# CEB European Three-cushion Championship

The CEB European Three-cushion Championship is three-cushion billiards tournament organized by the Confédération Européenne de Billard. Held since 1932, it is one of longest-running tournaments in the sport. The 2007 event offered a total purse of €18,500 (US$26,134) with €4,000 ($5,651) for the winner.
Before 1995, there was a third place match played between the two losing finalists, in order to determine the ranking. However, the match has been cancelled since then and the losing finalists are regarded as having the same ranking in the competition.
Since the season 2012/13 the tournament was held in a mammoth event every two years in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany.

## History

Until the Second World War the European Championships were held only in the disciplines balkline and in three-cushion, and that even more irregular. After the war (1947) a regular, annual cycle was introduced. Exception was the season 1995/96. This had to do with the association disputes between the World Federation Union Mondiale de Billard (UMB) and the Billiards World Cup Association (BWA). It also meant that the players which were under contract with the BWA in the years 1993 to 1997 were not allowed to participate at the European Championship.
In the season 1956/57, there have been already two associations. In the dispute over sports and leadership policies within the "Union Internationale des Fédérations d'Amateurs de Billard" (UIFAB) culminated in the founding of the competing "Fédération Internationale de Billard" (FIB) and a "double" European Championships were held in straight rail, balkline, and three-cushion in 1957. The following year, the disputes were resolved and UIFAB was again the only European federation. This fusion was expressed in the founding/renamed into Confédération Européenne de Billard (CEB) on 12. July 1958.

## Prize money and ranking points

| | Prize money (€) | Ranking points |
| Winner | 8,000 | 80 |
| Runner-up | 4,000 | 54 |
| Semi-finalists | 2,500 | 38 |
| 5. – 8. | 1,500 | 26 |
| 9. – 16. | 750 | 16 |
| 17. – 32. | 300 | 8 |
| P-Quali | – | 4 |
| Overall | 32,800 | – |
| (current state: 2019) |||

## Tournament records (timeline)

Billiard legend Raymond Ceulemans from Belgium won the tournament more times (23) than any other player. His closest competitors for the record are country fellow René Vingerhoedt and Swedish Torbjörn Blomdahl at a distant 9 and 8 respectively. By delivering the European Champion for 22 consecutive years (1962-1983), Belgium also holds the record for most consecutive wins.
In 2013 Marco Zanetti played a new record General Average (GA) of 2.500. Frédéric Caudron puts up a new European record in High-run of 28 and equalizes the records of Junichi Komori (1993), Raymond Ceulemans (1998), and Roland Forthomme (2012).
General Average (GA) :
| GD | Name | Year |
| 0,717 | Henk Robijns | 1932 |
| 0,804 | Alfred Lagache | 1939 |
| 0,827 | Roger Hanoun | 1948 |
| 0,890 | Alfred Lagache | 1949 |
| 0,895 | René Vingerhoedt | 1951 |
| 1,023 | René Vingerhoedt | 1952 |
| 1,190 | René Vingerhoedt | 1954 |
| 1,238 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1963 |
| 1,420 | Cecilia Luxem | 1965 |
| 1,538 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1969 |
| 1,621 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1971 |
| 1,808 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1991 |
| 2,314 | Frédéric Caudron | 2001 |
| 2,376 | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 2003 |
| 2,500 | Marco Zanetti | 2013 |
Special Average (SA) :
| BED | Name | Year |
| 0,925 | Henk Robijns | 1932 |
| | Jacques Davin | 1935 |
| 1,041 | Alfred Lagache | 1939 |
| 1,111 | Alfred Lagache | 1947 |
| 1,219 | Roger Hanoun | 1948 |
| 1,219 | Alfred Lagache | 1949 |
| 1,428 | René Vingerhoedt | 1952 |
| 1,428 | René Vingerhoedt | 1953 |
| 1,515 | René Vingerhoedt | 1954 |
| 1,724 | René Vingerhoedt | 1958 |
| 1,764 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1964 |
| 1,818 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1965 |
| 2,068 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1965 |
| 2,222 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1969 |
| 2,400 | Johann Scherz | 1971 |
| 2,875 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1972 |
| 3,000 | Tayfun Taşdemir | 2002 |
| 3,461 | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 2003 |
| 3,461 | Frédéric Caudron | 2003 |
| 5,625 | Dick Jaspers | 2008 |
High Run (HR) :
| HS | Name | Year |
| 08 | Otto Unshelm | 1932 |
| 09 | René Vingerhoedt | 1939 |
| 12 | Alfred Lagache | 1948 |
| 15 | Herman Popeijus | 1955 |
| 15 | Henny de Ruijter | 1960 |
| 17 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1964 |
| 20 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1973 |
| 23 | Nikos Polychronopoulos | 2012 |
| 28 | Frédéric Caudron | 2013 |

