BERGISCH GLADBACH - The Bergisch-Gladbach team is the new champion in the German three cushion bundesliga. The quartet, led by team boss Thomas Horcher, won the title in the competition which is considered as the strongest in Europe with its many star players. The championship was secured on Saturday after a draw against Munich. Second and third on the ranking are BC Munich and BC Magdeburg. The teams Sterkrade and Ravensburger BC, the former champion, relegated out of the first bundesliga.
Bergisch Gladbach was rewarded by the titel after a high-class season. Thomas Horcher: ,,We finally took the title after three times being runner-up in three years. The bundesliga was stronger than ever since almost all the teams have played with two foreigners.''
The new champion started the season with an unbeaten series, but then lost 8-0 to Bottrop. ,,Then we decided to let Torbjörn Blomdahl play more matches than planned. Without him we could not have realized this success.''
In the decisive match against Munich, this Saturday, the score was already 4-0 at the break. Nikos Polychronopoulos and Jens Eggers won their matches against Christos Christodoulidis and Robertino Hermann. Tobjörn Blomdahl then lost after the break by one carom vs Marco Zanetti (40-39 in 22) and Martin Horn was out of contention against Johann Schirmbrand (40-24 in 18).
On Sunday followed, as expected, a smooth victory fort he champion over Ravensburg. Bergisch finished three points ahead of Munich. Munich retained its second place on Sunday by a 7-1 victory over Elversberg: Zanetti defeated Peter Ceulemans 40-22 in 22, Schirmbrand bested Klaus Bernhard Bösel 40-30 in 34.
BC Magdeburg secured its third places by victories over Bottrop (6-2) and GT Buer (6-2). Dick Jaspers was the best player of the double weekend with a victory against Christian Rudolph: 40-19 in 15 innings (run 13). Dion Nelin was defeated in that match by an excellent Dustin Jäschke 40-30 in 20.
Other remarkable matches:
Can Capak-Torbjörn Blomdahl 33-40 in 28
Martin Horn-Ismail Inal 40-12 in 16
Nikos Polychronopoulos-Murat Gökmen 40-22 in 19
Dick Jaspers-Stefan Galla 40-23 in 22
Dion Nelin-Markus Galla 40-34 in 28
Stefan Hetzel-Markus Schönhoff 39-40 in 31.
Ravensburg, that probably will not return as a team and Sterkrade relegated from the bundesliga.
The final ranking:
1 Bergisch Gladbach 29-1.376
2 BC Munich 26-1.273
3 BC Magdeburg 26-1.295
4 BC Elversberg 18-1.220
5 GT Buer 18-1.097
6 Bottroper BA 14-1.079
7 BCC Witten 14-1.135
8 BG Krefeld 14-1.148
9 Bfr Sterkrade 10-1.070
10 Ravensburger BC 7-0.946.
The Bergisch team with Jens Eggers, Nikos Polychronopoulos, Torbjörn Blomdahl, Martin Horn and Thomas Horcher.