Jaspers has to wait: problems with his table

VILA NOVA DE GAIA – Dick Jaspers was already at the table to start his match, warm-up had started on three other tables, when it became clear that the table the Dutchman was supposed to play on, was not in good order. ,,The cloth came off the rail, there is no way we could play on it', said Jaspers, and the tournament director decided to postpone that match.

Three other matches were in fact played; table 3 was left empty until the round was finished and the mechanics could do their job.
Dick Jaspers had to sit and wait for his match against Juan Pablo Sisterna from Argentina, whilst Frédéric Caudron, Dani Sánchez and Heriberto Aristazabal made sure they qualified, on the other tables.

Caudron did that with his usual panache, if not with the speed of his first encounter: Austrian Gerhard Kostistanski proved not to be a very dangerous opponent: 40-27 in 29 innings.
Dani Sánchez defeated the dark horse Merlin Romero, who started the tournament well, but the Spanish world champion was too strong for him.

And then there was the match between Torbjörn Blomdahl and Heriberto Aristazabal, where Blomdahl needed a miracle to qualify. It was too much to ask, he admitted that himself later.

The Colombian could not get further than 8 points, and Blomdahl had to finish in 15 innings.

,,I had no hope it would happen'', he admitted, and he had not even thought of the match in the Agipi Masters, where he played Kasidokostas and was leading the Greek 32 - 0.

No miracles happened in the Yeatman hotel: the Swedish illusions, if there were any left, were shattered after 7 innings. The Colombian was leading 12 – 10 after 10 innings, Blomdahl took over the lead in the 11 inning, and finished  40-28 in 19 innings.

Three flights are therefore finished:

Frédéric Caudron has 4 points and 1.738 in Flight B, ahead of Gerhard Kostistanski with 0.843.

Heriberto Aristazabal has 2 points in Flight C, with a 1.743 averaged, ahead of Manuel Santos Oliveira with 1.381 and Blomdahl with 1.286.

Dani Sánchez wins Flight D with 1.632 ahead of Merlin Romeiro with 1.632.