3-Cushion
HAARLO / SLUISKIL - The top match in the Dutch three-cushion league has further strengthened Haarlo HCR Prinsen's leading position. The heavily fought victory over SIS Schoonmaak from The Hague (6-2) brings teamcaptain Dinand Prinsen and his team on a three-point lead, comfortable enough to enter the winter break in a few weeks as the leading team. The Belgian substitute Jef Philipoom was the match winner for Prinsen. Birol Uymaz played for his team, DPC, the best match of this round: 40 caroms in 8 innings.
In the Sluiskil stronghold of Dallinga, with a crowded arena, two old world-class athletes met in the billiard room. Raymond Ceulemans (80) played for the Dallinga team, Jo de Roo (also 80), former cycling legend, came as a spectator to watch the legend in billiards. Raymond Ceulemans won, among other things, 21 world titles in three cushion. Jo de Roo, who lives in Zeeland, won the cycling classics Tour of Flanders, Bordeaux-Paris, Paris-Tours and the Tour of Lombardy.
HCR Prinsen had to put up a big fight for the last caroms and the win in the top match against SIS Schoonmaak. The 4-0 lead at the stop, by wins of Anno de Kleine over Raimond Burgman, 40-35 in 32 and Jelle Pijl over Jeffrey Jorissen, 40-24 in 20, was almost levelled after the break. Glenn Hoffman looked very strong and beat Eddy Leppens 40-29 in 21. Jean van Erp was close to victory against Jef Philipoom, at 38-34, but in an ultimate effort the Belgian finished with six and won 40-39. He was rewarded with a big applause by the home crowd.
Birol Uymaz played a world class match in this round for DPC from Vlaardingen in the encounter with De Veemarkt. The Turk beat his compatriot Can Capak 40-21 in 8 innings, good for 5.000 average, as Marco Zanetti did against Jérémy Bury in Lausanne this weekend. The frontrunner in the team started with 2, 7, 7 and 1, then scored a 14 and reached the finish with 2, 2 and 6. Thanks to Uymaz' win, DPC won the home game against De Veemarkt 6-2. Martin Spoormans was the other, strong winner against Huub Wilkowski: 40-35 in 23. Jérôme Barbeillon lost by only one point vs Tolgahan Kiraz (40-39 in 32). Richard Bitallis defeated Dieter Grossjung 40-26 in 29.
Team Eekhoorn is leading the bunch behind the leaders after a 6-2 victory over Dallinga. For Sluiskil, only Jean Paul de Bruijn could win against Frans van Kuyk for the home club (40-38 in 31). Raymond Ceulemans was far away from his best form and lost to Kenny Miatton with 40-31 in 47. Kurt Ceulemans signed for the Eekhoorn victory by beating Steven van Acker 40-32 in 35.
L & B Ledermode and A1 Biljarts were in balance in their mutual fight. Eddy Merckx lost to Christian Rudolph (40-39 in 24) and Dave Christiani defeated Martien van der Spoel 40-32 in 32.
STZ Zundert lost the contact with the bunch due to home loss against Bousema Lochem. The averages were high in that match. Stefan Galla and Wesley de Jaeger won before the break against Barry van Beers and Raymon Groot in 20 and 21 innings. Murat Naci Coklu was the best man of the day by a win over Roland Forthomme, 40-24 in 16. Peter Ceulemans was the better of Martin Horn. ,,I had 8 in 8 and then could run out to 40-19 in 17, helped by a run of 13'', said Ceulemans, who beat Horn again one day later in the Belgian league.
The top five on the ranking:
1 HCR Prinsen, 8-16
2 SIS Schoonmaak 8-13
3 DPC 8-9
4 Team Eekhoorn 8-9
5 A1 Biljarts 8-8
6 L&B Ledermode 8-8.
Two former, 80 year old world class sportsmen in Sluiskil: Raymond Ceulemans, 21 world titles in three cushion, Jo de Roo, cycling legend with wins in Tour of Flanders, Bordeaux-Paris, Paris Tours and Tour of Lombardia
Belgian Jef Philipoom forced the win for Prinsen in the topmatch against SIS Schoonmaak