ARCACHON - The reigning champion Andernos and CetSi Morangis play the final at the French team championship in Arcachon. Laxou with Torbjörn Blomdahl and Martin Horn and Saint-Maur, playing without its captain Jérémy Bury, were eliminated in the semi-finals.
The two semi-finals on Saturday both ended in a draw. The difference in caroms was decisive for a place in the final.
Andernos and CetSi Morangis meet at 13.30 (numbers three and four) and 15.30 (numbers one and two).
Most surprising on the first day was CetSi Morangis' victory over Laxou. The Parisians took a comfortable lead by Jean Reverchon, who beat Eric Kremer-Leclaire by a big margin: 50-17 in 50 innings. Pierre Soumagne levelled the score in his match against Richard Bitalis (50-44 in 47).
The Belgians Eddy Merckx and Eddy Leppens faced two feared opponents in the second part: Torbjörn Blomdahl and Martin Horn. Merckx decided the encounter with Blomdahl by a 14-run and won 50-35 in 25. Horn showed himself after Connesson (who won in 22 innings), the second best man of the day with a comfortable win against Leppens: 50-39 in 23.
Louis Edelin, a late bloomer in three cushion, put the pressure on Andernos by a victory over Jérôme Barbeillon before the break (50-45 in 45), but because Francis Connesson played an excellent match against Jacques Squinabol (50-20 in 22) the match could go either way.
Roland Forthomme saved the Andernos team when Filippos Kasidokostas was beaten by Jean-Christophe Roux (50-44 in 36). The Belgian opened the door to the final for the champions: he bested Thierry Roxo (50-38 in 38.
The matches today, Sunday (live on Kozoom):
Bronze medal:
9.00:
Laxou-Saint-Maur
Eric Kremer-Leclaire-Jacques Squinabol
Pierre Soumagne-Louis Edelin
11.00:
Martin Horn-Thierry Roxo
Torbjörn Blomdahl-Jean-Christophe Roux
13.30:
Andernos-CetSi Morangis
Francis Connesson-Jean Reverchon
Jérôme Barbeillon-Richard Bitalis
15.30:
Filippos Kasidokostas-Eddy Merckx
Roland Forthomme-Eddy Leppens.
The Belgians Roland Forthomme (left) and Eddy Leppens meet in the final match.