Merckx defends his title, Sayginer star of the event

ZUNDERT - Eddy Merckx is the defending title holder in The 'Kersttoernooi' in Zundert, that will be hold on Monday 27, Tuesday 28, Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30th December. The tournament is the traditionel end of the year for the top of three cushion players from the Netherlands and Belgium and has a rich palmares of winners. This year Semih Sayginer is one of the stars in the event. The Turkish player is not only a participant, he also will give a demonstratrion of trickshots on Wednesday, the day before the finals.

Frédéric Caudron in the history of The Kersttoernooi is the record holder with six victories, Raymond Ceulemans five times was crowned as the winner, Christ van der Smissen three times, Torbjörn Blomdahl won in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and Eddy Merckx also took the win three times.

The first editions were dominated by Ludo Dielis, who won in 1977, 1978 and 1979.

The BHV 3 bandentoernooi, as the Kersttoernooi has been named, is allready for years a kind of Netherlands vs Belgium with one or more stars from other countries. Louis Havermans, the organizer in his billiard room Den Hoek in Zundert: ,,Last year we had Dani Sánchez, now we have chosen for Semih Sayginer, but also we have all the top players of Belgium at the start.''

The matches are played on two tables in an intimate ambiance. Sixteen players participate in four groups, the semi finals and the final are on Tuesday 30th December.

The grouping of the poules:

Poule A: Jef Philipoom (Belgium), Jean van Erp (Netherlands), Barry van Beers (Netherlands), Francis Forton (Belgium).

Poule B: Frédéric Caudron (Belgium), Roland Forthomme (Belgium), Glenn Hofman (Netherlands), Harrie van de Ven (Netherlands).

Poule C: Semih Sayginer (Turkey), Eddy Leppens (Belgium), Peter de Backer (Belgium), Jeffrey van Nijnatten (Netherlands).

Poule D: Eddy Merckx (Belgium), Raimond Burgman (Netherlands), Peter Ceulemans (Belgium), Martin Spoormans (Belgium).