Triathlon
OLOMOUC - The Anag Cup will not be won this year by Eddy Leppens, last year’s winner and not by Torbjörn Blomdahl. Two Spaniards, Esteve Mata and Raul Cuenca, outplayed the two figureheads tonight.
The match between Blomdahl and Mata was decided after two disciplines: Esteve Mata defeated Blomdahl both in balk-line (100-48 in 4) and one cushion (50-32 in 7). That the Swede won the three cushion match, was only for the statistics.
The match between Leppens and Cuenca was more or less a blood-sweat-and-tears match. The Belgian started strong with the win in the balk-line (100-14 in 5), but then was surprised by a superb 50-run of the Spaniard in one cushion: 50-23 in one inning.
Cuenca, not a renowned three cushion player, attacked in that discipline with a spectacular run of eight. Leppens was put under pressure, fought back, finished as first, but saw Cuenca score the three points he needed in the equalizer: 15-15 in eight innings.
That needed a calculation, as earlier today with Frenchman Villiers, who advanced to the quarters first, but later on was replaced by Marek Faus due to better percentages.
Belgian Leppens also seemed to have the best rate, but eventually he was outplayed by Cuenca, according to the calculations of the percentages.
For Leppens the outcome was 26.07.
For Cuenca 29.57.
Xavier Gretillat had previously qualified after a 3-3 against Wolfgang Zenkner and a better percentage. Arnim Kahofer won 3-0 against Marek Faus.
The semi-finals are:
Mata-Cuenca
Gretillat-Kahofer.