Rome Pinball Tournament, a good spot for pinball where Daniele Acciale keeps ruling
Rome – Daniele Acciari is the “King of Rome” of sport pinball. Finally, after three days of competition, where the players have been challenged by 6 new Stern, he won for the third time the 4th Rome Pinball Tournament, defeating in the final the Frenchman, ex European Champion Frank Bona. Cesare d'Atri ended in the third place. One game of the final was played on the brand new and long-awaited Star Trek, a pinball machine produced by Gary Stern, present at Enada to watch the tournament. A side tournament was also run on this machine, with the victory of Giacomo Sorcecchi. The tournament took place in the contest of Enada Roma, opening pinball to the public attention and to the media, that are more and more interested to this discipline. In a press conference held during the festival, Alessio Crisantemi, IFPA Italia president, had the opportunity to make few statements about it, talking about "Sports pinball in Enada: do not forget the entertainment". Alessio Crisantemi, explained what will happen in Rimini next year where the European Pinball Championship will be organized: “More than 30 lovers of all ages took part in this event in these three days of Enada Roma. They have been only a representation of a lot of players that during the year take part at the initiatives of IFPA Italia. Pinball is a fun and socialization time, for this reason we organize this tournament as part of Enada that represents the entertainment field, pure entertainment, as the pinball machine is. Sports pinball is an activity represented in 25 countries around the world with an international ranking with 20.000 players. Here we talk about it because the European Pinball Championship 2014 will be organized in partnership with Sapar that will sponsor the event. It will be held in the days of Enada Rimini, being extended up to 23 of March with an expectation of 200 players".
Why there is a pinball association related to this and connected with the publishing group Gioconews.it? "Those operators, today seen as “the evil of society”, back in the days were seen as those representing entertainment that were giving emotions to people. Well, this field still exists or, rather, resists, given that legislation in Italy is not encouraging it at all. But operators, for their part, as well as institutions, never have to forget entertainment. And everyone in Rimini will see why. Salvation also passes through this. The invitation is to never lose sight of this field."
The winner: Daniele Acciari is 28 years old and comes from Rocca di Papa (Rome), he plays pinball since he was a kid and he works as railroad man. It has been World Champion twice. "The pinball machine – he said – is a passion, but participate to tournaments and face the competition is a passion too."
Runner up: – Frank Bona, currently number 14 in the world ranking and two times European Champion, says about himself: " I am 40 years old, I'm French but I have italian origins, from Bologna, I have been playing pinball machine at a competitive level since 23 years, and I train at least 10 – 12 hours a week. I fell in love with pinball when I saw it as a kid – he remembers – and now I like to challenge myself with high-level players and improve myself."
Now the appointment is from 21 to 23 March, 2014, in Rimini Fiera, where the European Pinball Championship EPC 2014 will be organized, in addition to the spring edition of Enada. IFPA Italia together with Tecnoplay SPA, the Italian distributor of pinball machines and video games and in addition to Rimini Fiera will promote it. The event is sponsored by Sapar. We expect over 150 players from all over Europe.
