International Snooker Comes to Belgium
Euro Players Tour Championship 2 will be held at the Boudewijn Sea Park, Bruges, between Sept 30 and Oct 3 inclusive.
EPTC 2 is the first tournament of its kind to take place in Belgium. The event reflects a new approach to the sport, allowing snooker fans and amateur players closer access to top players.
The world’s best professionals will be competing for a 50,000 Euro prize fund and the title Bruges Open Champion.
Former World Champions such as Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Ken Doherty, Mark Williams, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Shaun Murphy have already entered the event together with Pokerstars.com Masters Champion Mark Selby, Tony Drago and Stephen Maguire.
The best Belgian players competing include Luca Brecel and Bjorn Haneveer. Click here for the full draw
EPTC2 is the second in a new series of six European tournaments.
It is being co-promoted by UK sports management firm Q Manager, in conjunction with Olivier Vandebohede, owner of the Trickshot Snooker and Pool Club in Bruges, together with European promoter Dragonstar Eventmanagement Company.
Lee Gorton, Director of Q Manager, said: “This is the new face of snooker and reflects the strong grassroots interest in the sport in countries like Belgium.
“We’re expecting a high level of interest within Belgium, as was seen in Germany last month for EPTC1. We are pleased with our working relationship with our venue partner Boudewijn Seapark, which is providing excellent facilities.
“The Leonardo Hotel in Bruges has been confirmed as official hotel partner for the event, and will be providing accommodation and practice facilities for many of the players, management and tournament officials."
Geertrui Quaghebeur, Commercial Manager at Boudewijn Seapark, said: “We are very pleased to welcome the EPTC 2 to our park. We have every confidence that it
will become a very popular annual event. Having such a prestigious tournament here is very good for the city of Bruges.”
The new approach is epitomised by the tournament’s Cuezone, where members of the public will have the chance to meet the players and challenge them to a fun game of speed snooker or ‘6 reds’.
Brandon Parker, World Snooker Limited director said: “Belgium has several very active snooker leagues, with thousands of players competing socially every week. Most are avid watchers of World Snooker ranking events on TV and this event is a great opportunity for them to become involved as players or as live spectators.
Continental audiences are much more vocal than in the UK, and this in turn creates a new atmosphere around the competitions which the players respond to."
The top six mainland European amateur players, over the 6 EPTC tournaments, will gain automatic wild card entries to the German Masters in Berlin in February 2011.
The Bruges festival of snooker breaks-off in style with six-time world finalist, Jimmy ‘Whirlwind’ White playing a challenge match against a Belgium select team on the opening night Thursday 30th Sept.
A range of ticket packages for the entire tournament are available, including VIP options which give spectators access to all areas, including the player’s lounge.
For more information just visit
www.snookerbelgium.com