LOMMEL - The Belgian champion Frédéric Caudron is also the best ranked after the five main tournaments of this season in Belgium. In the last BTS tournament, in the Mr 100 in Lier, the number 1 again finished on top with a victory over Eddy Merckx in the final: 40-20 in 17 innings. The top three of the Belgian ranking is Frédéric Caudron (182 points), Eddy Merckx with 139 and good old Jef Philipoom with 119 points.
The Kimchi Superprestige in Lommel, from 28th of August to 2nd of September, is the official closing of the season. The Belgian top sixteen ranked players have qualified for this tournament.
The Belgian championship was by Frédéric Caudron this year in the final against Jef Philipoom (40-16 in 12 innings). Steven van Acker took the third place against Peter Ceulemans.
Roland Forthomme won the Belgium Cup in Hooglede in the final against Peter Ceulemans. Third and fourth on stage were Eddy Merckx and Kenny Miatton.
Frédéric Caudron won two of the three BTS tournaments: his first in Eeklo in the GP Roger Clauws, where he defeated Eddy Leppens in the final 40-39 in 16 innings. Peter Ceulemans and Ronny Daniels were outplayed in the semis. The tournament's highest run was made by Marc Celen with 14.
Caudron was the best again in the closing tournament at Mr. 100 in Lier. Eddy Merckx couldn't match in the final and luckely could finish with 6 in the equalizer: 40-20 in 17. Kurt Ceulemans lost to Merckx in the semis (40-30 in 23), Jef Philipoom was beaten by Caudron 40-21 in 24. The highest run of the tournament came to the name of Philipoom with 14.
In the Leopold in Brussels, where Caudron did not play, Eddy Merckx was the best in the final against Francis Forton (40-40, shootout 3-2). Roland Forthomme and Kurt Ceulemans were beaten in the semis. The highest run of the tournament was recorded by Tommy Raemdonck with 16.
Caudron scored an average of 2.151 (Mr. 100) and 2.041 (Eeklo) in his two wins. Eddy Merckx finished with 1.369 in Brussels.
The highest runs of all tournaments were from Eddy Leppens and Tommy Raemdonck (16).
The top sixteen (players qualified for the Kimchi Superprestige):
1 Frédéric Caudron, 182 points
2 Eddy Merckx 139
3 Jef Philipoom 119
4 Peter Ceulemans 112
5 Roland Forthomme 105
6 Steven van Acker 91
7 Francis Forton 90
8 Kenny Miatton 87
9 Eddy Leppens 84
10 Kurt Ceulemans 83
11 Ronny Daniels 72
12 Davy van Havere 70
13 Ronny Brants 68
14 Fréderic Mottet 66
15 Andy de Bondt 58
16. Patrick Kesteloot 56.
The group format for the Superprestige:
Caudron-Miatton-Leppens-Kesteloot
Merckx-Forton-Kurt Ceulemans-De Bondt
Philipom-Van Acker-Daniels-Mottet
Peter Ceulemans-Forthomme-Van Havere-Brants.