SAINT QUENTIN - The Soissons team with an average of 1.608 captured the French team title for the second time in its short history. That victory was achieved in Saint Quentin, two years after the first title. The quartet including Jérémy Bury, Eddy Merckx, Pierre Soumagne and Mikaël Devogelaere remained individually unbeaten with two maximum 8-0 victories over the two teams from Andernos.
The leading player Jérémy Bury beat Dick Jaspers in 23 innings and Marco Zanetti in 22 innings with an average score of 1.777. Eddy Merckx beat Nikos Polychronopoulos in 29 and Roland Forthomme in 23 innings with an average score of 1.538. Of the other two players, Pierre Soumagne was winner against Francis Connesson in 23 and against Gwendal Maréchal in 21, averaging 1.818, making Soumagne best player of the weekend. Mikaël Devogelaere beat Marc Boingnères in 31 and Jérôme Barbeillon in 28 innings, averaging 1.356.
Thanks to the excellent preparatory work of the number 3 and 4 players, Pierre Soumagne and Mikaël Devogelaere, and the solid performances of the number 1 and 2 players, Jérémy Bury and Eddy Merckx, Soissons outclassed the two teams from Andernos, who had finished at the top of their group in the regular season.
The Soissons team deserves a big congratulations for this brilliant performance with this second title in three years of participation in the elite championship.
Defending champion Saint-Quentin (Robinson Morales, Johan Loncelle, Kévin Perrotin, Nathan Duriez) finished 3rd by beating Intermarché 6-2 in the small final! Dick Jaspers played the best game of the competition with 40 in 15 innings against Robinson Morales: 40-32. Johan Loncelle beat Nikos Polychronopoulos in 23 innings.
The Andernos team finished second with Gwendal Maréchal, Jérôme Barbeillon, Roland Forthomme and Marco Zanetti