European highlights at Colombian's World Cup

BOGOTÁ - Dutchman Glenn Hofman and German Tom Löwe led the rankings with 16 group winners in the Bogotá World Cup on Wednesday. On the third day of preliminary rounds in the Colombian capital, there was a European day in the field with eight European winners. The home country Colombia led the way with five winners, the Turks had three players for qualification. Huberney Cataño was the first non-European with 4 match points and 1.458. Glenn Hofman was frontrunner with 4 match points and 1.627 and a best run of 13. Turkey's Manolis Minaoglu scored a 15.

Glenn Hofman, at the podium of the last World Cup in Sharm El Sheikh, continues his mission in the home land of his wife Andrea today (Thursday) with a real Dutch classic. In the late Colombian morning at 11.30 (17.30 in Western Europe), Hofman faces Jeffrey Jorissen, another Dutch World Cup player, but also, like Hofman, from The Hague and former teammate.

That match evokes memories of the World Cup in Veghel. There, the two Dutchmen opened the round with the best 32 and Jorissen won after a whirlwind start against Hofman 40-35 in 19. Both players were later eliminated by Horn and Blomdahl. For Hofman, it was the run-up to a successful World Cup in Egypt, where he first beat Marco Zanetti 50-42, then won against Eddy Merckx 50-49 in the quarter-finals and lost to Jun Tae Kim 50-47 in the semi-finals.

Young German Tom Löwe was also a revelation in Hofman's wake at the Colombian World Cup on Wednesday. Two feared opponents, Omer Karakurt and Herbert Szivacz, were defeated by the German 35-20 and 35-28 including a run of 12 against the Turk. Huberney Cataño, the No 3 ranked player, beat his compatriot Andres Lizarazo and the disappointing Frenchman Pierre Soumagne, who finished without points at the bottom of his group.

Turgay Orak, the best of the Turks, dominated his group with Koseoglu and Stamm, Glenn Hofman won against Vangelis Moulos and Gurhan Kabak, Jose Juan Garcia was the better of Japanese Miyashita and Colombian Julian Morales.

The most striking match came from Daniel Moreno, who got off to a spectacular start against Dutchman Joey de Kok. The Dutchman made an 11 at the start, the Colombian countered with 6 and 6 and ran over his opponent with 13 in the closing innings: 35-20 in 12, the best game of the day. Moreno then stumbled over dangerous Mexican Javier Vera.

Sergio Jimenez, the previous day's winner, advanced another round against Jose Miguel Soares and Claus Maurer. Luis Aveiga is not yet making the grand impression he owes to his reputation, but moves into the next session with 4 match points and 0.921 at the expense of Dutchman Reggy Brouwers (2-0.688) and Belgian Alain Saeijs (0.0.530).

Wednesday's group winner:

1. Glenn Hofman 4-1.627
2. Tom Löwe 4-1,489
3. Huberney Cataño 4-1,458
4. Turgay Orak 4-1,400
5. Henry Diaz 4-1,372
6. Jose Juan Garcia 4-1,372
7. Manolis Minaoglu 4-1,346
8. Sergio Jimenez 4-1,320
9. Gökhan Salman 4-1,296
10. Luis Aveiga 4-0,921
11. Javier Vera 3-1,272
12. Arnim Kahofer 2-1,326
13. Ja In Kang 2-1,277
14. Andres Naranjo 2-1,214
15. Kevin Vasseur 2-1,175
16. Sergio Hernandez 2-1,014

Tom Löwe

Huberney Cataño

1st reserve: Daniel Moreno 2-1,736-13 (advancing to next round).

Thursday's 12 groups (group winners and three best No2 to main tournament):

Group A: Ja In Kang, Arnim Kahofer, Nikos Polychronopoulos

Group B: Andres Naranjo, Javier Vera, Chang Hoon Seo

Group C: Kevin Vasseur, Luis Aveiga, Hong Chiem Thai

Group D: Sergio Hernandez, Gökhan Salman, Peter Ceulemans

Group E: Sam van Etten, Sergio Jimenez, Tolgahan Kiraz

Group F: Berkay Karakurt, Manolis Minaoglu, Daniel Moreno

Group G: Rui Manuel Costa, Jose Juan Garcia, Ruben Legazpi

Group H: Robinson Morales, Gwendal Maréchal, Henry Diaz

Group I: Thanh Luc Tran, Turgay Orak, Roland Forthomme

Group J: Gerhard Kostistansky, Huberney Cataño, Bong Joo Hwang

Group K: Jean Paul de Bruijn, Tom Löwe, Burak Hashas

Group L: Jeffrey Jorissen, Glenn Hofman, Ye Sung Jeong