3-Cushion
HOOGLEDE - He may be seen on beforehand as one of the most remarkable players in the finals of the Belgian Cup on 18, 19 and 20 May in Hooglede. Ferdinand van Barel is 87 years old (!). And according to organizer Reginald Depoorter the oldest player ever in the battle for the Belgian Cup.
And even more spectacular is to know that Frédéric Caudron, the holder of the cup, has already been outplayed in the preliminary rounds by Eddy Merckx. And Roland Forthomme was eliminated by Jef Philipoom. They will therefore not perform in the cup final. Ferdinand van Barel belongs to the 32 finalists.
The vital veteran beat in the first round Eddy Misman 2-0 and last weekend he seeded for the final weekend with a win in the Koninklijke St. Niklase against Fabrice Clooster: 2-0. His comments after the match: ,,I didn't play that well, but my defence was good and I made thirty points, my opponent only 16. So I deserve to be in the finals. Not bad for a 87-year-old to play with the 32 best of Belgium.''
Ferdinand van Barel was born in Burcht on 7 september 1924. He started playing billiards after the Second World War with OBK in Burcht, where he was one of the stimulating members of the club.
Later he joined BC Antverpia, where Raymond Ceulemans and Ludo Dielis played in those years. The most notable period in Van Barel's career were the years in the most beautiful billiard temple in Belgium, the Antwerpe Biljart Palace with 24 tables, where Nand van Barel was the director for many years.
Currently he plays for the Koninklijke Sint Niklase, where he plays in the league for De Witte Molen 3.
Besides a gifted, self-made billiards player, Ferdinand van Barel also is a man who loves painting. He mainly painted navy ships, harbor activities, flowers and other things.
The Belgian was highly respected as a billiard teacher in his best years, when he accompanied top talents such as multiple European junior champion Flor De Jonghe to the top. Self, he obtained the height of his career in the late 60 years and in the 70's with a lot of second and third places in national and international championships, where he played with Raymond Ceulemans, Ludo Dielis and Laurent Boulanger.
Fernand van Barel was second at the European championships of 1967 in Angoul (France), where Ceulemans took the first place. Van Barel also was renowned as an artistic player, in which discipline he had to compete with Leo Corin and Raymond Steylaerts.
The Belgian Cup, where he makes his 'comeback' at the highest level, will be played in Hooglede 18, 19 and 20 May in the Gulden Zunne. This 24th cup final is hold in Hooglede for the sixteenth time.
Frédéric Caudron is not the only top player that hasn't been seeded, also Roland Forthomme lacks in Hooglede. He was eliminated by Jef Philipoom. Top players who are in the finals are Eddy Merckx, Eddy Leppens, Peter de Backer, Peter Ceulemans and Martin Spoormans.