European Blackball Championships
The European Blackball Championships are currently held in the Spa, Bridlington, England.
The European Blackball Association (EBA) is the governing body for the sport to which the European blackball playing nations affiliate and that body is responsible for the organisation and running of the annual Championships.
Players and teams from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have competed in the European Championships since the inaugural event and can boast of considerable success within every category.
The competition categories include men, ladies, seniors, masters, under-23s, under-18s, under-15s and 'specials' for players with disabilities. Teams and individuals are further categorised as participating in either 'A' or 'B' Championship events.
The home nations of the United Kingdom have secured the bulk of the honours as this overview of past Champions shows. These lists include only teams and individuals categorised as 'A' event winners.
EUROPEAN BLACKBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM WINNERS
| MEN 2016 - Wales 2015 - England 2014 - England 2013 - Scotland 2012 - Wales 2011 - England 2010 - no event 2009 - Scotland 2008 - England | LADIES 2016 - Scotland 2015 - England 2014 - France 2013 - France 2012 - Scotland 2011 - Scotland 2010 - no event 2009 - Wales 2008 - England | SENIORS 2016 - England 2015 - Scotland 2014 - Scotland 2013 - Scotland 2012 - Scotland 2011 - Scotland 2010 - no event 2009 - Northern Ireland 2008 - France |
| MASTERS 2016 - Scotland 2015 - Scotland 2014 - England 2013 - Wales | UNDER 23 2016 - Wales 2015 - England 2014 - England 2013 - England 2012 - Wales 2011 - France 2010 - no event 2009 - Wales (U-21) 2008 - Wales (U-21) | UNDER 18 2016 - England 2015 - England 2014 - England 2013 - Scotland 2012 - England 2011 - France 2010 - no event 2009 - Wales 2008 - Scotland |
| UNDER 15 2016 - England 2015 - Wales | MEN SPECIALS 2016 - Scotland 2015 - Wales 2014 - Wales 2013 - Northern Ireland 2012 - Scotland 2011 - Northern Ireland 2010 - Northern Ireland 2009 - Northern Ireland 2008 - Northern Ireland | LADIES SPECIALS 2013 - Northern Ireland 2012 - Northern Ireland 2011 - Northern Ireland 2010 - Northern Ireland 2009 - Northern Ireland 2008 - Northern Ireland |
EUROPEAN BLACKBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS INDIVIDUAL WINNERS
| MEN 2016 - Liam Dunster (Scotland) 2015 - Scott Ross (Scotland) 2014 - David Rooney (Scotland) 2013 - Scott Ross (Scotland) 2012 - Andy Lucas (England) 2011 - Christophe Thebault (France) 2010 - no event 2009 - Andy Lucas (England) 2008 - Andrew Hughes (Wales) | LADIES 2016 - Collette Henriksen (N.Ireland) 2015 - Brunet Sabrilla (France) 2014 - Brunet Sabrilla (France) 2013 - Brunet Sabrilla (France) 2012 - Laura Llewellyn (England) 2011 - Brunet Sabrilla (France) 2010 - no event 2009 - Laura Llewellyn (England) 2008 - Vanessa Chamonez (France) |
| SENIORS 2016 - Steve Webster (England) 2015 - Brian Crilly (Northern Ireland) 2014 - Dave Kelly (Southern Ireland) 2013 - Kevin Seaman (England) 2012 - Pat Merrigan (Southern Ireland) 2011 - Pat Merrigan (Southern Ireland) 2010 - no event 2009 - Ross McInnes (Scotland) 2008 - David McGawn (Scotland) | MASTERS 2016 - John Hardy (Wales) 2015 - Ross McInnes (Scotland) 2014 - John Hardy (Wales) 2013 - Ross McInnes (Scotland) _________________________ UNDER 15 2016 - Liam Roberts (Wales) |
| UNDER 23 2016 - Brad Williams (England) 2015 - Liam Dunster (Scotland) 2014 - Kristi Caulfield (Southern Ireland) 2013 - Ashley Radford (England) 2012 - David Rooney (Scotland) 2011 - David Carrie (Southern Ireland) 2010 - no event 2009 - Steven Campbell (Scotland, U-21) 2008 - Andrew Hughes (Wales, U-21) | UNDER 18 2016 - Tristan Horton (Wales) 2015 - Leon Azzopardi (Malta) 2014 - Josh Harrison (England) 2013 - Stuart McCullough (Scotland) 2012 - John McAlister (England) 2011 - Kieran Hawkins (England) 2010 - no event 2009 - Shane Virgin (Wales) 2008 - Connor Treacy (England) |
| MEN SPECIALS 2016 - Alan Reynolds (Scotland) 2015 - MartinThomas (Wales) 2014 - Paddy Reid (Northern Ireland) 2013 - Alan Reynolds (Scotland) 2012 - Liam Walker (Scotland) 2011 - Paddy Reid (Northern Ireland) 2010 - Paddy Reid (Northern Ireland) 2009 - Alan Bell (Northern Ireland) 2008 - Paddy Reid (Northern Ireland) | LADIES SPECIALS 2013 - Frances McCann (Northern Ireland) 2012 - Frances McCann (Northern Ireland) 2011 - Briege McFaul (Northern Ireland) 2010 - Valerie Taggart (Northern Ireland) 2009 - Briege McFaul (Northern Ireland) 2008 - Valerie Taggart (Northern Ireland) |
Catalonia, Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Shetland and Eire.
The four home nations of the United Kingdom have had considerable success in the European Blackball Championships.
In 2016 each nation provided a Championship Singles Winner.
The European Championships have been held in Bridlington since 2012. Previous venues were Selsey, England; Douglas, Isle of Man; Rhyl, Wales and Carlow, Southern Ireland.
The rules of blackball were sanctioned by the World Pool Association in 2005 and subsequently began to be adopted as official rules for the small-table pool game by governing bodies and pool leagues world-wide from 2006. It was from that time that international blackball competitions were introduced including the European and World Championships.