Carom
BLANKENBERGE - The buzz in the room is swelling, in some minutes, Benny Goethem will appear in the billiard arena to announce the fourth day of the Belgian Multi's in Blankenberge. The showdown of the preliminaries in three cushion comes up in the afternoon. Caudron-Deraes (71/2), Leppens-Niessen (47/1) and Forton-Leppens (band) are some highlights of the day.
Eddy Leppens took his first win of the tournament, late last night, although it happened in in a tough battle with himself and the opponent. The victory over Philippe Deraes in 47/2 took ten innings (300-230). The other match in the late session showed another high class performance of Patrick Niessen. He shone again in his speciality, the balk-lines (this time 71/2), in which he defeated Johan Devos in 4 innings with a final run of 225.
Steven van Acker played himself into the last sixteen in three cushion by beating Marco Janssen (final run of 8) 40-32. And so we go to the decisions in three cushion now: which eight players will join the eight seeded players today?
The eight are Eddy Merckx, Frédérick Caudron, Francis Forton, Peter Ceulemans, Roland Forthomme, Eddy Leppens, Jef Philipoom and Davy van Havere.
Frédéric Caudron will meet Kurt Ceulemans tomorrow (Thursday), Davy Havere faces his team mate Steven van Acker. Francis Forton plays against Henk Blauwblomme today. For the other spots in the knock-out phase, the heat is on today.
For Spoormans, Stitschinsky and Broux in Group 1.
The other contenders for the last sixteen:
Group 3: Michel van Camp and Peter De Backer
Group 4: Frédéric Mottet and Kenny Miatton
Poule 6: Ronny Daniels and Geert Meylemans
Poule 7: Dirk Weereman and Wesley de Jaeger.
The schedule for today:
11.00:
Balk-line 71/2: Caudron-Deraes
Free game: Niessen-De Bondt
One cushion: Leppens-Forton
14.00:
Thee cushion:
Mottet-Miatton, Spoormans-Stitschinsky, Daniels-Meylemans
16.00:
Thee cushion: De Backer-Van Camp, Salvo-Weeremans.
1/8th finals: Forton-Blauwblomme
18.00:
Balk-line 71/2: Caudron-Devos
Free game: Niessen-Claessen
Free game: De Bondt-Deraes
20.30:
Three cushion, 1/8th: Peter Ceulemans-Van Camp/De Backer
1/8th: Forthomme-Mottet/Miatton
Balk-line 47/1: Niessen-Leppens.