2011 World Junior Billiard Champions Crowned

The 2011 World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World Junior 9-Ball Championship was held in Kielce, Poland on August 31 – September 4, 2011. Junior billiard champions 18 years old and younger traveled to Poland from 21 countries to compete for the world titles in both boys’ and girls’ divisions. Europe reigned, with Oliwia Czupryńska and Marek Kudlik of Poland winning the gold. 

In the 32 player boys division, Kudlik advanced to the final 8 single elimination bracket by winning a couple of hill-hill matches and continued the narrow victories with wins over David Maslov of Russia, 11-9 and Marc Bijsterbosch of Netherlands, 11-10 before facing fellow teammate Konrad Piekarski in the finals. Both players proved that they could handle the pressure of close matches, both winning most of their matches by no more than 2 games, the same excitement carried through the finals. Kudlik bested Piekarski in a thrilling 11-9 match to win the world title. 

In the 16 player girls’ division, Czupryńska began her trek with a 9-6 win over the United States champion, Briana Miller. Czupryńska lost her next match to Darya Sirotina of Russia 7-9, then steadily won her next four matches before battling with Anastacia Nechaeva of Russia for the crown. Czupryńska claimed the world title by winning the final set 9-7. 

Among the players that represented North America in the boys’ division were: Danny Olson, finishing tied for thirteenth place; Brendan Crockett, finishing tied for thirteenth; Tyler Styer, finishing tied for seventeenth; Shawn Begay, finishing tied for twenty-fifth; and from Ontario Canada were Jeff Robson, finishing tied for seventeenth and Cheng Peng, finishing tied for twenty-fifth place. 

Players that represented North America in the girls’ division were: Briana Miller, finishing tied for fifth; Taylor Reynolds, finishing tied for thirteenth; and Kayla Roloson, finishing tied for ninth place. 

The fans, families and players enjoyed a first class event produced by Marcin Krzeminski, honorary president of the Polish Billiard Association and president of Mak Marketing, along with the European Pocket Billiard Association (EPBF). It is apparent that junior billiards is taken seriously in Poland. Since 1997, junior billiard programs have been incorporated in 150 schools. Over 250 teachers have been trained in the sport, with nearly 10,000 students participating in the program. 

For detailed information about this event, visit:

http://www.makmarketing.pl/worldchampionships2011/

http://wpa-pool.com/web/home 

2011 WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships Medalists

BOYS' DIVISION:

1st -          Gold Medalist -     Marek Kudlik (POL)

2nd -       Silver Medalist -    Konrad Piekarski (POL)

3rd/4th-Bronze Medalists-Marc Bijsterbosch (NED)

                   Bence Varga (HUN)

GIRLS' DIVISION:

1st -         Gold Medalist -     Oliwia Czupryńska (POL)

2nd -        Silver Medalist -   Anastacia Nechaeva (RUS)

3rd/4th -Bronze Medalists-Kamila Kodjeva (BEL)

                                           Darya Sirotina (RUS)

North American players match results:

BOYS’ DIVISON:

Danny Olson (18)         vs.  Marc Bijsterbosch of Netherlands     10-11

Brookings, SD                       Marcel Fortuński of Poland                 11-10

USA                                         Jorge Diego Rivera of Nicaragua         11-6

            Balazs Köles of Hungary                       9-11

Brendan Crockett (16)  vs.  Balazs Köles of Hungary                      8-11

Bell Canyon, CA                    Ignacio Block of Argentina                  11-6

USA                                         Shonosuke Komiya of Japan               11-7

            Marc Bijsterbosch of Netherlands    10-11

Tyler Styer (16)              vs.  Jorge Diego Rivera of Nicaragua        7-11

Brookfield, WI                      Cheng Peng of Canada                         11-9

USA                                         Marc Bijsterbosch of Netherlands    9-11

Shawn Begay(14)           vs.  Mihkel Rehepapp of Estonia              4-11

Gallup, NM                             Jeff Robson of Canada                        7-11

USA

Jeff Robson(18)              vs.  Lars Kuckherm of Germany                5-11

Ontario                                   Shawn Begay of USA                            11-7

Canada                                   Hsing-Ting Chen of Chinese Taipei    10-11

Cheng Peng (18)             vs. Radostin Dimov of Bulgaria                9-11

Ontario                                  Tyler Styer of USA                                  9-11

Canada

GIRLS’DIVISION:

Briana Miller (15)          vs. Oliwia Czupryńska of Poland            6-9

Allentown, PA                         Hee-Jo Kang of South Korea               9-4

USA                                           Pei-Rong Li of Chinese Taipei            9-4

                                      Monika Zabek of Poland                    9-8

              Darya Sirotina of Russia                    6-9

Taylor Reynolds (14)       vs. Kamila Kodjeva of Belgium               7-9

Waterville, ME                       Kayla Roloson of Canada                  8-9

USA

Kayla Roloson (14)          vs. Samia Konishi of Japan                    2-9

Ontario                                    Taylor Reynolds of USA                     9-8

Canada                                     Monika Ząbek of Poland                  6-9

Back: Danny Olson, Brendan Crockett, Shawn Begay, Tyler Styer, Cheng Peng Front: Briana Miller, Kayla Roloson, Taylor Reynolds, Jeff Robson

World Pool-Billiard Association 

Formed in 1987, the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) is the international governing body for pocket billiards. For more information, visit www.wpa-pool.com.

Billiard Congress of America 

Founded in 1948, the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to growing a united, prosperous and highly regarded billiard industry through BCA leadership. For more information, visit www.bca-pool.com.

Billiard Education Foundation

The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) was formed in 1993 as a 501(c) (3) non-profit charitable organization and is committed to the growth and promotion of billiards among youth. The BEF supports youth billiard programs by funding academic scholarships, produces the Junior National 9-Ball Championships and supports billiard athletes attending the WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships. The BEF encourages youth to stay in school and further their education while building and maintaining a lifelong love of billiards through the “Pool In School” program, which promotes billiard clubs, teams and billiards as part of the physical education “Lifetime Sports” class. For more information, visit www.BilliardEducation.org or call 303.926.1039.