Press Release
LUKAS BERGLUND CROWNED YOUNGEST EVER WPT CHAMPION
SWEDISH SENSATION KNOCKS OUT EVERY SINGLE PLAYER AT FINAL TABLE
Barcelona – 31st May 2011 – 18-year-old Lukas Berglund from Uppsala, Sweden is officially the youngest champion in the history of the World Poker Tour® after winning the Season X WPT® Spanish Championship, presented by PartyPoker.com at the Gran Casino, Barcelona, in his first major live tournament. Berglund, who graduates from high school this week, scooped €206,000 after crushing the field and knocking out every single player at the final table on the way to victory.
Berglund makes history by breaking the record for the youngest WPT Main Event winner, an honour previously held by the USA’s Randal Flowers who took down the same tournament at the age of 20 years and 11 months back in Season VIII. Flowers remains the youngest two-time winner on the WPT, however, following his Season IX victory at the Festa al Lago.
Swedish teenage sensation Berglund, who turns 19-years-old in July, also won a $25,500 seat at the Season X WPT World Championship at Bellagio but because he is not 21-years-old he is ineligible. Instead he’ll receive buy-ins for WPT 18+ events including those in Europe and Florida.
“I graduate from high school this week,” said Berglund. “You could say I have now got the money to have a party! It really all fell into place at the final table, I felt like it was going to be my day and, importantly, I caught cards at the right time. Some of the early stages of the tournament were a struggle as I didn’t pick up aces once until day three. I am looking forward to working on my game in Europe over the coming months as live poker is a new experience for me.”
Berglund had great support from his fellow countrymen on the rail, led by successful professional and Poker Nations Cup winning captain Bo Sehlstedt. The way Berglund simply dismantled every single player at the final table wowed all that watched and a new Scandinavian star was born after a rapid heads-up that saw 26-year old Romain Matteoli from Toulon in France finish runner-up.
The final table action was live streamed with hole cards and commentary on http://www.partypoker.com/blog/ and a full repeat to watch anytime will be available later this week.
The €3,200 + €300 Main Event featured 216 players and a total prize pool of €691,200. Representatives from France, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Spain and Russia made up one of the most multinational final table line-ups seen at a WPT event in Europe.
Full information on how the final table played out and details of hands including Berglund’s magnificent seven knockouts can be found at: http://www.partypoker.com/blog/. Full high resolution and low resolution images can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/partypoker
WPT Spanish Championship €3,200 + €300 Main Event, Gran Casino, Barcelona 25th – 29th May 2011
1. Lukas Berglund (Sweden) €206,000
2. Romain Matteoli (France) €118,000
3. Frederic Bussot (France) €64,000
4. Jorge Duffour (Spain) €47,000
5. Guillem Usero (Spain) €40,000
6. Alexander Sidorin (Russia) €33,500
7. Artur Koren (Germany) €27,000
8. Markus Ristola (Finland) €20,200
Media contacts
Justin Simon, Justin@strivecommunications.com
Warren Lush, warren.lush@bwinparty.com +34656236600
About World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour (WPT) is one of the most recognized names in internationally televised gaming and entertainment with brand presence in land-based tournaments, television, online and mobile. Leading innovation in the sport of poker since 2002, WPT ignited the global poker boom with the creation of a unique television show based on a series of high stakes poker tournaments. WPT has broadcast globally in over 150 countries and territories and is currently airing its all-new ninth season on FSN in the United States. Season 9 of WPT is sponsored by ClubWPT.com, a unique online membership site which offers inside access to the WPT as well as a sweepstakes-based poker club and is available in 35 states across the U.S. WPT participates in strategic brand license, partnership and sponsorship opportunities. WPT is a subsidiary of bwin.party digital entertainment plc. For more information, go to WorldPokerTour.com.
