3-Cushion
ZUNDERT - The Christmas tournament in Zundert, the traditional end of the year, may rejoice again in a great field of competitors. The Dutch/Belgian clash, from Tuesday 27 until Friday, December 30, is enriched with the arrival of an exceptional talent. The young, 19-year-old Korean Haeng Jik Kim is triple world champion as a junior and a great crowd puller in the cosy and often crowded billiard center of Den Hoek in Zundert, a city almost on the border between the Netherlands and Belgium.
The snipers, as the Belgians are announced, can expect a stiff competition from the Dutch bravura. What about, for instance, Jean van Erp, who's playing a great season in Belgium and in Germany, Raimond Burgman, the veteran, or Barry van Beers, the home player in Zundert.
Frédéric Caudron defends the title he won last year in the final against Roland Forthomme. He is the leader of one of four groups, the other three are Roland Forthomme, Eddy Leppens and Eddy Merckx.
Everyone who has anything to do with billiards in the Netherlands and Belgium, can take a look inside for a while in the days before New Year. It is the annual reunion of players, officials, organizers and supporters, the tournament where Jan van Kerkoerle is the master of ceremony for eighteen years already. The place where famous sportsman, such as the billiards legend Raymond Ceulemans, Ludo Dielis and former football coach Kees Rijvers often walk inside and where the organization exists of a fixed and dedicated team for many years.
The friendly face of Jack Broos at the entrance, Jos Goossens, the treasurer, Lennart Schrauwen, who handles everything that has to do with technology, who is in contact with the Kozoom team (for the live stream) and not least Ad van den Brand (with his wife Annie), the coordinator of the referee corps, who is already for twenty years involved with the Christmas tournament.
The draw for the 35th edition was two weeks ago in the billiard center Den Hoek. The sixteen players were divided into four groups of four with Frédéric Caudron, Eddy Leppens, Eddy Merckx and Roland Forthomme as serie heads.
Sander Jonen, the world champion artistic, will provide an exhibition during the tournament.
The group format:
A: Frédéric Caudron, Gerwin Valentijn, Barry van Beers, Glenn Hofman
B: Eddy Leppens, Haeng Jik Kim, Jef Philipoom, Harrie van de Ven
C: Roland Forthomme, Jean van Erp, Peter de Backer, Martin Spoormans
D: Eddy Merckx, Raimond Burgman, Peter Ceulemans, Jeffrey van Nijnatten.
The matches are broadcasted live by Kozoom.com for three days. The results and reports are accessible to everyone on the site, the matches can be followed live by Premium Pass holders.
A: Frédéric Caudron, Gerwin Valentijn, Barry van Beers, Glenn Hofman
B: Eddy Leppens, Haeng Jik Kim, Jef Philipoom, Harrie van de Ven
C: Roland Forthomme, Jean van Erp, Peter de Backer, Martin Spoormans
D: Eddy Merckx, Raimond Burgman, Peter Ceulemans, Jeffrey van Nijnatten.
The matches are broadcasted live by Kozoom.com for three days. The results and reports are accessible to everyone on the site, the matches can be followed live by Premium Pass holders.