Balk-Line 71/2
LLEIDA - He started out as the top favourite and lived up to his reputation. 41-year-old Raúl Cuenca prolonged his Spanish title in the balk-line discipline 71/2 after winning the final against Jose Albert Tornero: 200-82 in three innings with a run of 191. As usual, the player and nurse from Sueca showed his best form in the final. Miguel Bailén and Carles Tuset completed the podium.
Sixteen players took part in the championship, which was held in Lleida. After the preliminaries, Raúl Cuenca (34,62 on average) and Ernest Latorre advanced from Group A to the quarter-finals. Armando Moreno and Carles Tuset reached the quarter-finals in Group B, José Albert Tornero (14,52) and Ricard Arnau were the best in Group C and Miguel Bailén and Josep Pallisa in Group D.
In the quarterfinals, the two final players already showed their qualities. Tornero finished in six innings, Cuenca in seven against Cusiné and Latorre. In the semi-finals, Cuenca beat Tuset in 4 innings, Albert beat Bailen in 14 innings.
The match for the title was the climax of the tournament. Albert started with 27, Raul missed and in the second inning, Albert continued with a run of 54, which made it up to 81-0. The reigning champion countered with 9 caroms, and Albert could only score once in the third inning. It was his last attempt, as Raúl Cuenca got the balls under control and finished with 191.
He won his fifth national title in the 71/2 frame, the disciplin in which he also became European champion. It was Cuenca's 31th national title in total.
The Spanish podium in 71/2