Walter Laikre and Rachelle Enfroy lead the inaugural Junior Boys and Girls U19 standings as the WPA strengthens its commitment to the international development of junior cue sports.
The World Pool Association (WPA) is pleased to announce the launch of its new Junior World Rankings for Boys and Girls, establishing a unified platform to recognise emerging talent and highlight the international reach of junior cue sports.
Bringing together Under-17 (U17) and Under-19 (U19) athletes into a single ranking category for each gender, the new system provides a broader view of junior competition and creates greater visibility for the athletes representing their nations on the international stage.
The First Junior World Rankings
The inaugural Junior Boys U19 standings are led by Walter Laikre of Sweden, who tops the leaderboard with 2,526 ranking points. Slovakia’s Mark Szabo follows in second place with 2,256 points, while Lithuania’s Azuolas Tadarvicius occupies third with 1,770 points.
In the Junior Girls U19 standings, Rachelle Enfroy of France takes the top position with 2,430 points. Croatia’s Tina Gulic ranks second with 1,728 points, followed by Germany’s Merle Schmitz in third with 1,704 points.
These first published standings provide an important reference point for tracking junior performances and celebrating the achievements of young athletes competing internationally.
A Ranking System Across Disciplines
The Junior World Rankings incorporate results from Continental Championships, World Championships and other international junior events sanctioned by the WPA.
The system covers the WPA’s classic pool disciplines — 8-Ball, 9-Ball, 10-Ball and Straight Pool — alongside other disciplines, including Heyball and Blackball.
With fewer ranking tournaments currently available for juniors than for established categories such as Men and Women, combining age groups and disciplines provides a broader basis for ranking athletes while reflecting the diversity of junior participation across nations and competition formats.
Supporting the Future of Cue Sports
Beyond individual recognition, the rankings serve a wider purpose in demonstrating the scale and international reach of the WPA’s junior activities. By highlighting participating athletes and nations, the system helps communicate the growth potential of junior pool to prospective partners and international sports organisations.
This initiative supports the WPA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen junior development and create opportunities for pool to gain greater recognition within international multi-sport events.
A Foundation for Continued Growth
The WPA recognises that the Junior World Rankings will continue to evolve as participation increases and the international junior calendar expands. The Association will regularly evaluate the system, with separate rankings for individual disciplines potentially considered in the future, depending on participation and the development of competition opportunities.
The launch marks an important step towards greater recognition of junior athletes and a stronger international framework for the next generation of cue sports.
The future of pool is already competing on the world stage. The WPA Junior World Rankings give that future greater visibility.
Ranking points shown in the accompanying standings were updated on 18 October 2026.
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