SITTARD - Dick Jaspers started the Grand Prix in Sittard, Netherlands, grandiosely with an average over two. The Dutch number one qualified as one of the group winners after three wins. Multiple Grand Prix winner Raimond Burgman is one of the absentees in the 16-player knockouts at the Grand Prix being played in Sittard this weekend. On Thursday, the first four groups of four players were finished at De Biljartacademie and Dick Jaspers was the best in average: 2.142. Raimond Burgman finished third in the group where, like Frans van Schaik and Adrie Demming, he gained four match points out of three matches.
With all the top Dutch players, it was all about qualification for the knockouts for the first Grand Prix of this season on Thursday in the first four groups and today, Friday, in the other four groups. The other two tournaments will be played in Capelle and Rosmalen. Of those first four groups, apart from Dick Jaspers (6 match points, 2.142), Jeffrey Jorissen, Frans van Schaik and Glenn Hofman were the other group winners. The runner-up qualifiers were Jack Wijnen (with the highest run: 15), Jerry Hermans, Adrie Demming and Jean van Erp.
In Group A, Jaspers first beat Charles Mekes 40-12 in 18, then Jack Wijnen 40-19 in 16 and finally Jack van de Klundert 40-29 in 22. Jack Wijnen won his two matches against Mekes and Van de Klundert. Against Mekes, he made the day’s top run of 15. Jeffrey Jorissen was not really threatened in Group B by Erwin Kivits, Jerry Hermans and Reggy Brouwers. Especially the match against Jerry Hermans was high standard: 40-12 in 11 innings, average 3.636, run 12. Hermans won his two other games and finished with a strong average 1.508 ahead of Erwin Kivits with 1.486. Jorissen-Kivits was 40-29 in 29.
Frans van Schaik, Adrie Demming and Raimond Burgman fought a tough battle for the places for qualification. Frans van Schaik won against Frits Broeders and Raimond Burgman, but lost to Adrie Demming. In turn, Demming won against Broeders and Van Schaik. Raimond Burgman won against Demming and Broeders, but lost to Frans van Schaik. That gave three players with four points of whom Frans van Schaik was the highest in average ahead of Demming and Burgman by a small difference.
Glenn Hofman and Jean van Erp played each other for the group win in Group H. Glenn Hofman won that match 40-30 in 32. The Hague player played a very solid group stage with 1.739 on average. Jean van Erp won his other games against Wilco van Wijk and Kay de Zwart and finished with 1.375 average.
Today, Friday, the C, D, E and F groups come into action.
Group C: Jean Paul de Bruijn, Jack van Peer, Volkan Cetin, John van der Stappen.
Group D: Dave Christiani, Paul Bruijstens, Raymund Swertz, Martijn Roefs.
Group E: Barry van Beers, Joey de Kok, Joris van 't Zelfden, Wilco Meusen.
Group F: Sam van Etten, Huub Wilkowski, Roland Uijtdewillegen, Ludo Kools.
First four group stages:
Group A:
- Dick Jaspers 6-2,142-10
- Jack Wijnen 4-1,207-15
- Jack van de Klundert 2-0.990-6
- Charles Mekes 0-0.902-7
Group B:
- Jeffrey Jorissen 6-1,791-12
- Jerry Hermans 4-1.508-5
- Erwin Kivits 2-1.486-8
- Reggy Brouwers 0-0.712-5
Group G:
- Frans van Schaik 4-1,216-7
- Adrie Demming 4-1,193-8
- Raimond Burgman 4-1,078-6
- Frits Broeders 0-0.980-6
Group H:
- Glenn Hofman 6-1,739-12
- Jean van Erp 4-1.375-13
- Wilco van Wijk 2-1.080-5
- Kay de Zwart 0-1,152-6