3-Cushion
SCHILTIGHEIM - The Agipi team, eight-time champion in the battle for the European Cup (the Coupe d’Europe), is on its way to a new mission this week in the own Agipi area. The glorious dream team competes in a four days event with five other teams for a new title and a new trophy. The European final for teams starts at Thursday, the final day is Sunday.
Six teams from France (3), Belgium (1), Spain (1) and Turkey (1) will battle for the trophy in the Agipi arena. The Agipi team itself, with Frédéric Caudron, Marco Zanetti, Jérémy Bury and Jean-Christophe Roux was automatically seeded for the final rounds.
The other five teams have qualified with a group win in the preliminaries.
These five challengers are:
Group A:
Agipi (France): Frédéric Caudron, Marco Zanetti, Jérémy Bury, Jean-Christoph Roux
Coral Colon (Spain): Nikos Polychronopoulos, Josep Maria Mas, Carlos Crespo and Sergio Jimenez.
De Ploeg (Belgium): Jean van Erp, Wesley de Jaeger, Thorsten Frings, Dirk Weeremans.
Group B:
Andernos (France): Filippos Kasidokostas, Roland Forthomme, Jérôme Barbeillon, Francis Connesson.
Bahcelievler Belediye Kulubu Spor (Turkey): Tayfun Tasdemir, Lütfi Cenet, Murat Naci Coklu and Adnan Yüksel.
Laxou: Torbjörn Blomdahl, Martin Horn, Pierre Soumagne, Eric Kremer-Leclaire.
Kozoom had a short interview with some players in the run-up to the final rounds.
Name and team:
Marco Zanetti: Agipi, France
Tayfun Tasdemir: Bahcelievler Belediye Spor Kulubu (Turkey)
Josep Maria Mas: Societat Coral Colon, Spain
Jean van Erp: BC De Ploeg, Belgium.
Torbjörn Blomdahl: AS Laxou, France.
Martin Horn: AS Laxou, France
The team line-up for the European Cup:
Marco Zanetti: 1 Frédéric Caudron, 2 Marco Zanetti, 3 Jérémy Bury, 4 Jean-Christoph Roux.
Tayfun Tasdemir: 1 Tayfun Tasdemir, 2 Lütfi Cenet, 3 Murat Naci Coklu, 4 Adnan Yüksel
Jean van Erp: 1 Jean van Erp, 2 Wesley de Jaeger, 3 Thorsten Frings, 4 Dirk Weeremans.
Torbjörn Blomdahl: 1 Torbjörn Blomdahl, 2 Martin Horn, 3 Pierre Soumagne, 4 Eric Kremer-Leclaire.
Jérôme Barbeillon: 1 Filippos Kasidokostas, 2 Roland Forthomme, 3 Francis Connesson, 4 Jérôme Barbeillon
Josep Maria Mas: 1 Nikos Polychronopoulos, 2 Josep Maria Mas, 3 Carlos Crespo, 4 Sergio Jimenez.
How strong was the team in the qualification rounds?
Torbjörn Blomdahl: ,,We had a solid qualification round in our own club, beating Vienna and the second Turkish team.’’
Tayfun Tasdemir: ,,We passed the qualifications realy good, we won all games.’’
Marco Zanetti: ,,We did not play, because we are the titleholder.’’
Jérôme Barbeillon: ,,Three times an 8-0 win, one time 6-2, so a very strong performance with 1.650 average.’’
Martin Horn: ,,We qualified number one in our group in Laxou, especially with a great match against the Turkish team, that was the key match.’’
Josep Maria Mas: ,,In the qualification we played good, we won all the matches, averaging 1.300 general, in a very strong group against German, Belgian and a Swedish team (Nelin-Nilson).’’
Jean van Erp: ,,We played at home in Halle-Zoersel. The Portuguese team of Leca was the big favorite with Eddy Merckx, Jef Philipoom and Paolo Andrade, That was our first game, we won 6-2. I was the only one who lost, but it was against Eddy Merckx.’’
And the performance in the national league this season:
Tayfun Tasdemir: ,,In Turkey we never lost in 23 matches. Only one time a draw for one of our players.’’
Josep Maria Mas: ,,In three weeks we will play the final eight in Valencia. We were really good in the qualification and the team is in a very good mood. We played 1.650 geneal average (Dani 2.605 and Nickos 2.666) but we will see what is going to happen. The final will be hard and very difficult against the others Spanish teams.’’
Marco Zanetti: ,,We won the title.’’
Martin Horn: ,,We were number 3, was a great sucess! Eric Kremer beat Roux with 1.8 average, great performance!’’
Jean van Erp: ,,We've finished second behind BC Deurne (with Jaspers, Merckx, De Bruijn, Van Havere), but in the league, the team plays with Horn, Philipoom, Van Erp and De Jaeger.''
Torbjörn Blomdahl: ,,Third place finishers in the French league after losing the semi final to AGIPI and beating Kozoom in battle for third place.’’
