Free game
BOCHUM - The 17-year-old Dane Anders Henriksen, Frenchman Pierre Martory and Germany's Simon Blondeel were the star players in the quarterfinals of the European championship free game. The three young talents qualified for the semifinals in the tournament for players under seventeen. Dutchman Hans Snellen had slightly more troubles to beat his compatriot Jordy Jong, however he managed to win and shared among the semi-finalists.
The tournament is held in Bochum, where the 1968 BC Elfenbein Höntrop presents itself as an excellent organizer. Tomorrow at 11.30, Anders Henriksen plays in the semi-finals against Hans Snellen, Simon Blondeel faces Pierre Martory.
The Frenchman, the German and the Dane finished their match in the quarters over two hundred caroms in five innings. Anders Henriksen, who comes from Nakskov, shone with a wonderful run of 187. The experts consider the Dane as the favorite: he looks mentally strong and shows himself a flawless finisher, including a match over 150 caroms in one inning: however he lost one match in the group stage against Hans Snellen in one inning.
The quarter-finals turned into a battle in which three matches brought two compatriots together. The brothers Simon and Lukas Blondeel met in a match where Simon demonstrated to be the best 200-34 in five innings (highest run 91).
The French fight between Pierre Martory and Jason Petit finished off in a thriller: Martory was ultimately the best in five innings, Jason Petit was only two caroms down at the finish (200-198 in five).
Jordy Jong was the favorite in the match against the other Dutchman, Hans Snellen, who had a slow start in the tournament. Both Dutch players couldn't shine with high runs. The match, with many difficult positions, took fourteen innings. Snellen was the winner 200-148 (runs 44 and 43).
The semi-finals:
Anders Henriksen-Hans Snellen
Pierre Martory-Simon Blondeel