Carom Series
BOCHUM - Two French and one Dutch player stood on the highest stage in Bochum this Sunday afternoon as the winners of the European Cup for classic teams. World class player Raymund Swertz in the balk-line games, Pierre Soumagne and Grégory Le Deventec took European gold with the team that made its debut on the international stage. The French club Douarnenez Sport Billard, brainchild of the Le Deventec family from the Breton town of Douarnenez, beat the German titleholder DBC Bochum in the final. Raymund Swertz was the only player in the tournament who remained unbeaten in all his matches in 47/2, in which he played 83 of average.
Two Dutch top players faced each other in the European Cup: Raymund Swertz (29) from Douarnenez and Sam van Etten (21) from DBC Bochum, both are young players in the balk-line disciplines with European titles at a young age. In the battle for gold, this match was crucial for the further course. Swertz opened with the maximum 250 caroms from the spots, Van Etten failed to equalize. He missed out on 116 on what he himself later called 'a butage', which blocked his cue ball.
Douarnenez thus took an important lead over Bochum. Raymund Swertz later said: ,,We put our opponent under pressure by this first win, but still it remained exciting until the last caroms.''
At the other tables, Pierre Soumagne played for Douarnenez balkline 71/2 against Thomas Nockemann and Grégory Le Deventec batted against Ludger Havlik in one cushion. The German Nockemann had a better start than Soumagne leading 75-29, 104-58 and 140-96 in six innings. Then, the match to 200 points had a setback in a phase where defence playing was an important weapon and the tension rose. Soumagne found his rhythm again with a run of 82 in the tenth inning, but missed out on a pique. The scoreboard was on 188-187 when the Frenchman finished with 12, the decision in the final, because it was the second win for Douarnenez. The third match between Le Deventec and Havlik to 120 points in one cushion was stopped at 117-108 in 20 innings.
Douarnenez Sport Billard has a billiards club run by the Le Deventec family: father Jacky, son Grégory and the other son Florent. The classic team performs one year and a half in the line-up in which the European Cup was won and also took the French title. Raymund Swertz is 29, Pierre Soumagne 31 and Grégory Le Deventec 35.
Raymund Swertz has to travel 1100 kilometres to play for the club in the western tip of Brittany. ,,I like it, because it is a great club with a beautiful venue, a stand and lots of lovely peope. The club owner and the players of the club came to my house after the final. I put some beds on the floor, so that everyone can sleep after we first have taken a few beers.''
,,We were among the favourites, of course, but we didn't expect a victory in our first year. Father Jacky jumped into the air when we won the Europe Cup.'' Swertz won a European Cup once before with the Dutch team of JB Kupers with Dick Jaspers and Michel van Silfhout.
Douarnenez Sport Billard came in the final by a victory over Billard Club De Oissel. Raymund Swertz defeated the 19-year-old Pierre Martory 250-142 in four innings, Grégory Le Deventec won the one cushion vs Johann Petit 120-93 in 18 innings, the third match was stopped. DBC Bochum qualified for the final with a win over the Spanish club Billar Vic. Sam van Etten beat Esteve Mata 250-35 in 2 innings, with his second run of 250. Thomas Nockemann won the other match against Raul Cuenca 200-53 in 3.
The German defending champion showed himself an excellent organizer. It is not yet known whether Douarnenez will organize the Europe Cup final next year.
DBC Bochum lost the title in its own venue
Two youngsters in the European final: Sam van Etten (21) and Pierre Martory (19)