HOOGLEDE – The first rounds of play at the Belgian three cushion Cup, which is played in Hooglede this weekend, have pitted brothers Peter and Bart Ceulemans against each other for Sunday. Sixteen of 32 players in the preliminary rounds played on Friday for two spots in the semi-finals. Peter and Bart Ceulemans emerged as the winners. The tournament lost one of its biggest contenders during the preliminary rounds. Eddy Merckx was eliminated by Martin Spoormans. Frédéric Caudron is also not among the candidates to win the Belgian Cup.
Peter Ceulemans advanced through the first round to the final weekend by winning against Johan van de Voorde (2-0, 1.875, series 12), Marc Dellaert (2-0, 1.200), and Martin Spoormans (3-0, 1.607). Bart Ceulemans survived the three-way match not that easy: against Marc Donvil (2-0, 0.909), Bruno Di Vita (2-1, 1.294), and Andy de Bondt (3-2, 0.890).
The level in the run-up to the finals was considerably lower than in previous cup tournaments. In the first round with 16 players, only Peter Ceulemans and Andy de Bondt played over 1 average: Ceulemans 1.875, De Bondt 1.000.
The matches are live on Kozoom.
The next session with sixteen players is today, Saturday, featuring Roland Forthomme, Ronny Brants, and Peter De Backer, among others.
The first rounds: Friday, May 15:
Andy de Bondt-Jean Godeyne 2-0
Kurt Bruggheman-Mik Durwael 1-2
Bruno Di Vita-Ronny Proost 2-1
Marc Donvil-Bart Ceulemans 0-2
Ludo van Hout-Stef van Hees 0-2
Martin Spoormans-Rudi Hendrickx 2-1
Peter Ceulemans-Johan van de Voorde 2-0
Marc Dellaert-Peter Willems 2-1
Saturday, May 16 from 1:00 PM:
Miguel-Angel Bustos-Marc Celen
Ronny Brants-Roland Forthomme
Jan van den Ouwelant-Leslie van Neyen
Peter De Backer-Philippe Vandendriessche
Francis Forton-Tom Neyens
Dylan Parent-Jean Paul Wilmet
Bart Leys-Tommy Raemdonck
Leslie Menheer-Koen Saver