Record numbers expected for European Junior and Amateur Snooker Championships in Spain

Spain isn’t yet known as a hotbed for snooker action, but for over a fortnight this March it will be the centre of attention for the sport’s amateur game.

That’s because the country will be hosting the prestigious European Amateur Snooker Championships for the first time, with contestants from across the continent flocking to the Palace Hotel in Gandia to compete in several different categories, after being selected by their national association.

placeholder image — George Wood/Getty Images

Organised by the European Billiards and Snooker Association (EBSA), the annual Championships change host countries each year. On the programme for this latest extravaganza, held between March 1st to 14th, European under-16, under-18, under-21, and main open (all ages) titles will be won.

The winners of the under-21 and open divisions will also earn a two-year World Snooker Tour card for the professional circuit.

In total across the four competitions, there are set to be over 400 entries - a new record - with 180 in the main championship and 102 in the under-21s.

2023 World Professional Snooker Champion Luca Brecel has previously won both the European Junior and Amateur Championships. | George Wood/Getty Images

EBSA President Maxime Cassis said: “I am really excited about going to Gandia to host our European Championships and the interest in the event has been excellent.

“We have 180 players entered into the Men’s Championship which just goes to show the huge interest in the event, plus we have big numbers in the underage Championships. 78 players in the Under 16 Championship, 98 players challenging for the under 18 title and a fantastic entry of 100 cueists in the under 21 event (these numbers have since increased).

“These are excellent figures and they set a new record for entries to an EBSA European Snooker Championships. I look forward to what should be two really exciting weeks of Snooker in the Gandia ending on the 14th of March and I want to congratulate and thank the Real Federación Española de Billar (RFEB)”.

First held in 1988, and then every year since 1993, the European Amateur Snooker Championship has an illustrious roll of honour with former winners including David Lilley (1995), Robin Hull (1997, 2013), Mark Allen (2004), Luca Brecel (2010), Scott Donaldson (2012), and Jak Jones (2016).

Last year in Turkiye, Liam Highfield defeated 14-year-old Michal Szubarczyk 5-0 in the final to lift the trophy, but as Highfield had already re-earned a place on the professional circuit through the Global Q Tour Playoffs held at the same venue a few days before, the two-year tour card was awarded to the Polish teenager.

The junior championship has been an annual fixture since its inaugural staging in 1997, changing from under-19 to under-21 in 2011. Former champions include current main tour players Jamie Jones, Allen, Ben Woollaston, Brecel, Jak Jones, Oliver Lines, Alexander Ursenbacher, Jackson Page, Aaron Hill, Dylan Emery, Ben Mertens, Liam Graham, Liam Davies, and current title holder Iulian Boiko.

Immediately following the European Championships, this year’s Global Q Tour Playoffs will also be held at the Palace Hotel between March 15-17.

This unique event brings together the best performing players from regional Q Tours across the world, who will be competing for the three professional tour cards on offer.

There will be three knockout tournaments, each consisting of eight players, with the winner from each gaining promotion to snooker’s top flight starting from next season.