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2009 World Cup of Trick Shots - Final USA Andy Segal Europe Nick Nikolaidis
![]() USA Shot #1 USA - 2 Europe - 1 As each team won one semifinal, the score was tied 1-1 heading in to the final. The USA opened with this dual jump shot. One player jumps a ball over the first stick and bounces it over the second stick to go in the lower hole of the box. The second player jumps another ball directly in to the top hole of the box. Andy Segal took care of the skip and Bruce Barthelette launched the jump, propelling the USA to a 2-1 lead after Nick Nikolaidis and Luke Szywala couldn't convert for Europe. Europe Shot #1 USA - 3 Europe - 2 For Europe's first challenge, Szywala went to his bag of props. The cue ball is caromed off the top of a (plastic) bottle, curving around a rack and pocketing a ball up table with the help of another rack. Szywala easily hit the shot, but it was no problem for Barthelette either. ![]() ![]() USA Shot #2 USA - 4 Europe - 2 Barthelette and Segal teamed up again for USA's next shot. Each also used a plastic cone and bouncing ball for this shot. For each pool ball, the bouncing ball would have to be bounced once, twice, or thrice, and caught in the cone again. Before the catch though, the first player would have to hit a ball one-handed down table. The second player would time his bounces so he could hit the ball into the corner pocket between the last bounce and catch. Barthelette and Segal showed off their perfect timing while Nikolaidis and Ralph Eckert couldn't figure it out. Europe Shot #2 USA - 4 Europe - 2 Eckert came back with more of a precision bank shot, which he had pulled out in the 2008 World Cup of Trick Shots final as well. With most pocket options blocked, the cue ball banks the 8 ball cross corner, but the cue ball must get there first to clear the pocket. Eckert couldn't get it to go this time, and Tom Rossman was also unable to complete it. ![]() ![]() USA Shot #3 USA - 5 Europe - 2 This team shot from the USA combined a bit of everything. One player lags the cue ball and quickly fires five balls in the corner pocket. As the cue ball is rolling back, he knocks it up table again. The second player does the same thing from the other side. As the cue ball is returning though, the third player plops a karate pad on the table and the fourth player takes aim to jump the moving cue ball over the pad and off the table, off another karate pad which is now being held by player one, and into a bin on the floor. It was clear the USA had practiced this one as they made it. Europe was baffled again though and fell behind by 3. Europe Shot #3 USA - 5 Europe - 2 Maintaining the contrast in styles, Nikolaidis pulled out this stroke shot. The cue ball starts about a half inch from the first object ball. Upon hitting the cue ball, the first object ball is pocketed up table while the cue ball jumps over the row of blocking balls, swings around a second blocking ball and goes three rails around the table to pocket the final ball hanging in the corner pocket, possibly with the help of a short cue stick butt. Nikolaidis missed in, but so did Segal, leaving the lead at 3. ![]() ![]() USA Shot #4 USA - 5 Europe - 2 The USA picked another team jump shot. Here, six balls start inside a rack that's positioned three ball widths from the side pocket. One ball must be jumped in to each pocket while the players remain between the second diamonds of the long rail while shooting. Some shots required significant contortion, but neither team was able to complete it. Europe Shot #4 USA - 5 Europe - 3 Stefano Pelinga showed some more European flair with this nasty kick shot. The cue ball kicks off the long rail, splitting the combination sending one across into the side pocket and another up table into the corner. The cue ball caroms off going three rails and pocketing a hanging ball with the help of a rack. Pelinga demonstrated pure class making this difficult shot. Mike Massey couldn't even match it and the deficit was back down to 2. ![]() ![]() USA Shot #5 USA - 6 Europe - 4 Segal came back with this harmless looking jump shot. The cue ball is jumped over a chalk cube and knocks down and lands inside a roll of tape. Both Segal and Nikolaidis made it looke simple, each picking up a point. Europe Shot #5 USA - 7 Europe - 5 Eckert came right back with more elegance. Here the cue ball hits an object ball and goes two rails, pocketing a hanging object ball possibly with the help of a cue stick butt, and clears out of the way. In the meantime, the first object ball goes three rails and follows the cue ball around, going in to the pocket after the cue ball pockets the first ball. Eckert smoothly stroked it in, but Barthelette rose to the challenge as well, maintaining the 2 point advantage. ![]() ![]() USA Shot #6 USA - 7 Europe - 35 This three person shot from team USA combined masse, speed, and jump. Player one performs the Out Of The Rack Masse. After the hit, but before the cue ball gets all the way up the rail, player two hits two balls into the corner pocket. The first ball takes out a coin wrapper landing a ball on the table for player three to jump down the table before the second speed ball gets there. The cue ball hits the stick, pocketing one ball in that corner with the help of the rack, and maintains enough speed itself to get over to the other corner pocket. Segal hit the masse, Massey nailed the speed (surprisingly), but Barthlette missed the jump for the USA. Europe fared no better though, unable to take advantage of the opening. Europe Shot #6 USA - 7 Europe - 5 Europe pulled out a masse of their own. Here, the cue ball is jumped off an object ball and onto the rail, kept in line by a teammate holding a cue stick up there. The cue ball masse's back, hitting an object ball off a piece of chalk and into the corner pocket. Pelinga tried the masse for Europe while Nikolaidis was holding the guiding stick, but they couldn't get it to go. Massey and Rossman couldn't extend team USA's lead though. ![]() ![]() USA Shot #7 USA - 8 Europe - 5 Rossman pulled out this repetitious jump shot. Twelve balls are lined up in groups of three up the long rail. Each ball is jumped off the other long rail, caught in hand, and deposited in to a pocket, all in under 40 seconds. Rossman looked like a machine as he plowed his way through the shot. Pelinga didn't get too far, guaranteeing the USA a tie. Europe Shot #7 USA - 8 Europe - 5 Needing to get a point, Pelinga went all out with this table length masse. The cue ball rockets up table, pockets the combo, and spins back to catch the other combo in the near corner. Unfortunately, Pelinga was unable to get it to go, handing team USA the victory as they successfully defended their World Cup gold medals. ![]() Flag icons courtesy of Studio Twenty Eight. |
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