With the shortest segment over I will now turn to eternite. I the WMF-rulebook there are 25 different lanes (more to come after the meeting in Odense probably) and some of them can be easily discarded from cup-consideration. But first I must once again question the decision to use the 9 lanes with the highest average. Why should a really difficult lane be used? Why shouldn’t a difficult lane be used? If we have to select 9 lanes based on the average then why not choose the 9 most average lanes statistically? Why not use lane 6-14 based on the average? Then you won’t have the 5 easiest lanes and not the 4 most difficult lanes either. This could of course also be used on felt.
But I still believe that lanes should be chosen based on how good they are, regardless of the average. Let’s go!
I will start by removing all more or less pointless lanes. Jump with net, labyrinth, double wedges, middle hill, volcano, V-obstacle, V-obstacle with sloped circle.
Now I will place all lanes in different categories to make sure that we get 9 lanes with pretty even distribution.
Group 1 (3 lanes) will be made up by lanes where you normally would use a spin shot; Loop, double waves and bridge.
Group 2 (3) consists of ball managing lanes; pyramids, flat loop and cones.
Group 3 (4) are straight shot lanes; straight lane with window, sticks, pipe and wedge with window.
Group 4 (4) are lanes where you most of the times use the board; kidney, straight lane, angle and lightning.
Group 5 will be the leftovers only to be used in a special situation. Passages, sloped lane/circle without obstacles and plateau.

When I write that a lane should always be included, there’s always a slight possibility to remove it.
Group 1:
The loop should be in the cup, except when it’s a bad obstacle or if it’s like in Steyr where the ball could take over a minute to reach the hole. Double waves should be included if there’s a normal way to play, not when you can play a stone or Euro 60 like in Prague. If the bridge will give aces to a proper shot and a 2 for a bad shot, include it!

Group 2:
Pyramids and cones should always be included. The flat loop should be included as long as the ball is let out into the green in a constant way.

Group 3:
Sticks should always be included. If there is a wedge with a window that should be included as long as the opening is more than the minimum 10cm or you play with such line that you pass the hole on every shot. The straight lane with window should be excluded as long as possible since it doesn’t present many ways to play the lane. The pipe can be included if the ball is let out of the pipe in a constant way. You should never lose a lane on bad luck.

Group 4:
I know that this group is not really group with lanes with only board shots, but I can’t divide lanes into more groups than I already have.
Kidney should only be included if the main way to play is off the right board or if you play inside the obstacle with a ball bouncing 15cm+. All other shots are too easy and the probability of a tie is too high. If the lightning requires a straight shot it should be included, if a board shot is the main way to play there shouldn’t be a big 2nd chance to get an ace if you miss the hole the first time. Angle should be included in most cases. Also straight lane should be included as it offers a lot of different ways to play.

Group 5:
Passages are seldom a good constant lane and when it is constant it’s generally to easy, don’t use. Sloped lane/circle without obstacle is not a very interesting lane to play, but could be included if you can’t get 9 good lanes. Same goes for plateau if it is high enough. A low plateau is as useless as a volcano.

So again I will take some of the international courses I’ve played on and have a look to see what lanes I would’ve included.
Geldrop: Loop (group 1), double waves (1), bridge (1), pyramids (2), cones (2), sticks (3), wedge with window (3), lightning (4) and angle (4). That makes three lanes from group 1 and two lanes from each of group 2-4. No lane from group 5 is used as we already have nine good lanes.
Steyr: Double waves (1), bridge (1), cones (2), flat loop (2), sticks (3), wedge with window (3), pipe (3), lightning (4), and angle (4). This time group 3 gets three lanes and the rest two lanes. At first I think I remembered that the flat loop wasn’t that constant and I was considering using either kidney (even though most played straight, it demanded a good shot) or the passage.
Bergheim: Double waves (1), bridge (1), pyramids (2), flat loop (2), sticks (3), wedge with window (3), lightning (4), angle (4) and passage (5). This passage was good if me memory isn’t that bad, which it actually is normally. The loop could actually be considered here since you had to have good temperature on the ball and the shot was much more demanding than in Steyr. So if the passage would be removed, the loop would fill in.

I’ll be back with the felt lanes.