## Champions

The GA indicates the General Average.
| No. | Year | Venue | Winner | GA | Runner-up | GA | 3. Place | GA |
| 01 | 1932 | Amsterdam | Franz Aeberhard | 0,659 | Henk Robijns | 0,717 | Claudio Puigvert | 0,613 |
| 02 | 1935 | Amsterdam | Alfred Lagache | 0,704 | Jaques Davin | 0,686 | Emile Zaman | 0,595 |
| 03 | 1939 | Angoulême | Alfred Lagache | 0,804 | Arie Bos | 0,714 | Alfredo Ferraz | 0,574 |
| 04 | 1947 | Brussels | Alfred Lagache | 0,773 | René Vingerhoedt | 0,756 | Claudio Puigvert | 0,644 |
| 05 | 1948 | Madrid | Joaquín Domingo | 0,793 | Roger Hanoun | 0,835 | René Vingerhoedt | 0,718 |
| 06 | 1949 | Angoulême | Alfred Lagache | 0,890 | René Vingerhoedt | 0,733 | Marcel Lacroix | 0,634 |
| 07 | 1950 | Amsterdam | Bert Wevers | 0,584 | Bernard Siguret | 0,673 | Leonard Dessart | 0,652 |
| 08 | 1951 | Antwerp | René Vingerhoedt | 0,895 | Alfred Lagache | 0,640 | Leonard Dessart | 0,702 |
| 09 | 1952 | Lausanne | René Vingerhoedt | 1,023 | August Tiedtke | 0,807 | Jan Brockhuizen | 0,731 |
| 10 | 1953 | Madrid | René Vingerhoedt | 1,008 | August Tiedtke | 0,796 | Antonio Ventura | 0,680 |
| 11 | 1954 | Mannheim | René Vingerhoedt | 1,190 | Walter Lütgehetmann | 0,863 | Pierre Fauconnier | 0,877 |
| 12 | 1955 | Amsterdam | René Vingerhoedt | 1,017 | Herman Popeijus | 0,884 | Walter Lütgehetmann | 0,813 |
| 13 | 1956 | Saarbrücken | René Vingerhoedt | 0,831 | August Tiedtke | 0,784 | Pierre Fauconnier | 0,763 |
| 14 | 1957/1$^{*1}$ | Lisbon | Bernard Siguret | 0,677 | Jaime Pimenta | 0,636 | Johann Scherz | 0,666 |
| 15 | 1957/2$^{*1}$ | Antwerp | René Vingerhoedt | 0,800 | August Tiedtke | 0,815 | Raymond Steylaerts | 0,638 |
| 16 | 1958 | Cannes | Johann Scherz | 0,902 | August Tiedtke | 0,863 | René Vingerhoedt | 0,946 |
| 17 | 1959 | Hilversum | René Vingerhoedt | 1,041 | August Tiedtke | 0,935 | Bernard Siguret | 0,854 |
| 18 | 1960 | Düsseldorf | René Vingerhoedt | 1,105 | August Tiedtke | 0,992 | Laurent Boulanger | 0,994 |
| 19 | 1961 | Trieste | Johann Scherz | 1,000 | Henny de Ruyter | 0,796 | Raymond Ceulemans | 0,928 |
| 20 | 1962 | Kaatsheuvel | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,159 | Johann Scherz | 1,015 | Herman Popeijus | 0,890 |
| 21 | 1963 | Brussels | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,202 | Johann Scherz | 1,007 | Raymond Steylaerts | 0,952 |
| 22 | 1964 | Copenhagen | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,197 | Johann Scherz | 0,876 | Raymond Steylaerts | 0,843 |
| 23 | 1965 | Vienna | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,160 | Johann Scherz | 1,053 | Roger Hanoun | 0,922 |
| 24 | 1966 | Lisbon | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,420 | Johann Scherz | 0,872 | Jan Doggen | 0,801 |
| 25 | 1967 | Angoulême | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,253 | Fernand van Barel | 0,971 | Johann Scherz | 0,924 |
| 26 | 1968 | Madrid | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,379 | Johann Scherz | 1,125 | Laurent Boulanger | 1,150 |
| 27 | 1969 | The Hague | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,538 | Laurent Boulanger | 1,174 | Johann Scherz | 1,069 |
| 28 | 1970 | Tournai | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,366 | Johann Scherz | 1,010 | August Tiedtke | 0,809 |
| 29 | 1971 | Geel | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,621 | Johann Scherz | 1,142 | Laurent Boulanger | 1,041 |
| 30 | 1972 | Dortmund | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,501 | Peter Thøgersen | 0,907 | Rini van Bracht | 0,961 |
