3-Cushion
VIERSEN - Have the German billiard fans already entered the arena with their three-colored hats and noisy horns? And the Dutch, will they come to cheer Dick Jaspers and Jean van Erp, the reigning champions, or the Belgians to yell for Frédéric Caudron and Roland Forthomme? On the opening day of the World championship for national teams, yesterdag in the Viersen Festhalle, the stands were not yet filled, apart from the schoolchildren that were invited. The fans apparently are waiting for the big teams in three cushion, the favourites for the title.
The reigning champion, the Netherlands, and the Turks enter the ring this afternoon (14.00) for the first time, the Belgians and the Germans one round later at 16.00. That will undoubtedly raise the atmosphere in the playing room. How will they react to the new system, the Scotch Double? And how will the top players anticipate? The Spanish team with Javier Palazón and Ruben Legazpi already showed a good example against Germany B by speaking with each other about the positions and at the end finish it of with the best run so far (12) for the victory: 40 -23 in 31.
Four of the 24 teams have already been sent home. For the Austrians, in this line-up with Arnim Kahofer and Andreas Efler, it was a bitter pill to leave the stage already after two losses. The mission failed, not without any chance, certainly not against Netherlands B, but after the evening session against Japan, the goodbye was definitive.
Germany B (Dustin Jäschke and Markus Schönhoff) was outplayed by Spain and Sweden and Argentinia can make the long trip back home after the loss against Denmark: 40-23 in 34. The Hungarians were beaten by Egypt and South Korea, that made a fresh impression with Sung-Won Choi and Jae Guen Kim. The Colombians were the best winners at the opening day with 1.818 ahead of the Czech Republic with 1.600 and the French with 1.538.
Today, Friday, most of the preliminary matches will be completed. Then, tomorrow are the four last matches on the way to the quarterfinals. The Netherlands and Turkey open than at 11.00 against Colombia and Italy, Germany and Belgium A show up against Greece and the Czech Republic at 13.30. But first of all, there is the battle in the other groups today, to determine which teams are going to compete for the prizes.
Today (Friday) will be played:
14.00: Netherlands-Portugal and Turkey-Peru
16.00: Belgium-Luxembourg and Germany-Switzerland
18.00: Netherlands B-Japan and South Korea-Egypt
20.00 Spain-Denmark and Sweden-France.
The German team with Dustin Jäschke and Markus Schönhoff left the building on the second day
The Koreans Jae Guen Kim and Sung-Won Choi: promising start of the competition