Aaron Busuttil brought Malta’s European Snooker Championship campaign to a successful conclusion after defeating Germany’s Alexander Widau 5-3 in the Six Reds final in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Sunday.
The Maltese player secured the European title after overcoming compatriot Chris Peplow in an all-Maltese semi-final before producing another impressive performance in the final to claim the gold medal.
Busuttil, who finished third in the same competition last year, added the individual title to the silver medal he won alongside Peplow in the men’s team competition on Thursday.
The final against Widau, contested over the best of nine frames, began with the German taking the opening frame.
Busuttil responded immediately, winning the next two frames to move 2-1 ahead.
The two finalists then exchanged frames, with Busuttil maintaining his slender advantage as the match progressed.
Leading 4-3, the Maltese player produced a break of 49 in the eighth frame to secure a 5-3 victory and become the EBSA European Six Reds champion.
Earlier in the day, Busuttil had defeated Peplow in the semi-finals, guaranteeing Malta another medal before the final had even begun.
The two players had already enjoyed a successful championship together, reaching the final of the men’s team competition before narrowly losing 3-2 to Poland.
Busuttil was also Malta’s most successful representative in Sunday’s Shoot Out competition, which took place before the Six Reds final, reaching the quarter-finals before being eliminated.
His European title brought the Maltese contingent’s commitments at the championship to a close after 12 days of competition.
Malta finished the event with five medals — one gold, one silver and three bronze — in what Malta Billiards and Snooker Association president Ivan Brincat described as the country’s most successful performance at the European Championships.
Brincat, who led the Maltese delegation in Sofia, praised the players for their dedication and commitment throughout the competition.
“I feel proud and immensely satisfied with the performance of the Maltese team in these European Championships,” Brincat said.
“Three bronze medals, one silver and one gold, with the title of European Six Reds Champion, make this the best result we have ever achieved in these championships.
“This success is the result of the commitment, sacrifice and dedication of our players, which is an honour to Maltese snooker and Malta.”
Although the European Championships have concluded, several Maltese players will remain in Sofia to compete in the second European Q Tour event of the 2026/27 season, which gets underway on Tuesday.
Busuttil, Alex Borg, Joseph Casha and his son Caiden will be joined by Brian Cini in a field of 109 players representing 24 countries.
The competition will also feature players from outside Europe, including Australia, Pakistan and Hong Kong.
The European Q Tour forms part of a seven-event series organised by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), with the Sofia tournament being held in collaboration with the EBSA.
The series is scheduled to conclude in Sheffield, England, next February.
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