo Center Fujairah, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

» Ralf Souquet's official website

Published in December 2008.


Impressive World Record Team Average !

Last month, a new milestone in international billiards was established; the dutch team of Hanze Catering finshed their match versus Buys Incasso with a new world-record when it comes to the team average: 2.197 !

This record is established on Gabriels Imperator tables during the Dutch Premier division in 3-cushion.

It was a showcase of maganificient billiards; Jaspers (50 points in 12 innings !), Blomdahl (50 points in 18 innings) Horn (50 points in 29 innings) and Korevaar (50 points in 32 innings) broke the existing worldrecord of the belgian league team LUGO.

The match average of Dick Jaspers of 4.166 means a season high in the dutch Premier Division in 2007/2008.

All these fantastic results were established on 4 beautifull Gabriels Imperator Dianite tables which were all equipped with Simonis Rapide 300 cloth.

Published in April 2008.