TURNHOUT - The team called Biljart Express, in which Eddy Merckx booked his 400th victory in the Belgian league this week, is the only leader in the main three cushion league. After the 8-0 victory over De Leug and BC Deurne's draw against Herentals, the Turnhout team is one point away from the reigning champion. The important match for BC Deurne, between Glenn Hofman and Martin Horn, was won by the German 50-39 in 32 innings.
Another highlight in this round was the match between Eddy Leppens and Roland Forthomme, during Op de Meir's duel with Zanzibar. The game ended in a draw in 28 innings. The Op de Meir home team triumphed in the encounter by a 5-3 score, as a result of which Leppens and his team went up to fourth place and Zanzibar remained in the lower regions of the ranking.
Apart from Merckx's 400th win, Martin Spoormans brought out some more figures: he himself won his 358th victory in the competition. Biljart Express, the new leader, recorded its 1245th victory. Merckx finished in the match against Frank de Groof with a run of 12, Gerwin Valentijn against Bryan Vangenechten with a run of 10.
BC Deurne made the half slip due to the loss of Glenn Hofman and Ludo Dielis, who was defeated in a match of two veterans by Leon Smolders 42-36 in 45 innings. Jef Philipoom and Davy van Havere were the winners in Deurne's team. BC De Ploeg played a draw against KBC Kortrijk, partly due to Danny Geysen's win over Dave Christiani (50-26 in 44). Martin Ravestyn defeated Therese Klompenhouwer 42-26 in 35.
Mister 100 Lier took valuable points in the away match against De Witte Molen: 6-2 Kurt Ceulemans bested Francis Forton 50-49 in 32, Peter Ceulemans beat Pierre Soumagne 50-47 in 34, Bart Ceulemans defeated Ad Broeders 42 -34 in 30. Dirk Weeremans was the only winner for the home team: he seems to be a tough opponent for Raymond Ceulemans in the recent matches: this time Weeremans won 42-37 in 35 innings.
The ranking looks distorted: the teams have played 13 and 14 matches, because of the forfait scores that have been given to the Mister 100 team.