Top Europeans line up in Main Tour Bid
A high quality field is assembling in Belgium to contest the 2009 International Open, which rewards the winner with a WSA Main Tour ticket.
Ninety-six European players are heading for Duffel, Belgium, all with the hope of winning the event and claiming a coveted place on the 2009-10 WSA Main Tour.
The high quality field boasts fifteen players who at one time or another have been professionals, as well as half a dozen previous play off winners.
Malta's Tony Drago will be the best known name in the line up, but he's joined by another former top 32 player, Robin Hull.
Hull was forced to quit the Main Tour due to illness, but thankfully he's now well enough to compete and recently won the 2009 Finnish Championship.
Former professionals Kristjan Helgason and Brynjar Valdimarsson carry Iceland's hopes, while Alex Borg joins Drago in representing Malta.
Germany have two former professionals, Patrick Einsle and Lasse Munstermann on the starting grid.
Kurt Maflin, the 2006 IBSF world champion, representing Norway, will provide a stiff test to his opponents.
The host country Belgium are led by Kevin Van Hove, the 2007 European play off winner and European champion.
He is joined by more former Belgian professionals, including Steve Lemmens, Mario Geudens and Peter Bullen.
Also representing Belgium is Chris Henry, who was briefly pro in the 1990s, but is far better known as a coach, formerly working with Peter Ebdon.
France's best hope is Yannick Poulain who won through the 2004 play offs to earn a place on the Challenge Tour.
Holland's Roy Stolk, a previous play off winner, leads a strong contingent of Dutch players.
It's worth noting that this event is not open to UK and Ireland players, as all those countries already have their own Main Tour ticket places.
Global Snooker will be bringing you full live coverage of the event and you can check out the Event Index here.
