3-Cushion
SCHILTIGHEIM - Twenty-two teams are playing the qualifying rounds for the Europe Cup for club teams this weekend (27 and 28 April). The final will be played in the Agipi arena from 7 to 9 June. The winners of five groups show up in the final round with the champions of the Agipi team.
The French dream team won the title eight times in a row. They defeated FC Porto in the final last year, when Frédéric Caudron played a world class match against Dick Jaspers. The Belgian won 40-14 in 12 innings with runs of 11 and 12 and recorded a 2.354 overall average in the final round.
Many famous players, such as Torbjörn Blomdahl, Eddy Merckx, Dick Jaspers, Dani Sánchez, Martin Horn, Filippos Kasidokostas, Tayfun Tasdemir, Lütfi Cenet, Nikos Polychronopoulos, Roland Forthomme, Savas Bulut and Murat Naci Coklu are the big name players this weekend in the qualification rounds.
And many players who were performing at the European championship in Brandenburg, are preparing for another important meeting.
The preliminary rounds will be played at five locations: the groups are assigned to De Ploeg in Halle (Belgium), Van de Broek in Amsterdam (Netherlands), Laxou (France), BC Witten (Germany) and FC Porto (Portugal).
The Turkish team Bahcelievler, that could not qualify for the finals last year, must be considered as one of the biggest competitors for Agipi. The Turkish team plays with Tayfun Tasdemir, Lütfi Cenet, Murat Naci Coklu and Adnan Yüksel.
The top team performs in the group in Porto and must duel with another European greatness: FC Porto with Dick Jaspers and Dani Sánchez as its captains.
Filippos Kasidokostas plays for BC Andernos with Forthomme, Peter De Backer, Jérôme Barbeillon and Francis Connesson.
Torbjörn Blomdahl and Martin Horn for Laxou.
The composition of the groups:
Group A, Halle (Belgium):
BC De Ploeg (Belgium): Jean van Erp, Wesley Jaeger, Thorsten Frings, Dirk Weeremans.
ASD International (It): Innocenzo Rametta, Monticciolo Antonio Francesco Oddo, Emilio Sciacca.
Bristol-Odense (Denmark): Brian Knudsen, Thomas Andersen, Poul Bjerring, Allan Schroder.
Leca Futebol Club (Portugal): Eddy Merckx, Jef Philipoom, Paolo Andrade Amrico Carapuco.
Group B, Amsterdam (Neth):
Van de Broek/Hanbat Cues (Neth): Frans van Schaik, Rob Lamboo, Dick van Uum, Sander Jonen.
BC Andernos (Fra): Filippos Kasidokostas, Roland Forthomme, Peter De Backer, Francis Connesson, Jérôme Barbeillon, Marc Boigneres.
BSV Velbert (Ger): Henk Habraken, Dieter Grossjung, Torsten Anders, Volker Simanowski.
ASD Biglia Modica (Ita) Settiniere Emanuele Salvatore Vispo, Roberto Turla, Fabrizio Cortese.
WBA Wiener Billiards Assoziation (Aus): Arnim Kahofer, Karl Makik Claus Maurer, Herbert Thür.
Group C: Nancy (Fra):
ASLB Laxou (Fra): Torbjörn Blomdahl, Martin Horn, Pierre Soumagne, Eric Kremer-Leclaire, Matthew Franck and Jean-Paul Six.
Billiards Club Zurich (SuiI): Owned Cetin, Torsten Danielsson, My Duy Tien, Nadir Paulovic.
BSK Union SU (Aus) Andreas Efler, Andreas Kronlachner, Werner Proske, Jürgen Pichler.
Etasis Bilardo Spor Kulubu (Tur): Ahmet Alp, Savas Bulut, Mulazim Guner, Hamit Akkaya.
Group D Witten (Ger):
BCC Witten (Ger): Ronny Lindemann, Stefan Galla, Jacob Haack-Soerensen, Markus Dömer.
Biljardsällskap Stockholm (Sweden): Dion Nelin, Michael Nilsson, Henryk Kalita, Patrik Matthies.
Lausannoise Billiards Academy (Swi): Michel Boulaz, Mathieu Boulaz, Khai Ha, Joel Duvoisin.
Societat Coral Colon (Spa): Nikos Polychronopoulos, Josep Maria Mas, Carlos Crespo, Sergio Jimenez.
BC Biljart Express (Bel): Frans van Kuyk, Gerwin Valentijn, Martin Spoormans, Guy van Litsenborg.
Group E: Porto (Port):
Futebol Clube de Porto (Por): Dick Jaspers, Dani Sánchez, Jorge Alipio Fernandez, Manuel Santos Oliveira.
BK Gröndal (Den): Brian Hansen Zola, Tonny Carlsen, Michael Lohse, Carsten Hjöllund.
Gandia Billar Cafemax (Spa): Alfonso Legazpi, Armando Moreno, Antonio Ortiz, Jesus Gallen.
Bahcelievler Kulubu Belediye Spor (Turkey): Tayfun Tasdemir, Cenet, Murat Naci Coklu, Adnan Yüksel.