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An Introduction to the Catalonia Pool Festival
In Catalonia we have been playing pool for 25 years.
It all started when the H.G.M organization was set up in Sabadell.
In this time Blackball has been in a constant evolution around the world with little chance for the Catalonian players to compete in any international events. Our progress as pool players has therefore been a mainly self-taught discipline.
Nevertheless, when in 1992 we were invited to compete in the BAPTO finals in the UK for the first time, we jumped at the chance.
In fact against our and most peoples expectations the 3 person Catalonian team were narrowly beaten in the final.
With the confidence that came from this achievement, the next time we entered, we became the Champions in 1995.
In 1997 we grabbed the biggest UK team title of them all, the National 7 person Team Trophy.
In 2001, much to our dismay, we were omitted from international events, as those who organized the competitions in our country and ruled everything as in a feudal monarchy finally decided there was no benefit for them in sending Catalan players abroad. As a result the total amount of players dwindled and in 2005 only a third of our players were still playing. When the Teams Event Superlliga, ABACAT and the Catalan Players Association were created, it once again gave us the chance to appear in International Events.
In our very first event on joining the Blackball association our mens A team reached the semi final in Willingen, Germany.
This gave our players great belief and enthusiasm, so much in, that the following year in Swaziland, S.Africa we captured the main title and became the champions of the world.
This just goes to prove on how well they are doing things within ABACAT, where the members of the board are only made up of players, meaning its run by the PLAYERS FOR THE PLAYERS!
Although we made great efforts to be able to compete abroad, the truth is the Catalan players were usually seen and considered only as a bunch of picturesque people, that was until Ross McIness and Pat O'Kane came to visit us last year.
The previous year we had Mike Piper as our guest, and long before that Steve Sanders visited us in 1998 and the year 2000 to perform some exhibitions.
Apart from them we need to go back in time to 1990 to recall memories from Big Dave Dolman's visit and the deep impression he left on us when he showed his ability whilst playing this game.
Up to this time, these are the only British based top players who have visited Catalonia.
It is now the time we believe to welcome the Blackball family, time to ask our 'relatives' to visit us, the time to give the new local pool playing generation a chance, that in the past we were never given, a chance to live together for a while and to learn from the best players from around the world.
Thanks to the involvement and support of several people, we are now preparing the best festival ever. We are offering you the weather, location, facilities, price and conditions just to let you know how eager we are for you to come.
The complex is only 20 minutes away from Reus Airport and only 50 minutes from Barcelona international airport.
. The accommodation is an almost unbelievable price, with breakfast, lunch and dinner included and it's only a two minute walk to the beach!
We are planning daily tours, and we guarantee lots of partying and fun in Tarragona, a wonderful city which was the Mediterranean Sea Port Capital during the Roman Empire, and which is nowadays considered mankind's heritage.
We are just missing one thing and that is You! We need you to help us write our part in Blackball history not away from the rest of the world, but together as a family.
J. MarminyĂ
Catalonia Pool Festival Co organizer
It all started when the H.G.M organization was set up in Sabadell.
In this time Blackball has been in a constant evolution around the world with little chance for the Catalonian players to compete in any international events. Our progress as pool players has therefore been a mainly self-taught discipline.
Nevertheless, when in 1992 we were invited to compete in the BAPTO finals in the UK for the first time, we jumped at the chance.
In fact against our and most peoples expectations the 3 person Catalonian team were narrowly beaten in the final.
With the confidence that came from this achievement, the next time we entered, we became the Champions in 1995.
In 1997 we grabbed the biggest UK team title of them all, the National 7 person Team Trophy.
In 2001, much to our dismay, we were omitted from international events, as those who organized the competitions in our country and ruled everything as in a feudal monarchy finally decided there was no benefit for them in sending Catalan players abroad. As a result the total amount of players dwindled and in 2005 only a third of our players were still playing. When the Teams Event Superlliga, ABACAT and the Catalan Players Association were created, it once again gave us the chance to appear in International Events.
In our very first event on joining the Blackball association our mens A team reached the semi final in Willingen, Germany.
This gave our players great belief and enthusiasm, so much in, that the following year in Swaziland, S.Africa we captured the main title and became the champions of the world.
This just goes to prove on how well they are doing things within ABACAT, where the members of the board are only made up of players, meaning its run by the PLAYERS FOR THE PLAYERS!
Although we made great efforts to be able to compete abroad, the truth is the Catalan players were usually seen and considered only as a bunch of picturesque people, that was until Ross McIness and Pat O'Kane came to visit us last year.
The previous year we had Mike Piper as our guest, and long before that Steve Sanders visited us in 1998 and the year 2000 to perform some exhibitions.
Apart from them we need to go back in time to 1990 to recall memories from Big Dave Dolman's visit and the deep impression he left on us when he showed his ability whilst playing this game.
Up to this time, these are the only British based top players who have visited Catalonia.
It is now the time we believe to welcome the Blackball family, time to ask our 'relatives' to visit us, the time to give the new local pool playing generation a chance, that in the past we were never given, a chance to live together for a while and to learn from the best players from around the world.
Thanks to the involvement and support of several people, we are now preparing the best festival ever. We are offering you the weather, location, facilities, price and conditions just to let you know how eager we are for you to come.
The complex is only 20 minutes away from Reus Airport and only 50 minutes from Barcelona international airport.
. The accommodation is an almost unbelievable price, with breakfast, lunch and dinner included and it's only a two minute walk to the beach!
We are planning daily tours, and we guarantee lots of partying and fun in Tarragona, a wonderful city which was the Mediterranean Sea Port Capital during the Roman Empire, and which is nowadays considered mankind's heritage.
We are just missing one thing and that is You! We need you to help us write our part in Blackball history not away from the rest of the world, but together as a family.
J. MarminyĂ
Catalonia Pool Festival Co organizer