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Game IconBalk-Line 71/2

Henri Tilleman is now lonely at the top

12/08/2013

Published by frits bakker

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© © Adri van Silfhout
Raymund Swertz (2), Henri TIlleman (1) en Gert-Jan Veldhuizen (3)

HAARLO - Dutch player Henri Tilleman is now the only holder of the record which he shared since last mounth with his countryman Hans Vultink. At the Dutch championship balk-line 71/2, which was played in Haarlo, 45-year-old Tilleman took his 45th national championship.

The last round of the championship was decisive for the medals. Tilleman left his last two competitors, young talents Gert Jan Veldhuizen and Raymund Swertz, behind.

The European title holder Swertz, winner of last year's Dutch title, lost his chances in the early stages of the tournament. Gert Jan Veldhuizen was outplayed in the last two rounds, first by Michel Silfhout, in the final match by Tilleman (150-31 in 2 innings).

Henri Tilleman, a former farmer, now owner of a dogs outlet center, De Rennende Rakkers, is now unrivaled in the national record books. He passes the previous record holder Hans Vultink, who for many years had the most titles to his name.

Tilleman started his triumph march at the national championship free game in 1990. Three weeks ago, he won the national title 47/2 in Oegstgeest and leveled with Vultink.

,,I still have a few years to go, so there's plenty time to win another title,'' he said after that win.

That happened in Hotel Prinsen, this weekend, where the national figurehead in the classic disciplines showed his supremacy. He stumbled only once, in the penultimate round against Michel Silfhout (150-113 in 4), but beat all his other opponents before and in the final.

Gert Jan Veldhuizen, his last competitor, was knocked down in the final match with runs of 84 from the break and 66 to the finish. Raymund Swertz his match on the other table vs Rene Luijsterburg, but finished one point down of the champion.
Tilleman also recorded the best average: 39.91. Two players managed to score the maximum run of 150. Raymund Swertz did that twice, Micha from Bochem once.

The final score :

1 Henri Tilleman , 12 points - 39.91 -129
2 Raymund Swertz 11-23.09-150
3 Gert Jan Veldhuizen 9-18.68-98
4 Michel Silfhout 8-21.56-111
5 René Tull 6-17.61-79
6 Dennis Timmers 4-16.69-76
7 Micha van Bochem 4-15.79-150
8 René Luijsterburg 2-16.10-81.

 

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