Artistic
HAARLO - The Dutchman Dave Christiani has prolonged his title in the Grand Dutch penthatlon by a victory in the final over Raymund Swertz. Erik Vijverberg won the Masters Artistic, also played in Haarlo. He defeated Rob Scholtes in the final match.
Both tournaments had a thrilling ending with a final which was decided in the last innings. Christiani and Swertz competed for the gold medal in the final discipline with ever changing chances. Christiani led after four game types 6-4, therefor the balk-line 71/2 had to decide over the overall win.
Raymund Swertz appeared in that discipline, in which he is a world class specialist, to equal the score by a victory. But in a long, excellent run, he missed unfortunately on one carom from the finish (149).
Dave Christiani went to the table, knowing that he should finish the match to take the tournament win. The reigning champion had only 17 points on the score board and started his run with a breathtaking demonstration.
He kept on scoring on the balk-lines, now and then lost his position, but quickly repaired with his amazing versatility to bring the balls back to the lines. The decisive final caroms came as a relief: Christiani scored his 133 caroms, took the match 150-49 in four innings and prolonged the title that he won two years ago.
In the first part of the final Christiani and Swertz played a draw in the free game in one inning, Swertz won the balk-line 47/2 with 200-80 in one inning, Christiani took three cushion 35-14 in 23 and in one cushion 100-84 in sixteen innings.
The other places in the Etikon Grand Dutch, played in HCR Prinsen in Haarlo, were occupied by Jos Bongers, Henry Tilleman, Michel van Silfhout, Gert-Jan Veldhuizen, René Tull and Micha van Bochem.
The final match in the Masters Artistic was no less exciting. Erik Vijverberg and Rob Scholtes fought until the very end for the win: after four sets the match was in balance 2-2. In the fifth set of ten figures, Vijverberg first led 15-13. Both players scored in the fifth figure (with the white ball near the corner and a three cushion carom): it brought the score to 21-19.
After misses by both players, the eighth figure brought the score to 34-32, the score that remained until the end, although Rob Scholtes missed the tenth figure only by a whisker, because his cue ball was a little bit too short for the winning point.
Martin van Rhee won the duel for third place against René Dericks 2-1. Johnny van Mil was fifth with a 2-1 victory over Peter van der Werff and Randy Loenen grabbed seventh place by a win over Walter Crols 2-1.
In the Etikon Grand Dutch, Jos Bongers was third with a 8-2 gain over Henri Tilleman. Michel van Silfhout defeated Gert-Jan Veldhuizen for fifth place 10-0 and René Tull took seventh place after a 8-2 victory vs Micha van Bochem.