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2008 World Cup of Trick Shots - Final USA Andy Segal Europe Stefano Pelinga
USA Shot #1 USA - 3 Europe - 1 With the USA bringing a two point lead into the final by virtue of winning both semifinals, Andy Segal opened with a relatively simple jump shot. An object ball was shot down the rail into the corner pocket, taking out a coin wrapper on the way. The cue ball, falling off the coin wrapper, bounces off the top of the rail and across the table. On its way across, the cue ball is jumped through a rack propped up on a couple pieces of chalk to make the combo in the corner. Segal executed it to perfection, putting immediate pressure on Europe to keep up. Lukasz Szywala wouldn't let Europe slip farther behind though, also making the shot.   Europe Shot #1 USA - 3 Europe - 1 Szywala tried to get Europe back in to the match with a six ball speed shot. The cue ball was slow rolled into the corner pocket, while six object balls were fired in before it. Szywala got a little unlucky as one of the object balls ended up bouncing out of the pocket and off the table on what otherwise would have been a good shot. Segal subbed for Bruce Barthelette on this shot, but was unable to make the shot as the cue ball rolled off line. USA Shot #2 USA - 4 Europe - 2 Barthelette came back with the Green Monster jump shot. The cue ball is jumped over a wall the length of the table into a baseball glove on the other side of the table. Barthelette launched a perfect strike for the point. Europe utilized their sub as Szywala took the shot for Nick Nikolaidis. It wasn't wasted either as Szywala nailed the shot as well, keeping the deficit at two.   Europe Shot #2 USA - 4 Europe - 2 Nickolaidis challenged with a type of speed jump shot. Five balls were hit quickly three rails around a rack and then jumped sequentially through the rack into the corner pocket. Nikolaidis came close, but rattled out the last ball. Tom Rossman came up for USA's attempt, but he couldn't get the speed down for the five balls. USA Shot #3 USA - 5 Europe - 2 Rossman pulled out a coin wrapper shot variation for his shot. The cue ball clears out the coin wrappers and drops the hanging six ball in the side pocket. The seven ball on the coin wrapper follows the six ball in. As the nine ball rolls the other way, the eight ball is jumped over it into the same side pocket, and then the nine ball is hit directly into the side pocket to complete the rotation. Rossman dropped all four balls like a bad habit for the point. Ralph Eckert came up for Europe's attempt. On his first try, he forgot to send the 8 ball back to the other side pocket and on his second, overhit the jump shot giving the USA a three point lead.   Europe Shot #3 USA - 6 Europe - 3 Trying to atone for the miss, Eckert picked out a speed shot, the Corner Collation. The cue ball is sent three rails around the table and five balls are rocketed into the corner pocket followed by the cue ball coming off the third rail. With plenty of time to spare, Eckert hit the shot. Mike Massey came up for USA's attempt, hitting the cue ball a bit hard, but showing no signs of slowness firing the five object balls in to keep the three point advantage.  Europe Shot #4 USA - 6 Europe - 3 Pelinga picked a jump-masse shot for Europe's next challenge. The cue ball pockets an object ball in the corner pocket, jumps over a wall of chalks, rebounds off the far rail, then masse's back two more rails to go up and pocket the hanging ball in the corner pocket. Pelinga couldn't quite get the masse to pull fast enough in missing his attempts. Barthelette fared no better though. USA Shot #5 USA - 7 Europe - 4 This team jump shot was USA's next selection. Two teammates jumped a ball the length of the table into a box. Team USA covered the holes of the box with pictures of Allen Hopkins and Mitch Laurance. Segal and Barthelette were on target for the point and then covered the holes with pictures of themselves for Europe to target. Szywala and Nikolaidis made good on the shot keeping the deficit at three.   Europe Shot #5 USA - 7 Europe - 4 Trying to get back in the match, Nikolaidis chose a stroke shot. The cue ball ricochets off an object ball, swings around the bowling pins and spins three rails around the table to pocket the hanging ball combination. Nikolaidis couldn't get the shot down though. Barthelette came a little closer, but still couldn't get it down.  Europe Shot #6 USA - 7 Europe - 5 Still behind by three, Eckert conjured up this bank shot. The cue ball has to clear a blocker ball from the pocket for the banked object ball. Eckert hit the shot, getting Europe within two. Trying to maintain the three point advantage, Rossman narrowly missed as the cue ball couldn't beat the banked ball to the corner, as Europe climbed back to within two. USA Shot #7 USA - 8 Europe - 5 USA's seventh selection was a full team shot. The first part was a Power Draw followed by two sets of speed shots and finally a long jump shot into a pillow propped on a hanging ball in the corner pocket. Massey powered the draw shot while Segal and Rossman took care of the speed shots and Barthelette launched the jump to complete the shot. Europe didn't get quite that far as Pelinga miscued on the Power Draw, letting the USA clinch at least a tie. 
 Europe Shot #7 USA - 8 Europe - 5 With Europe needing to make all of the remaining shots, Pelinga tried a massive masse. The cue ball flies up the length of the table pocketing a combination, then masse's back again the length of the table to pocket another hanging combination. Pelinga was unsuccessful though, handing the World Cup of Trick Shots title back the USA.
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