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THE HELSINGBORG OPEN JUNIOR CAROM 2024

The Swedish Youth Billiards Tour has now expanded to include Carom. In mid-September, 10 excited young players gathered with their coaches in southern Sweden, specifically in Helsingborg. Some arrived the day before and had already spent one night in rented cabins at First Camp Råå Vallar, while others from the north had a longer journey and had to spend the night on a slightly chilly night train, arriving early on the morning of the competition. The players and coaches know each other quite well and are used to living together, after many events on the Youth Tour. It is always a joyful reunion when they meet, filled with fun activities, inside jokes, and conversations between the young people and their leaders. Normally, they play pool during Youth Tour competitions, but this time, carom was on the schedule. Most of the young players had never tried carom before, but they received valuable assistance and tips from the talented Mio Svensson.

The tournament was held at BK Borgen, which also took care of all catering throughout the day. The day started with the players replenishing their energy for the upcoming competition with a hearty breakfast, featuring a variety of rolls and toppings. The young players enjoyed breakfast together, and it was clear that they were all excited and happy to meet again, even though it hadn’t been long since they had played in a pool tournament in Sundsvall, northern Sweden. Once everyone was full, and the coaches had enjoyed their much-anticipated morning coffee, it was time for Sven Junghagen, Sports Director for Carom at the Swedish Billiards Federation, to give a brief explanation of how carom is played, the scoring, and the relevant rules. The game played was an adapted version of a cushion game to make it more accessible for players new to the format. A one-cushion shot was awarded one point, two cushions two points, and three cushions or more three points. Instead of playing to a predefined score, group stage matches were played over 20 innings, while the final stage was played over 25 innings. This proved to be a successful adaptation, allowing players new to carom to consistently feel the reward of scoring points. After a few rounds of matches, it was time for lunch. The members of BK Borgen had prepared a fantastic meal, and all players and coaches ate with impressive appetites. This was certainly a well-needed break, as the day was intense with back-to-back matches. In the afternoon, the tournament concluded with a much-anticipated winner – Mio Svensson, already an established carom player. The runner-up was, like Mio, another Longoni Next Generation Team player but in pool – Jonah Kramer.

Full results from the tournament can be found on Cuescore: https://cuescore.com/tournament/Swedish+Youth+Tour+-+Carom/47807983

It’s truly a delight to see how these young players are continually developing their billiards skills and setting personal goals. For some, it might be mastering a particular shot, while for others, it could be achieving a win against a specific opponent. Although the main tournament was over, more fun was on the agenda, including a Scotch doubles cup, where young players and coaches were paired in teams. After that, the young players had time to play both carom and pool with each other in a more relaxed, non- competitive environment.

The day at BK Borgen ended with dinner, another fantastic meal prepared by the members, after which it was time to head back to the campsite for an evening hangout. Some gathered in a cabin to play cards, while others took a lovely evening walk on the beach at sunset. It is heartwarming to see how the young players and coaches come together during the Youth Tour. Beyond the game itself, they also live together, spending a great deal of time with one another. This builds a strong sense of community, fostering deep relationships and creating memorable weekends. A huge thank you to BK Borgen, who opened up the club for a day and a half, all seen as an investment in youth activities. The event was a great success, and hopefully, more young players in Sweden will take an interest in carom in the future!