Incredibly wide geography of participants was the first surprise of the World Cup in Kemerovo. 62 players came to join the tournament (against 98 in 2012). They came from 28 countries what was a unique situation in "Russian" billiard.
Even more interesting was the fact that this tournament was attended by well-known players from not only exotic countries, but very different kinds of billiard: snooker players Filipyak Kasper, Alex Borg, Icelandic Christian Helgason, and quite famous French pool player Vincent Faquet.
None of these stars of "non-Russians" billiards could achieve significant results, but this is not surprising at all. Pyramid in Europe is just beginning to improve.
Only representatives of Russia and Ukraine could get into last 4 of the tournament. Top eight of World championship was diluted by only one Belarusian player – Evgeny Kurta, but he could not get into the semi-final. He was defeated by Nikita Livada(6-1).
Two best Ukrainian athletes, Alexander Palamar and Yaroslav Tarnovetsky, who both are in a great form at the beginning of the new season, had to play against each other in the semifinals. Tarnovetsky, who twice in this tournament won almost hopeless games, has recently became uncomfortable opponent for Alexander Palamar. Before the match with a "Tornado", Alexander has defeated the defending Europe and World champion of "Free pyramid" Vladislav Osminin(6-2). But slow game, which has recently became a new style of Tarnovetsky, didn’t give to Palamar any chance to show his best game. Alexander had a good start and the middle of the match, he led 4-3, but Jaroslav was traditionally strong in the final frames. He took three games in a row - 8:0, 8:3, 8:3 - and won a ticket to the final.
In the final match Tarnovetsky had to fight not only against a strong opponent, but against all the fans in the auditorium. It’s because Ukrainian player opposed local Kemerovo’s hero – Sergey Loktev. Not many people really considered the 22-year-old Loktev as a real contender for the world title. His past merits like a victory in the final stage of the"Start-Dynamics" Cup 2011 have been already forgotten. But at this World Cup Victor loudly reminded himself, winning two consecutive ex-world champions of "combined pyramid": first Chepikov Alexander (6-2) and then Nikita Livada (6-4).
But the beginning of the final match was a total advantage of Tarnovetsky. When the Ukrainian athlete took the lead 5-0, it seemed that the intrigue in this game died completely. However Kemerovo’s hero Victor Loktev at home audience applause that followed his every successful hit, suddenly started to win frame by frame.
Victor managed to win three games, but then Jaroslavbroke the looming comeback of his opponent. Ninth frame was the last in this match, and Jaroslav Tarnovetsky first time in his career, won the world title of the "Combined pyramid" champion!
