PRAGUE - The teams of Etikon, Chartres and Ronchin remained unbeaten in the preliminary rounds of the Coupe d'Europ for classic games. The Dutch team Etikon, five-time winner of the European Cup, defeated two French teams this weekend and was the group winner to advance to the final round from 22 to April 24 in Prague. Vitkov Prague, the title holder, was seeded automatically. Andernos and Bochum were in the groups second best and join the teams for the final rounds.
The group format for the finals are:
Group A:
Vitkov Prague (Cze)
Ronchin (Fr)
Andernos (Fr)
Group B:
Etikon (Neth)
Chartres (Fr)
Bochum (Ger)
The Etikon team dominated the group in its own town of Rosmalen with the French teams of Soissons and Oissel as opponents. Jean Paul de Bruijn won his matches in one cushion over 120 points in 11, 5 and 6 innings. He defeated Alain Remond, another expert, 120-30 in five innings. Patrick Niessen played a draw in 71/2 against Johann Petit in two innings and Pierre Soumagne in three innings: 200-200. Henri Tilleman played his 250 points in 47/2 in 1, 3 and 17 innings..
Soissons with Olivier Careaux, Pierre Soumagne and Alain Remond was second in this group, but did not qualify. Oissel was third.
Willy Gérimont Xavier Grétillat and Jacky Justice won with Chartres their three matches in the group with Andernos, Eldense and Vitkov as opponents. Only Gérimont lost his match in 47/2 against Gérassimopoulos 250-220 in four innings after a run of 124 of the Greek Frenchman. In the match between the two frontrunners, Xavier Gretillat won the 71/2 against Jérémie Picart 200-105 in four and Jacky Justice one cushion against Bernard Baudoin 120-110 in 11. Andernos joins Chartres to the finals.
In the Spanish group in Sabadell, Ronchin, with Djoubri, Florent and Villiers was the winner with the maximum six points ahed of Bochum with four, Edentic Ecully with two and Coral Colon without points.
Willy Gérimont, Jacky Justice and Xavier Grétillat qualified with Chartres