Carom
BLANKENBERGE - The Belgian championship in three-cushion, which is part of the Multi-championships in the Blankenberge Casino this week, will lead sixteen players to the knockout phase today (Friday) from 11.00. The world's number one Eddy Merckx tops the list of players who have qualified in the previous four days for the final rounds. Merckx took in the group matches 2.068 average. Frédéric Caudron (1.818), Eddy Leppens (1.739), Peter De Backer (1.690) and Peter Ceulemans (1.428) are the top five ranked players.
Roland Forthomme and Frédéric Caudron were the last of eight group winners who battle for the title in the next three days. Caudron remained unbeaten in his group and played his best match against Frédéric Mottet (40-24 in 17). Mottet won his matches against Thomas Broux and Marc Celen and finished second with an excellent average, 1.625.
In the other group, Forthomme started with two victories against Alain Clabots (18 innings) and Martin Spoormans (30). In his last match Forthomme played a draw against Ronny Brants, for whom this 40-40 score was not good enough to qualify. Martin Spoormans was second in the group.
Davy van Havere opens the knockout tournament this morning at 11.00 against Steven Van Acker, Frédéric Caudron faces Frank de Groof at the same time.
The other matches in three cushion today:
13.30: Roland Forthomme-Frédéric Mottet
13.30: Jef Philipoom-Kenny Miatton
15.30: Eddy Merckx-Kurt Ceulemans
15.30: Eddy Leppens-Tom Persyn
18.00: Peter De Backer-Marco Janssen
20.30: Peter Ceulemans-Martin Spoormans.
The ranking of the sixteen seeded players with match points, averages and runs:
1 Eddy Merckx 6, 2068, 10
2 Frédéric Caudron 6, 1818, 9
3 Eddy Leppens 6, 1739, 9
4 Peter De Backer 6, 1690, 9
5 Peter Ceulemans 6, 1428, 11
6 Davy Havere 6, 1121, 5
7 Jef Philipoom 5, 1500, 14
8 Forthomme 5, 1428, 12
9 Frédéric Mottet 4, 1625, 7
10 Kenny Miatton 4, 1337, 10
11 Steven Acker 4, 1307, 8
12 Martin Spoormans 4, 1235, 7
13 Tom Persyn 4, 1173, 7
14 Marco Janssen 3, 1097, 7
15 Frank de Groof 3, 1017, 11
16 Kurt Ceulemans 2, 1017, 6.