BLANKENBERGE - The Multi Championships in Blankenberge are on their fourth day and are quietly moving towards the end of the preliminary rounds in three-cushion. The audience, estimated at around 150 fans, are gradually finding their way to the arena. The organization is running smoothly, the timetable is neatly kept and the first favorites all have qualified for the upcoming weekend when the titles ar at stake.

Hearing some insiders, a fresh breeze is blowing in the casino (one referee has cancelled because of a could, the mutual ambiance is great, among players and referees, who are 14 in total of whom two get time off every day. Dirk Acx, good for hundreds of picrures at the Multi's every year, is now filling in as referee for at least one day.

Will there be another Ceulemans to qualify for the finals today, Wednesday? Peter and Kurt qualified in the first days, Bart, the youngest, is playing today for a place among the best 16.

Among the qualifiers, Jef Philipoom was the best in average so far with 2,000 exactly. Eddy Merckx and Roland Forthomme are still in action in the group phase tomorrow, Thursday. Jef Philipoom, Peter Ceulemans, Kurt Ceulemans and Johan Loncelle were the first four group winners. Jef Philipoom played the best match so far against Steven van Acker: 40-12 in 15 innings, 2.666 average.

In the classical disciplines, Patrick Niessen is not yet the very best player he was last year. The specialist is playing for his 50th title overall, but faces a lot of competition from Maarten Janssen, who could well become this year's multiple winner. Peter Debaes leads in 5 pins. Jaimie Buelens (0.561) and Daniëlle Le Bruyn (0.505) play each other twice more on Saturday for the women's title, Toon Bollansee and Nick Rosier (0.882 and 0.740) duel for the junior title.

The matches will be broadcast live by Kozoom every day until the finals on Saturday and Sunday.

The group rankings in the four groups played so far in which the best two qualify for the knockouts:

Group A:

1 Jef Philipoom 6-2,000-10

2 Wesley de Jaeger 4-1,197-8

3 Steven van Acker 2-1,043-7

4 Stef van Hees 0-0.927-7

Group B:

1 Johan Loncelle 6-1,363-9

2 Marc Celen 2-0.938-7

3 Kenny Miatton 2-1.025-5

4 Danny Wuyts 2-0.817-5

Group D:

1 Kurt Ceulemans 4-1,151-9

2 Davy van Havere 4-1.073-7

3 Tom Persyn 4-1,046-8

4 Koen Saver 0-0.859-5

Group E:

1 Peter Ceulemans 6-1,304-9

2 Ronny Brants 4-0.932-6

3 Philip Vandendriessche 2-0.848-8

4 Leslie Menheer 0-0.560-6