| 31 | 1973 | Crosne | Arnold de Pape | 0,940 | Ludo Dielis | 0,949 | Roland Dufetelle | 0,869 |
| 32 | 1974 | Eeklo | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,527 | Ludo Dielis | 1,111 | Richard Bitalis | 1,019 |
| 33 | 1975 | Rotterdam | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,406 | Rini van Bracht | 0,982 | Laurent Boulanger | 1,274 |
| 34 | 1976 | Valencia | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,563 | Ludo Dielis | 0,993 | Johann Scherz | 1,091 |
| 35 | 1977 | Lausanne | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,310 | Ludo Dielis | 1,074 | Johann Scherz | 1,016 |
| 36 | 1978 | Copenhagen | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,476 | Peter Thøgersen | 1,071 | Ludo Dielis | 1,060 |
| 37 | 1979 | Düren | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,369 | Johann Scherz | 1,059 | Egidio Vierat | 1,029 |
| 38 | 1980 | Helsingborg | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,571 | Johann Scherz | 0,979 | Christ van der Smissen | 1,113 |
| 39 | 1981 | Vienna | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,382 | Raymond Steylaerts | 0,808 | Piet de Jong | 0,773 |
| 40 | 1982 | Porto | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,365 | Johann Scherz | 1,125 | Ludo Dielis | 1,184 |
| 41 | 1983 | Dunkirk | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,333 | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1,104 | Egidio Vierat | 1,045 |
| 42 | 1984 | Leuven | Rini van Bracht | 1,193 | Egidio Vierat | 0,978 | Günter Siebert | 1,054 |
| 43 | 1985 | Amersfoort | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1,327 | Rini van Bracht | 1,080 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,262 |
| 44 | 1986 | Mondorf-les-Bains | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1,218 | Avelino Rico | 1,027 | Jorge Theriaga | 1,084 |
| 45 | 1987 | Waalwijk | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,411 | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1,261 | Ludo Dielis | 1,156 |
| 46 | 1988 | Vejle | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1,506 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,476 | Christ van der Smissen | 1,202 |
| 47 | 1989 | Viersen | Lennart Blomdahl | 1,099 | Richard Bitalis | 1,324 | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1,225 |
| 48 | 1990 | Norrköping | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1,435 | Dick Jaspers | 1,389 | Paul Stroobants | 1,158 |
| 49 | 1991 | Dordrecht | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1,772 | Dick Jaspers | 1,513 | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,808 |
| 55 | 1992 | Cairo | Raymond Ceulemans | 1,293 | Francis Connesson | 1,232 | Marco Zanetti | 1,135 |
| 51 | 1993 | Corbeil-Essonnes | Rini van Bracht | 1,231 | Maximo Aguirre | 0,958 | Paul Stroobants | 1,213 |
| 52 | 1994 | Odense | John Tijssens | 1,097 | Andreas Efler | 0,996 | Dion Nelin | 1,231 |
| No. | Year | Venue | Winner | GA | Runner-up | GA | Semifinalists | GA |
| 53 | 1995 | Prague | Jozef Philipoom | 1,203 | Hans Laursen | 1,083 | Jorge Theriaga John Tijssens | 1,151 1,050 |
| 54 | 1997 | Mondorf-les-Bains | Daniel Sánchez | 1,579 | Jean-Christophe Roux | 1,311 | Dion Nelin Peter de Backer | 1,353 1,171 |
| 55 | 1998 | Aubagne | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1,429 | Martin Horn | 1,378 | Dick Jaspers Daniel Sánchez | 1,583 1,524 |
| 56 | 1999 | Porto | Semih Saygıner | 1,571 | Dion Nelin | 1,355 | Jorge Theriaga Dick Jaspers | 1,333 1,448 |
| 57 | 2000 | Madrid | Daniel Sánchez | 1,544 | Semih Saygıner | 1,568 | Eddy Leppens Raimond Burgman | 1,285 1,200 |
