Under the auspices of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, the World 8-Ball Championship for professional billiards got underway Sunday evening at the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club. 

 

Fujairah hosts the premier competition for the eighth consecutive year, which will continue until the 17^th of February with the participation of 96 players representing 55 countries.

 

The opening ceremony was simple, in form and content, and included a number of exhibition matches between the some of the game’s biggest stars and some welcoming speeches from the Organizing Committee and the World Pool-Billiard Association before the sponsor of the tournament cueing the first ball to mark the launch of the competition.

 

After that six of the best players in the world entertained the attendees with a mini competition of skill and trick-shot exhibition.

 

Sultan Al-Shar’a, Chairman of the Marketing Committee, said tremendous efforts have been made ​​by the Committee to market the tournament locally and globally and pointed to the positive response of many companies due to the tournament giving multiple advertising opportunities through a huge promotional campaign.

 

Al-Shar’a said the total cost for the tournament this year amounted to more than one million U.S. dollars, which makes it the premier billiard event in the world.

 

First place winner will take home a trophy and 40 thousand U.S. dollars and the runner-up will pocket 20 thousand dollars. 

 

Organizers say that cash prizes will be awarded to all participants according to their results and final standing, adding there will be gifts and many prizes to be presented to the attending public.