#patryk statkiewicz

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Europe Announces 2016 Atlantic Challenge Cup Team

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 July 8 – 11, 2016 in Schaumburg, Illinois (just outside Chicago).

“After the Europeans’ success during the 2015 inaugural Atlantic Challenge Cup, the Americans will have home soil advantage and will want revenge,” said David Morris, International Billiard Promotion Foundation president. “With that in mind, the Europeans have assembled a strong line up of players who have won at the highest level just to qualify for this year’s team.”

First onto the team comes Krystian Cwikla. It was the European gold in the 9-ball U19 division which ensured Poland’s top youth player a spot on the team. Poland’s Patryk Statkiewicz was part of last year’s winning team and will be able to offer Krystian plenty of advice on what to expect in Chicago.

Joining Krystian on the team is the Ukraine’s talented Vitaly Patsura who won the European U19 10-ball gold medal. This adds to his six bronze medals to date in his European youth career.

Andreas Madsen from Denmark makes the team through the highest eligible youth player on the European tour. A silver medal in the U19 European 9-ball championships is not a bad result either, only missing the gold medal by a rack after losing to Krystian 8-7 in the final.

Maxim Dudanets, is a young Russian player that the American team will remember from last year. Maxim makes another appearance due to his fine performance at the world championships by picking up the silver medal.

Completing the European team of six are the two girls. Like Maxim, Kristina Tkach, of Russia, will make her second appearance at the Atlantic Challenge Cup after winning 9-ball and 10-ball golds at the youth European championships. She is joined by Belgium’s Diana Khodjeava who won the gold in 8-ball and two silver medals, losing out only to Kristina on both occasions.

“The EPBF has clear and tough criteria on how to qualify for this team and there are no bag carriers here” said Morris. “We expect a tough few days but our players are already battle hardened and will be up for the fight come July the 8th.”

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Europe win the Inaugural Atlantic Challenge Cup

Team Europe

Team Europe won the Inaugural Atlantic Challenge Cup after a dramatic last day of singles matches here in Rankweil Austria. Leading 9-6 after day three, team Europe only needed to win two from the six singles matches to claim victory but team USA did their best to spoil the party. Europe’s Kristina Tkach, who had played solid throughout the previous three days seem to suffer a bout of nerves in the first match of the day, losing 6-3 to USA’s Taylor Hansen which brought the overall score to 9-7. USA had obviously loaded their front line up with their best players and it was the General’s turn “Nick Evans” who came up against the inform Daniel Tangudd from Europe. Nick was off to a flyer and it seemed that the USA selection was working, they were in control and looking good until Daniel found his feet. He pegged back rack after rack in a thriller that was to produce the fifth hill-hill match of the tournament and for the fifth time, Europe came out on top. Europe, now leading 10-7 and needing just one more match to claim the title looked odds on to finish this event quickly but the USA team would not lay down and surrender. The next match saw Europe’s Patryk Statkiewicz up against USA’s Drake Niepoetter.

In this match, Patryk created the running jump shot, having already used his time extension and forgetting that he had, sprinted back to grab his jump stick. While running back to the table, he just aimed and shot in a single motion making the ball in the pocket and the whole crowd went crazy. This however was not enough to stop the USA winning this match to bring the score closer at 10-8 in Europe’s favor, ironically it was another hill-hill and the first USA had won.

The nerves seemed to be creeping in to the European team, they could see the finish line but were trying to force themselves over it and this was clearly seen in the next match. Marharyta Fefilava who had played a very good tournament until this match was feeling the pressure the most and could not get going at all. Team USA capitalized on the mistakes from Marharyta and April Larson picked off rack after rack coming out on top 6-3.

Only two matches remained with Europe leading 10-9 and still needing that one point to clinch the crown. USA had the momentum and Europe were on the ropes until the cool headed Maxim Dudanets came to the arena. With the pressure mounting, could the youngest member of the European team deliver? It started evenly and after the score was 1-1, Maxim showed such maturity that you could easily forget that he was still only 16 years old. Running racks and playing some brilliant safety shots, he never let his opponent “Joshua Franklin” have any joy when he did get to the table. As the racks piled up, Europe were on the march again, singing as every 9-ball went down. Maxim delivered the point required, playing beautify pool in the process as this match finished 6-1 and 11-9 overall. A relived European team were now celebrating the victory that seemed to be slipping away as USA pressed them all the way to the wire. April Larson picked up the MVP award for team USA and Daniel Tangudd the same award for team Europe. This event was an amazing display of pool at the highest level and shows the talent that is going to grace the world stages in years to come. It is now over to the BCA & BEF in America to organize this event in 2016 and an announcement will be forthcoming on the date & location, meanwhile the European’s have a complete year to bask in the glory of a well earned victory. All results and pictures can be found here at http://www.x-patspoolleagues.com/#!atlantic-challenge-cup/c5ay The Atlantic Challenge Cup was organized by the EPBF/IBPF in cooperation with the BCA/BEF.

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Team Europe Announces Player Change For Atlantic Challenge Cup

The EPBF were recently informed by its member, the German Billiard Union (DBU) that they regrettably have to withdraw a player from the team. The player withdrawn is Germany’s rising star, Joshua Filler.

In his place, comes a strong young competitor from Poland, Patryk Statkiewicz who lost in the final of the 9-ball to his now teammate, Raphael Wahl. Poland has a good young crop of players, they are known for producing great talent and Patryk will add a lot to this team with his inclusion.

Team Europe will meet team USA in what will be a fabulous event full of action and drama. These two great Continents going head to head over a four day bonanza, starting on the 1st of July. It’s a team match-up over a possible race of 21. The team winning 11 matches will be crowned Atlantic Challenge Cup Champions come Saturday the 4th of July.

The Atlantic Challenge Cup is organized by the EPBF and its partner IBPF in conjunction with the BCA & BEF and will be staged each year between the two Continents.

Press release issued by the EPBF & BCA