Carom
BLANKENBERGE - Roland Forthomme will play the last match in three cushion tonight (20.30), the other match between Koen Ceulemans and Wesley Jaeger has been cancelled, because Ceulemans has couldn't play. He also has withdrawn for the Belgian Cup in Hooglede.
Just two more players will come in the arena for the final stage to reach the eighth finals. They can disturb the top of the list with highest averages after the first session. Eddy Leppens is the best now with 2.250, which he played in his match against Johan Claessen. Peter Ceulemans follows with 1.800, before Frédéric Mottet with 1.647, Frédéric Caudron with 1.611, Jef Philipoom and Eddy Merckx with 1.500 and Steven van Acker with 1.456.
These averages do not affect the next round. Peter Ceulemans as best player in the first round will face in the second round Frédéric Caudron. The other matches are Jef Philipoom-Ronny Brants, Francis Forton-Davy van Havere, Johan Claessen-Eddy Leppens, Frédéric Mottet-Henk Blauwblomme, Kurt Ceulemans-Steven van Acker and Eddy Merckx-Martin Spoormans.
The winner of the match between Roland Forthomme and Tom Persijn plays against Wesley de Jaeger, who got a bye.
In the other disciplines, Patrick Niessen has the maximum points in the free game, but the defending champion has only played one match. Maarten Janssen (against Jean Godeyne) and Peter Vandeloo (tonight against Philippe Deraes) scored the 400 caroms in one inning. Peter Vandeloo gathered three points in two matches, Maarten Janssen three points in three matches.
Patrick Niessen and Philippe Deraes lead in the 47/2 after one session. Johan Claessen played two matches and is third in the rank with two match points.
Eddy Leppens had a perfect start and defeated Patrick Niessen as well as Philippe Deraes in 47/1, in which Frédéric Caudron has not yet performed. Niessen won one match against De Backer and lost against Leppens.
Frédéric Caudron is the leader in 71/2 with two victories, against Niessen and Deraes. In this discipline De Backer and De Raes shared the points.
In the one cushion only one match was played: Caudron defeated Devos 150-9 in four innings. Tonight Patrick Niessen meets in this discipline Johan Devos.