1-Cushion
SAINT-BREVIN-LES-PINS - Starting on Thursday the 2nd of October until Sunday 5, the French city Saint-Brevin-les-Pins is hosting the World championship one cushion. The matches start on Thursday at 14.00 pm, the final match is scheduled for Sunday in the late afternoon. The record list of this championship is mainly Belgian colored. From the time the World's was dominated by the Belgians Raymond Ceulemans and Ludo Dielis (9 titles between 1968 and 1984), there are only five players who managed to win the tournament.
- Fonsy Grethen in 1992 in Duisburg with 7.51 average
- Jos Bongers in Carvin in 1995, 12.36
- Martin Horn in 1997 in Vienna, 9.36
- Jean-Paul de Bruijn in 2007 in Alicante, 16.67 (world record)
- Wolfgang Zenkner in Cervera 2009, 11.41.
The town of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins in the province of Loire-Atlantique is preparing for the battle with sixteen players divided into four groups of four. Fourteen of them are from Europe, two from Asia.
Kozoom broadcasts all the matches in the l'Etoile de Jade for Pemium subscribers.
The Swede Torbjörn Blomdahl makes his debut at the World championship one cushion. The three cushion star impressed in Brandenburg during the European championship with 18.00 average over three matches. On his way to the podium, he was defeated by Jean Paul de Bruijn in two innings, 120-30. Blomdahl is considered to be a serious outsider for the title.
The two favorites for the victory are without a doubt Frédéric Caudron and Jean Paul de Bruijn. The Dutchman was world champion in 2007 in the final against Caudron. De Bruijn is also six-time European champion (2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007). He recorded the highest overall average at the World championships with 16.67 and at the European championships with 25.86.
Frédéric Caudron, who recently won in Billiard center De Salpho the Challenge against his rival, was eight times European champion in 1990, 1991, 1993, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013. The best performance is 27.27 average achieved at the Belgian championship.
In the Challenge, Caudron made a big gap from the start. De Bruijn made a slightly come back, but was beaten with a riant margin.
The German Wolfgang Zenkner is the reigning world champion. He also took the European title twice, in 1995 and 2010. Zenkner announced the end of his career last year, but is still in competition.
The Belgian Peter De Backer was vice-champion in 1992 after Fonsy Grethen, vice-European champion in 1997 after Martin Horn and is the reigning Belgian champion when he defeated in the finals Frédéric Caudron in Blankenberge.
The Frenchman Alain Remond was European champion in 2004 in Cervera. The Swiss Xavier Gretillat was four times vice-European champion in 2002, 2007, 2008 and 2010. The Austrian Arnim Kahofer must be able to play a main role in Saint Brevin.
Young Japanese player Yusuke Mori performed at the Junior World championship three cushion for players under 22 two weeks ago in Sluiskil.
The group format is:
Group A: Torbjörn Blomdahl (Sw), Xavier Gretillat (Swi), Yusuke Mori (Jap), Hung Phi Tran (Vn).
Group B: Jean Paul de Bruijn (Nl), Dieter Steinberger (Ger), Johann Petit (Fr), Nicolas Gérassimopoulos (Gr).
Group C: Peter De Backer (Bel), Bernard Villiers (Fr), Arnim Kahofer (Aus), Jordi Garriga (Sp).
Group D: Frédéric Caudron (Bel), Wolfgang Zenkner (Ger), Miroslav Baca (Cz), Alain Remond (Fr).
The schedule for the first sessions on Thursday:
14.00:
Frédéric Caudron-Miroslav Baca
Alain Remond-Wolfgang Zenkner
Peter De Backer-Jordi Garriga
Arnim Kahofer-Bernard Villiers.
17.00:
Jean Paul de Bruijn-Johann Petit
Dieter Steinberger-Nicolas Gérassimopoulos
Torbjörn Blomdahl-Yusuke Mori
Xavier Gretillat-Phi Hung Tran.