Deraes and Philipoom best starters in Multi's

BLANKENBERGE - Jef Philipoom and Philippe Deraes struck the first blows on the opening days of the Belgian Multi championships in Blankenberge. Andy de Bond leads the group in the free game with two victories, Patrick Niessen played his first match in balk line and defeated Eddy Berger in 47/1 200-39 in 7 innings.

The most impressive were Jef Philipoom's performance in three cushion and Philippe Deraes' match in 71/2. The balk line specialist Deraes sparkled with a final run of 200 in this tough discipline, beating one of his main competitors, Eddy Leppens 250-98 in five innings.

Jef Philipoom started with a clever win in his group of four against Jef Gijsels (40-24 in eighteen innings, run of fourteen). In his second match Philipoom played over two average until the final innings against Pascal Claus, but the finish took some innings (40-15 in 24).

With those two victories, Philipoom already qualified for the quarter-finals. He will face Frank de Groof in his last match in the evening. Davy van Havere has qualified in the other group.

Kenny Miatton had a flying start in this three cushion group against Martin Ravestyn, whom he defeated 40-7 in 25 innings. Davy van Havere bested Wesley de Jaeger in a close race 40-36 in 27. After two rounds Van Havere leads with four match points after a win in his second match against Miatton 40-35 in 40. Kenny Miatton and Wesley de Jaeger compete for second place in the quarter-finals in this group.

Andy de Bondt is well placed in the group of five in free game after two rounds. His main competitors, Patrick Niessen and Philippe Deraes, meet in this discipline in the afternoon (Monday) at 15.30. De Bondt defeated Nicky Defraeye in a moderate match (400-162 in eight innings) and then defeated Maarten Janssen, who lost the match despite a run of 321. De Bondt won 400-377 in four innings.

In the juniors three cushion Geoffrey Dresselaerts and Thomas Caluwaerts won their two matches, against Dylan Parent and Stef van Hees. The battle for the Belgian title is the match between the two unbeaten winners.