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2006 World Cup of Trick Shots - Semifinal #1 Europe Nick Nikolaidis USA Bruce Barthelette
![]() Europe Shot #1 Europe - 1 USA - 0 Nick Nikolaidis opened the match for Europe with this speed control jump shot. The cue ball is shot off the rail and jumps in the air, falling into a bucket full of poker chips on the fly. Nikolaidis barely missed his first attempt, but made the proper adjustment swishing his second. Andy Segal came up for the USA, but couldn't get the shot to fall. USA Shot #1 Europe - 1 USA - 1 Segal challenged back with another jump shot, this one being the Double Jump. The cue ball jumps over a row of dominoes, bounces and skips over another row of dominoes, then pockets a hanging ball in the corner pocket. Taking deadly aim, Segal nailed the shot. Bogdan Wolkowski came up for Europe, but overfired his shot trying to clear the second wall. ![]() ![]() Europe Shot #2 Europe - 2 USA - 1 Wolkowski countered with a masse shot. Really, it's a masse kick. The cue ball slides toward the center of the table and masse's back, kicking off the rail and crossing the table to pocket the hanging ball in the corner. Wolkowski made the shot look easy, with just the right angle to get the kick. Bruce Barthelette came up for USA's attempt and showed just how difficult the shot is, missing both attempts. USA Shot #2 Europe - 3 USA - 1 Barthelette pulled out a bottle for his challenge. The cue ball is shot off the bottle, knocking it over, spins off two rails at the far end of the table, kicks off the third rail, then clanks off the bottle and pockets the ball in the corner pocket. Barthelette couldn't quite get enough spin on the cue ball to make the shot though. Nikolaidis took his cues wisely, making the proper adjustment to make the shot and giving Europe a 3-1 lead. ![]() ![]() Europe Shot #3 Europe - 4 USA - 2 More props were pulled out for Nikolaidis' next challenge for Europe. Three object balls were propped up on some long tubes. The cue ball shoots an object ball into the side pocket, taking out the tubes, and causing the propped up balls to fall and bounce. As the balls bounce, the cue ball is hit a second time to pass underneath the bouncing balls. Nikolaidis calls this shot The Wave. He made it on his first attempt. Segal came up and also made the shot, keeping the USA within two points. USA Shot #3 Europe - 4 USA - 2 As if that wasn't enough, Segal pulled out a dart and balloon for his next shot. Somehow, an object ball is fit inside the balloon and is propped up on a 9 ball rack. The cue ball is on a piece of chalk on the rail and is attached to a dart. The cue ball (and dart) is shot toward the balloon, with the dart popping the balloon and then the cue ball hitting the object ball down the table and into the corner pocket. Segal was unfortunate not to make the shot, bouncing the object ball off the table. Wolkowski came up for Europe's attempt, but couldn't wrap his mind around the complexity of the shot. ![]() USA Shot #4 Europe - 5 USA - 3 Barthelette decided to try his hand at a jump shot next, but with two cue balls. The first cue ball is hit into the second cue ball and draws back to make a ball hanging in the corner. The second cue ball travels three rails and, while it's still moving, is jumped through a box and pockets another ball hanging in the opposite corner. Barthelette nailed the shot, but Nikolaidis was able to hit it as well, maintaining Europe's lead. ![]() USA Shot #5 Europe - 6 USA - 4 Barthelette's next challenge for the USA was this timing shot. First the cue ball is sent three rails. While it's moving the one ball is shot into the side pocket and the two ball is rolled towards the corner. Before the two ball goes, the cue ball is hit a second time, beating it to the corner. Oh, and the whole shot is done free hand, so the bridge hand can't touch the table. Barthelette danced around the table as he sunk the shot. Wolkowski got caught yawning waiting for his 2 ball to roll in, but made the shot as well. ![]() ![]() Europe Shot #6 Europe - 6 USA - 5 Wolkowski turned to this classic railroad shot next. The cue ball is trapped in the jaws of the corner pocket, with a ring of balls around it as well. It's jumped off the opposite point of the corner pocket, flies over the cue sticks, goes three rails, runs up the gap between the cues, turns around in the corner pocket and comes down the railroad to pocket a ball in the side pocket. Wolkowski couldn't make the shot though. Segal came out with a nice impersonation of Wolkowski and did him one better making the shot and pulling the USA within one. USA Shot #6 Europe - 7 USA - 6 Segal used some magic and trickery on his next shot for team USA. The 8 ball is shot through a couple of large playing cards leaned up against each other, then takes a wild turn to hit a rack and pocket a ball in the corner pocket. Segal made the shot handily. Nikolaidis, after some issues setting up the shot, made the shot as well. ![]() ![]() Europe Shot #7 Europe - 8 USA - 7 Nikolaidis just tried to maintain Europe's lead with this classic Over, Around, and Under shot. The cue ball splits a cluster by the side pocket, jumps over a bridge, goes three rails around the table, and passes back under the bridge to pocket the hanging ball in the corner pocket. Nikolaidis was able to make it, but Barthelette was also up to the task, keeping the one point margin. USA Shot #7 Europe - 8 USA - 8 Barthelette picked another classic shot out for Team USA's next challenge. This shot is known as Michael Phelan's Challenge. The cue ball hits the first object ball, sending it four rails around the table. In the meantime, the cue ball follows along the short rail and pockets the ball hanging in the corner pocket, clearing the way for the first object ball as it comes around. Barthelette hit the shot, putting the pressure on Europe. Wolkowski couldn't come up with it though, leveling the match. ![]() USA Shot #8 Europe - 8 USA - 9 Segal came out with this draw shot, trying to take their first lead. The cue ball knocks the first ball out of the way, slides over and caroms off the second ball, knocking it into the side pocket, then draws back to pocket the ball hanging in the corner. Segal lined the shot up and knocked it down. Nickolaidis wasn't so lucky, giving USA a one point lead late. ![]() ![]() Europe Shot #9 Europe - 9 USA - 10 Trying to tie it back up, Nikolaidis chose this ambidextrous jump shot. All the balls are jumped one-handed over blocks of wood, alternating between right-handed and left-handed with one jump cue in each hand, in at most 45 seconds. Nikolaidis demonstrated his wizardry pocketing all of the balls. Segal, undaunted, also made the shot, maintaing USA's advantage. USA Shot #9 Europe - 9 USA - 11 Finally the USA picked a team shot, trying to extend their lead. This one is the Two Man Weave. The cue ball is volleyed back and forth between the row of balls before finally being fired to pocket a hanging ball in the corner pocket. Segal and Barthelette showed off their teamwork, hitting the shot. Nikolaidis and Wolkowski looked more unfamiliar with the shot, missing it, which secured a tie for the USA. ![]() ![]() Europe Shot #10 Europe - 9 USA - 11 Desperately needing a point to even have a chance, Wolkowski pulled out this Timing Masse shot. The object ball gets sent five rails around the table. In the meantime, the cue ball is masse'd, pocketing an object ball in the near corner pocket, and rockets back up table to cut the first object ball into the other corner pocket. Wolkowski couldn't get the timing down right though, handing the victory to the USA and giving them a point heading in to the final.
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