BRANDENBURG - The new European champion in the balk-line 71/2, the Dutchman Raymund Swertz, has also qualified as the number one for the quarter finals in 47/2. For the second balk-line discipline at the European Championships in Brandenburg, Swertz is once again the top favorite for gold. The competitors making the most impression in the pre-rounds are Eddy Leppens, the French Dessaint and Gérimont and Marek Faus. Both Swertz and Faus played a match over 200 caroms in one inning.
The most remarkable absences in the knock-out stage are Spaniard Raul Cuenca, who couldn't shine this year in his performances in the balk-line games, the young Dutchman Sam van Etten, eliminated in the pre-rounds, a desillusion for the star player in the classics, and the German Sven Daske , who made it to the final in the 71/2 against Swertz.
Raymund Swertz started in Group A of the qualifications with a win over David Jacquet (200-36 in 4) and closed the group stage with a 1-inning match against Cuenca (200-29). Eddy Leppens was the best in Group B with strong matches against Anders Henriksen (200-6 in 2, run 182) and Jean Francois Florent (200-47 in 4, run 179). Marek Faus was excellent against Benoit Dezilles Legros in Group C, 200-3 in 1 and played to a draw with a final run of 176 against the Greek Kostas Antonopoulos. Xavier Gretillat was defeated in his first match for Group D by Arnd Riedl (200-143 in 2), but took his chance against Patrick Dupont with 200-55 in 3. In the final ranking, three players finished on equal match points, Gretillat was the best on average.
The Frenchman Pascal Dessaint remained unbeaten in Group E with wins over Adam Kozak (200-26 in 8) and Nikolaus Gerassimopoulos (200-16 in 3). The second Frenchman in the final field, Willy Gérimont, in Group F, beat Markus Melerski 200-121 in 10 and Carlos Marques 200-58 in 6. The group G finished with three players on two match points. Arnim Kahofer was the best on average. The Austrian defeated Sam van Etten 200-62 in 2 (run 187) and lost to Pierre Martory 200-63 in 6. Esteve Mata also placed himself on average for the best eight after winning against Michel van Silfhout (200-28 in 3) and loss against Sven Daske 200-36 in 3.
The best eight for the final rounds:
1 Raymund Swertz (Neth) 4-88.00-200
2 Eddy Leppens (Bel) 4-66.66-182
3 Pascal Dessaint (Fra) 4-36.36-96
4 Willy Gérimont (Fra) 4-25.00-85
5 Marek Faus (Cze) 3-66.66-200
6 Xavier Gretillat (Swi) 2-68.60-131
7 Arnim Kahofer (Aus) 2-45.37-187
8 Esteve Mata (Spa) 2-39.33-163.