OOSTERHOUT - He had to think deeply, Raimond Burgman, when he was asked to his last win in a Grand Prix tournament. ,,I think it was in Rosmalen, two years ago, or perhaps Amsterdam?'' The Dutchman defeated Dick Jaspers in Oosterhout this weekend and added another success to his palmares. His last win was in Amserdam in 2012, in a final against Dave Christiani.
The same year Burgman also won the Grand Prix in Rosmalen in a final against Jean Paul de Bruijn. His win now, in the Grand Prix in Oosterhout, had a little more value, he said. ,,It's always special to play a final with Dick Jaspers.''
The classic in Dutch three cushion was pretty good, but most of all exciting, as the winner concluded. ,,Some nice playing and some little mistakes'', Burgman analysed the final in De Eekhoorn, where the sympathetic audience watched the two matadors in a balanced match until thirty. ,,Then I made a small gab, a few innings later I could finish and Dick had no equalizer.''
Raimond Burgman felt the satisfaction he needs every now and then. ,,It's good to show once again that I still can win'', he said afterwards in De Eekhoorn in an afterparty with Dick Jaspers. ,,I will not jump on the table, but after three years I am happy with my victory.'' It was his ninth in total: after Utrecht in 1993, Veldhoven 2002, Oldenzaal 2003, Wychen 2004, Oldenzaal 2006, Wychen 2007, Rosmalen 2012 and Amsterdam Osdorp 2012.
The tournament in De Eekhoorn was closed with two semi-finals, in which Dick Jaspers bested Jean van Erp 40-14 in 13 innings (runs 9 and 3) and Raimond Burgman stopped Jeffrey Jorissen's rush with 40- 29 in 29.
Raimond Burgman was on his best again in this Grand Prix as a masterful technician with the tactical ability to demolish his opponents. Dick Jaspers, who is in top form and back in the world's top two after his successes in the World Cups, just lacked some sharpness in the final match. Burgman crowned his victory with 1.489 of average, Dick Jaspers 1.772, Jean van Erp 1.658, Jean Paul de Bruijn, fifth in the rankings, had 1.958.
The final ranking at the Grand Prix in Oosterhout (with averages and highest run):
1 Raimond Burgman 1,489-8
2 Dick Jaspers 1,772-11
3 Jean van Erp 1,658-8
4 Jeffrey Jorissen 1,316-13
5 Jean Paul de Bruijn 1,958-11
6 Glenn Hofman 1,189-12
7 Jerry Hermans 1,071-12
8 Kay de Zwart 1,021-8
9 Dave Christiani 1,470-10
10 Ad Koorevaar 1,339-12
11 Martien van der Spoel 1,270-9
12 Sander Jonen 1,112-6
13 Roland Uijtdewillegen 1,096-8
14 Wiljan van den Heuvel 1,023-8
15 Therese Klompenhouwer 0,993-11
16 Ruud Nieuwenburg 0,905-9.
Dick Jaspers is the overall leader after three Grand Prix tournaments with one victory, one second place and one third place. The leader gathered 172 points followed by Jean van Erp 144, Raimond Burgman 132, Frans van Schaik 90, Jean Paul de Bruijn and Jeffrey Jorissen 80, Glenn Hoffman 78, Bert van Manen 74, Dave Christiani 70 and Barry van Beers 64.
The continuous ranking, with the last eight Grand Prix tournaments, gives an idea of the strength at the top. Dick Jaspers won five of eight, Raimond Burgman, Jean van Erp and Martien van der Spoel one.
The ranking:
1 Dick Jaspers 518 points
2 Raimond Burgman 326
3 Jean van Erp 294
4 Barry van Beers 258
5 Jean Paul de Bruijn 250
6 Martien van der Spoel 212
7 Glenn Hoffman 200
8 Dave Christiani 196
9 Jeffrey Jorissen 190
10 Frans van Schaik 190
11 Bert van Manen 148
12 Harrie van de Ven 120
13 Therese Klompenhouwer 116
14 Kay de Zwart 108
15 Wiljan van den Heuvel 104
16 Jerry Hermans 96.