Eight teams in battle for French title

PARIS - The French three cushion league in the top division will be played with eight teams divided into two groups of four. The regular season is from November 8th, 2015 until April 10, 2016. The playoffs will take place on 11th and 12th of June.

CetSi Morangis, last year's champion, is again one of the contenders for the title. The main competitors are Andernos, Laxou and Rouen with Dick Jaspers (for three matches), Javier Palazón (all matches) and Ruben Legazpi (three matches). CetSi Morangis comes to the start in the same line-up with the Belgians Eddy Merckx and Eddy Leppens, Richard Bitalis and Jean Reverchon.

Laxou is the main rival with Torbjörn Blomdahl and Martin Horn. Andernos has to miss Filippos Kasidokostas in the first part of the competition. The debutant Billard Club Rouen, with its team leader Vincent Facquet, shows up as a candidate to reach the playoffs.

Dick Jaspers and Ruben Legazpi both play three matches for the team, Javier Palazón all the matches. Also on the players list are Mikaël Devogelaere, Henk Blauwblomme and Vincent Facquet.

Dion Nelin is listed for Retro Albertin, but will not perform in more than one or two games. The basis of the team will consist of Peter and Kurt Ceulemans, Cédric Melnytschenko and Xavier Le Roy.

The group format is:

Group A: CetSi Morangis, St-Maur, Albert, Villeneuve d'Ascq.
Group B: Andernos, Laxou, Rouen, Gravelines.

The team line-ups:

CetSi Morgangis: Eddy Merckx, Eddy Leppens, Richard Bitalis, Jean Reverchon. Teamleader Jean Reverchon.
St. Maur: Jérémy Bury, Jean-Christoph Roux, Thierry Roxo, Louis Edelin, Adrien Tachoire. Teamleader: Louis Edelin.

Retro Albertin: Peter Ceulemans, Dion Nelin, Kurt Ceulemans, Cédric Melnytschenko, Steven van Acker, Xavier le Roy. Teamleader Valéry Callens.

Villeneuve d'Ascq: Martin Ravestyn, Frédéric Beghin, Georges Demos, Steve Dorard. Teamleader Michel Millet.

Andernos: Roland Forthomme, Filippos Kasidokostas, Jérôme Barbeillon, Francis Connesson, Marc Boignères, Frédéric Mottet. Teamleader Bernard Baudoin.

Laxou: Torbjörn Blomdahl, Martin Horn, Pierre Soumagne, Matthieu Franck, Eric Kremer-Leclaire. Teamleader Jean Paul Six. Billard

Club Rouen: Dick Jaspers, Javier Palazón, Ruben Legazpi, Henk Blauwblomme, Mikaël Devogelaere, Vincent Facquet. Teamleader Vincent Facquet.

Gravelines: Martin Spoormans, Ronnie Daniels, Frédéric Roelants, Gilles Stopin, Stanny Buyle. Teamleader Frédéric Roelants.

The first rounds:

8th November:
Group A: Saint-Maur-Villeneuve d'Ascq, Albert-CetSi Morangis
Group B: Laxou-Gravelines, Rouen-Andernos

13th December:
Group A: CetSi Morangis-Saint Maur, Villeneuve-Albert
Group B: Andernos-Laxou, Gravelines-Rouen.