3-Cushion
PARIS/ROUEN - On the last day of the first full round in the French league, CMO Morangis defeated the title holder, La Baule, 5-3. The other two teams in Group A, Rouen and Colmar played a draw: 4-4. Andernos and Laxou are the first frontrunners in Group B by victories over Gravelines and Retro Albertin. The first star players were Eddy Merckx, Murat Naci Coklu and Frédéric Roelants with averages over two.
In the top match between CMO Morangis and La Baule, two of the La Baule players: Frédéric Caudron and Jean Paul de Bruijn, were missing. The match levelled until the break, in the second part, the Parisians took the win. Eddy Merckx was the better of Jérémy Bury, the Belgian led 36-11 in 12 and finished with 7 for a final score of 50-30 in 18 (2.779), the best winner of the opening round.
Murat Naci Coklu was a way too strong for Dick Jaspers in the match between Rouen and Colmar. The Dutchman suffered a rare big defeat 50-24 in 21, 2.381 for Colmar's Turkish number 1. Javier Palazón, the second man at Rouen, defeated Dion Nelin 50-43 in 32.
Frédéric Roelants (Gravelines) was the third player over 2 average. He beat Jérôme Barbeillon 50-34 in 23 (2.174). That was the only victory for Gravelines in the match against Andernos. Nikos Polychronopoulos defeated Martin Spoormans 50-39 in 33, Roland Forthomme beat Ronny Daniels 50-37 in 34 and Frédéric Mottet bested Frédéric Beghin 50-43 in 34.
Group A:
CMO Morangis-La Baule 5-3
Jean Christophe Roux-Ronny Brants 37-50 (48)
Jean Reverchon-Mikaël Devogelaere 50-50 (56)
Eddy Leppens-Francis Forton 50-39 (31)
Eddy Merckx-Jérémy Bury 50-30 (18)
Rouen-Colmar 4-4
Thierry Roxo-Andreas Efler 42-50 (37)
Vincent Facquet-Jérôme Riotto 50-34 (50)
Javier Palazón-Dion Nelin 50-43 (32)
Dick Jaspers-Murat Naci Coklu 24-50 (21)
Ranking after 1 round:
1 CMO Morangis 2 points
2 Rouen 1
2 Colmar 1
4 La Baule 0
Group B:
Andernos-Gravelines 6-2
Frédéric Mottet-Fréderic Beghin 50-43 (34)
Jérôme Barbeillon-Frédéric Roelants 34-50 (23)
Roland Forthomme-Ronny Daniels 50-37 (34)
Nikos Polychronopoulos-Martin Spoormans 50-29 (33)
Retro Albertin-Laxou 3-5
Xavier Le Roy-Eric Kremer-Leclaire 50-48 (46)
Cédric Melnytschenko-Pierre Soumagne 39-50 (38)
Glenn Hofman-Jef Philipoom 31-50 (31)
Peter Ceulemans-Martin Horn 50-50 (40).
Ranking:
1 Andernos 2 points
1 Laxou 2
3 Retro Albertin 0
3 Gravelines 0.
The Morangis team started with a victory over the reigning champion La Baule
Colmar team (Murat Naci Coklu right) returned home with a draw against Rouen, Coklu defeated Jaspers