Jérôme Barbeillon: ,,The team finished on second place.’’
Which team is the big favorite in the group in which you play?
Torbjörn Blomdahl: ,,Favourite in our group, I think, is Bahcelievler with very strong players on 3 and 4: Coklu and Yuksel. But also 1 and 2 with Tasdemir and Cenet are world class players. Andernos is also strong.’’
Tayfun Tasdemir: ,,We are the favourites in our group, for sure.’’
Jean van Erp: ,,That's Agipi of course, the team is almost unbeatable with Caudron, Zanetti, Bury and Roux.’’
Marco Zanetti: ,,We are the favorites!’’
Josep Maria Mas: ,,Of course, in our group (group A), Agipi is the maximum favorite, also for the title.’’
Martin Horn: ,,The Turkish team with all its great players! We are outsiders, but battle for the second spot in our group!’’
Jérôme Barbeillon: ,,The Turkish team.’’
What is the strength, the power of your team?
Marco Zanetti: ,,Top players at all 4 tables, common spirit.’’
Josep Maria Mas: ,,Well, we are a young team but with experience, we are friends and we all aim for the same goal. We have good balance in the team line-up.’’
Jean van Erp: ,,We have nothing to lose, we just want to play well, maybe we can win some games. This is a beautiful after party for our team.’’
Jérôme Barbeillon: ,,All players of the team can win and we have a funny ambiance.’’
Torbjörn Blomdahl: ,,We are really underdogs. Maybe that will be our biggest advantage.’’
Martin Horn: ,,Our big advantage is our team spirit and the great identification with the whole club!’’
How was the preparation for the European Cup, by team or individually?
Martin Horn: ,,This time individually! Me i played the German Masters and feel in good shape!’’
Marco Zanetti: ,,Everybody practices individually, we live too far away.’’
Tayfun Tasdemir: ,,I prepared not so bad, but there are more important things. I have to show my performance. For the entire team, I don’t know how they prepared, but I trust my team mates.’’
Jean van Erp: ,,My preparation was good, I had some nice matches in the playoffs in the Netherlands (one win and one loss against Leppens and 1.630 average) and last week I reached the quarter finals where I lost against Jaspers 28-40 (17).''
Josep Maria Mas: ,,We only play individually in the days before the start.’’
Torbjörn Blomdahl: ,,I went on holiday with my family to recharge the batteries and hope to be in perfect shape for the Coupe d'Europe.’’
What does it mean for you and the team: playing in the Agipi arena, the Camp Nou or Wembley of billiard sport?
Jérôme Barbeillon: ,,It is an advantage for the team who receives, because they are in their home... and fors ure it is a nice place to play.’’
Martin Horn: ,,It’s always a pleasure in Agipi, because everything is professional!’’
Josep Maria Mas: ,,For me it will be the first time, I’m very excited to play there, it’s a dream play there with my team. For the rest of teammates for sure it’s always special. I thinks it’s like Wembley stadium (I’m a Barca supporter) and we don’t play at home, lol!!’’
Torbjörn Blomdahl: ,,The Agipi arena is a very important place for professional 3-cushion and we need to cherish every moment we can perform here.’’
Tayfun Tasdemir: ,,Agipi is, speaking about organization, the leader in billiards. So we all really like to play there.’’
Marco Zanetti: ,,For me it is like playing home, I love everything there, I only wish a full arena of spectators when we play.’’
Jean van Erp: ,,The Agipi arena is indeed the very best there is in billiards, where everyone wants to play. I was there in the past with Gebr. Van Wanrooij and Van Donge & de Roo for the European Cup. And it’s always nice to show up there.''
The ambitions of the team are, of course: winning the European Cup. What are the chances of the team. And is it possible after all those years of success to beat the eight fold titleholder?
Torbjörn Blomdahl: ,,Our ambitions are of course to win a medal, which we could do even without confronting Agipi. But we have beaten Agipi as well so on a good day, who knows...’’
Marco Zanetti: ,,We go for our 9th title in a row with respect to other teams which can beat us.’’
Tayfun Tasdemir: ,,We are not so far that we can say, we become the new champion. We will try, but it will be very difficult.’’
Martin Horn: ,,With a good performance and a little bit of luck, we can reach the semi-finals! Agipi is almost invincible, only the Turkish team has a little chance!’’
Josep Maria Mas: ,,Well, our ambition is do our best, try to play nice billiard and enjoy a lot. After this, we will see, we are very happy to be in the 6 best teams in Europe and we don’t put limits in our way.’’
Jérôme Barbeillon: ,,Yes of course, to win the European Cup. How big you can estimate our chances? We aren’t the favorite team, but a good challenger.’’
Jean van Erp: ,,The ambitions are, trying to reach the semi-finals. Being honest, that’s the maximum for our team. We will fight for a good result and enjoy our stay there.’’