LLEIDA - The new Spanish team champion resides in Valencia, and consists of Martin Horn, Dave Christiani and Spaniards Armando Moreno and José Pascual. The team won the title for the fifth time in the club's history. The last time was long ago: in 1984. Valencia beat favourites Paiporta this Sunday afternoon, even though the match ended 4-4. The difference in caroms made was mostly thanks to third board player Armando Moreno, who struck gold for his team when he beat Sergio Jiménez.
Dave Christiani: ,,It was an extremely exciting final, with an emotional ending. Some of our supporters who had made the trip, could not hold back their tears. I managed to beat Dion Nelin (40-34 in 29), Martin Horn lost to Javier Palazón (40-33 in 27), but our third player, Armando Moreno, played a great match against Sergio Jimenez, and he won 40-18 in 29 innings. That gave us the carom advantage. Our fourth player, José Pascual, needed two more points then, but he ran seven in his last inning.
The tournament was played in Lleida, but without title holder Coral Colon. The former success team did not survive the qualification series.
The winning Valencia foursome barely made the semi's, when they lost in the group stage to Paiporta (2-6), only Christiani a winner against Nelin. They followed it up with a 5-3 win over Kalima Rivas and a 4-4 draw against Mataro.
Paiporta and Palma made it to the semi's as group winners, Valencia and Ateneo as group runners-up. Valencia was superior in their semi when they beat Palma (8-0), with victories by Martin Horn over Michael Nilsson (40-26 in 17) and Armando Moreno over Adrian Legazpi (40-18 in 27). The matches between Dave Christiani and Carlos Crespo (at that time 37-27 in 22) and José Pascual against Miguel Gelabert (at 27-22 in 23) did not need to be finished.
Paiporta needed a strong finish against Ateneo to get to the final. Javier Palazón edged Enrique Penalva (40-37 in 25) and Dion Nelin beat Jesús Gallén (40-17 in 25), but Saul Corro of Ateneo had a 32-13 in 8 lead against Sergio Jiménez. He finally won the match 40-30, to make Paiporta the winner on caroms made.
