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THE TENSION'S MOUNTING
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Monday,
11 February, 2008
The Germans await eagerly the forthcoming Junior Nationals - an unprecedented number of favourites makes U19 forecast as difficult as never before.
The youngest dash forward. A record number of juniors over the last months at district championships were fighting for a spot at this year's Junior Nationals. As a result of increasing number of very young cueists the U19 & U21 Nationals will be extended by an U16 demo.
Already last year the junior boom in Germany was obviously. The nationwide network of junior tournaments and series over previous two years has yielded fruit when the high break lists were exploding and some protagonists stormed the final rounds at men's events.
At the 2007 Junior Nationals again someone captured both titles, but Bavaria's Stefan Kasper had dealings with stronger fields than in the years before when Sascha Lippe's and Patrick Einsle's predominance was overwhelming.
After some U16 players did qualify for the men's Nationals (Florian Mützel, Andreas Völliger and Paul-Andre Körbel) the Berlin (Men's) Grand Prix in January saw Hamburg's Yusuf Nawabi (16) in semis, Jens Wiederkehr (17) and Essen's Roman Dietzel (17) in quarters and Florian Werres (18) reaching the last 16.
Hesse's Armin Schmidt made some men look small as he reached the semis at Hesse's Districht Championships in May 07, before he clinched all district Junior titles in January. Saxonia's U19 Champion Kevin Helbig heads the district (men's) league break list ......
All of them and many more we'll meet again in March when this year's German Junior Championships will experience the strongest field in the event's history since the first edition in Hamburg 1997. Defending champion Stefan Kasper (foto) appears to be the U21 favourite, but the lads will give him a run for his money. The U19 result no one would dare forecast - the boys themselves will give us the answer.
German Championships U19 & U21
March 25-29, Bad Wildungen
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