Europe Top-16 Cup | 12 Jan 2024

CCB Europe Top 16 Cup Reigning champion Ying Han was forced to withdraw

Reigning champion Ying Han of Germany was forced to withdraw from the 2024 edition of the China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup due to injury. Ying HAN, residing in Düsseldorf and a player of the Polish Champions League winner Tarnobrzeg, faces an extended break.

HAN had to withdraw from both the Europe Top 16 Cup in Switzerland (January 20/21 in Montreux) and the Team World Championships in South Korea (February 16-25 in Busan). The substitute for Ying HAN in the elite field, where only two players from one nation are allowed, is yet to be decided. Xiaona SHAN is listed as the first replacement, but she is not fully fit due to neck and shoulder problems. The European Championships third-place finisher will wait until Tuesday before deciding on her potential participation.

If SHAN also doesn't travel to Montreux, the German champion Sabine WINTER (Dachau) and Under 19 World Championships third-place Annett KAUFANN (Böblingen) would be the next candidates in that order.

The tournament, established in 1971 with twelve players, also features previous winners Nina MITTELHAM (Berlin) in 2021, Dang QIU (Düsseldorf) the men's runner-up from the previous year, and the five-time winner Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Neu-Ulm) representing Germany.