3-Cushion
SAINT BREVIN - For a bright, sympathetic audience with 400 spectators, the French team has won the European championship for national teams in Saint Brevin. Jérôme Barbeillon forced victory in the final with a win against Eddy Leppens (40-33 in twenty innings).
At the moment that Jérémy Bury had an advantage of 36-28 against Eddy Merckx, the match was stopped, because France had secured the title. The French players celebrated the title for an enthusiastic audience.
The Belgians lost the title that they won in Turkey last year in a thriller, in which Jérôme Barbeillon excelled in his duel with Leppens. The Belgium after the match: ,,Jérôme played his best match of the tournament, with some lucky balls, but also with pretty good caroms.''
Merckx and Leppens were the big favorites for the title after their marvellous semi-final, in which they beat the strong Turkish team 2-0. ,,We had deserved the title very much, because we had 2.000 average before the final'', said Leppens disappointed.
The French team thanked the place in the final to Jérémy Bury, who played an amazing tournament and shone with runs of eighteen and fifteen in the previous rounds. The Frenchman also seemed to beat Merckx, when he was leading 36-28 in 26 innings. The match was stopped after Barbeillon had won his match and France couldn't lose the title anymore.