TEAM Europe, playing with more precision and accuracy at the pool tables, easily demolished Team Australasia in six matches, 5-1, forcing their opponent to concede with three matches left in their finals match to capture the first Samui Express Intercontinental Pool Tournament held jointly at the Rolling Stone Bar and Eden Bar in Lamai recently.

Team Australasia also made it to the knockout semifinals by narrowly defeating the women’s team, 5-4, in their own knockout game and made it to the finals by upending Group A winner Team Asia, also by a close margin, 5-4.

Team Asia emerged on top of Group A preliminaries with victories over Team Americas and United Nations Team at the Rolling Stone Bar.

The team, composed of three Japanese, a Turkish, a Filipino and a German, played with so much enthusiasm and fun, but their efforts to reach the finals were halted by excellent pocketing by the Australasian team.

The two-day goodwill tournament, organized by British expats Peter Tauro and Ian Surplice, was a tremendous success with no less than 12 nationalities represented. The two bars, Eden and Rolling Stone, were filled to capacity by spectators. Those who couldn’t be accommodated contented themselves with watching from the street.

Two veteran Lamai expat residents, Justin “Jay” Kilby and Mick Fryer, described the just-concluded tournament as “the best two nights we’ve had in Lamai.”

The first-night competition was preceded by an opening ceremony that featured a rousing rendition of the theme from Star Wars.

Team Europe captain Pete “Shrimp” Bradwell and Ian Leese emerged as joint best players of the tournament by winning all their singles and doubles matches.

The awarding ceremonies were also held in style as all the finalists were given garlands by Glenda Irvine, while trophies and medals were awarded to the winners by Samui Express news editor Patrick Roxas.
The women’s team captain Cat Corrigan presented the organizers with a bouquet in recognition of their efforts.

And later in the night rockets exploded in the midnight sky and everyone went home content and eagerly awaiting the next edition of the tournament.