| 58 | 2001 | Odense | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 2,235 | Tonny Carlsen | 1,326 | Dion Nelin Dick Jaspers | 1,447 1,839 |
| 59 | 2002 | İzmir | Frédéric Caudron | 1,730 | Tonny Carlsen | 1,497 | Torbjörn Blomdahl Jacob Haack Sørensen | 1,481 1,397 |
| 60 | 2003 | Göynük | Dick Jaspers | 1,834 | Frédéric Caudron | 1,864 | Marco Zanetti Martin Horn | 1,984 1,468 |
| 61 | 2004 | Ölüdeniz | Murat Naci Çoklu | 1,652 | Martin Horn | 1,358 | Torbjörn Blomdahl Daniel Sánchez | 1,669 1,493 |
| 62 | 2005 | Porto | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1,643 | Frédéric Caudron | 1,333 | Dick Jaspers Brian Knudsen | 1,920 1,413 |
| 63 | 2006 | Antalya | Frédéric Caudron | 1,937 | Semih Saygıner | 1,922 | Daniel Sánchez Dick Jaspers | 1,772 1,698 |
| 64 | 2007 | Salon-de-Provence | Eddy Merckx | 1,714 | Frédéric Caudron | 1,962 | Daniel Sánchez Dick Jaspers | 1,608 1,860 |
| 65 | 2008 | Florange | Dick Jaspers | 2,169 | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1,557 | Marco Zanetti Roland Forthomme | 1,317 1,391 |
| 66 | 2009 | Odense | Daniel Sánchez | 1,864 | Frédéric Caudron | 1,760 | Torbjörn Blomdahl Tayfun Taşdemir | 1,529 1,388 |
| 67 | 2010 | Sankt Wendel | Dick Jaspers | 2,168 | Eddy Merckx | 1,581 | Marco Zanetti Tayfun Taşdemir | 2,007 1,428 |
| 68 | 2011 | Porto | Dick Jaspers | 1,715 | Eddy Merckx | 1,518 | Torbjörn Blomdahl Frédéric Caudron | 1,655 1,631 |
| 69 | 2012 | Istanbul | Filippos Kasidokostas | 1,798 | Raimond Burgman | 1,465 | Martin Horn Murat Naci Çoklu | 1,682 1,587 |
| 70 | 2013 | Brandenburg/Havel | Marco Zanetti | 2,500$^{*2}$ | Christian Rudolph | 1,465 | Frédéric Caudron Glenn Hofman | 1,869 1,059 |
| 71 | 2015 | Brandenburg/Havel | Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1,739 | Eddy Merckx | 2,417 | Dick Jaspers Adnan Yüksel | 1.646 1,405 |
| 72 | 2017 | Brandenburg/Havel | Marco Zanetti | 1.980 | Frédéric Caudron | 1.933 | Dick Jaspers David Martínez | 1.807 1.366 |
| 73 | 2019 | Brandenburg/Havel | Dick Jaspers | 2.352 | Marco Zanetti | 1.948 | Murat Naci Coklu Rubén Legazpi | 1.873 1.666 |
| 74 | 2022 | Berlicum | Daniel Sánchez | 2.192 | Dick Jaspers | 2,373 | Semih Saygıner Martin Horn | 2,127 1.828 |
| 75 | 2023 | Antalya | Marco Zanetti | 1.953 | Berkay Karakurt | 1.605 | Daniel Sánchez Torbjörn Blomdahl | 1.736 1.429 |

### Note

* $^{*1}$ Since there were two competing and fractious associations at that time, namely, Union Internationale des Fédérations d'Amateurs de Billard (UIFAB) und Fédération Internationale de Billard (FIB), two different championships were held. Since the players could only affiliate to one of the associations, there was no overlapping of the participants of the respective European Championship.
* $^{*2}$ New European record

## Medals (1932-2023)

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Belgium | 37 | 18 | 27 | 82 |
| 2 | Sweden | 10 | 3 | 6 | 19 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 9 | 10 | 18 | 37 |
| 4 | France | 5 | 8 | 7 | 20 |
| 5 | Spain | 5 | 1 | 10 | 16 |
| 6 | Italy | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| 7 | Austria | 2 | 11 | 5 | 18 |
| 8 | Turkey | 2 | 3 | 6 | 11 |
| 9 | Switzerland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Greece | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Germany | 0 | 12 | 6 | 18 |
| 12 | Denmark | 0 | 6 | 5 | 11 |
| 13 | Portugal | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Totals (13 entries) | Totals (13 entries) | 75 | 75 | 98 | 248 |