LISSABON/GRÖNDAL - The Turkish star team of Gaziantespor was the best of the five flight winners that advance to the Europa Cup team final. The number one favorite, headed by Frédéric Caudron, remained undefeated in their flight in Lisbon, averaging 1.664 in the preliminaries. The best match was played by Can Capak who made 40 points in 13 innings, helped by a run of 17. Frédéric Caudron beat - amongst others - Martin Horn, with 40-32 in 18. Capak averagd 2.025, Tayfun Tasdemir had 1.965, Frédéric Caudron 1.594, Murat Naci Coklu 1.568 and Gökhan Salman 1.194.
The two seeded finalists are FC Porto (host and organizer) and Dallinga.com (title holders). They are joined by Gaziantespor, CetSi Morangis, Andernos, Madrid Escuela Nacional, FC Leca and BK Gröndal as best number two. Coral Colon still had a chance to become the best nr. 2, but the Spanish team was beaten on average by BK Gröndal: 1.382 for the Danes, 1.353 for Coral Colon.
Dallinga.com defends its title that the Zeeuws team took in Istanbul last year with Frédéric Caudron, Dick Jaspers, Eddy Merckx and Jean Paul de Bruijn. Two main players, Dick Jaspers and Eddy Merckx left the team last year. Caudron and De Bruijn played in the competition and the cup final, but Caudron plays in the Europa Cup for Gaziantespor. The Turkish team is the succeeder of Bahcelievler, that won the Europa Cup two times in a row with Tasdemir, Cenet, Coklu and Yüksel.
Dallings is in the final group with Andernos, Madrid Escuela Nacional and FC Leca and will play with Jean Paul de Bruijn, Steven van Acker, Bart Ceulemans and Patrick Vasseur. FC Porto tops the other group with Gaziantespor, CetSi Morangis and BK Grøndal.
Group A:
The Spaish players of Madrid Escuela Nacional remained undefeated with a 1.311 general average. Javier Palazón played 1.643, Ruben Legazpi 1.643, David Martinez 1.600 and Valentin Andaluz 1.126. Second in that group was WBA Wien with 0.975. Arnim Kahofer was the best of his team, with 1.242. Third finishers were Billard Club Zürich (0.683), fourth Ravensburger (0.544).
Group B:
FC Leca won what on paper was the weakest group, despite a loss in the first round to Ferericia. De Goeie Queue from Belgium, without that club's top players performed admirably and ended second, ahead of Frericia and Lausanne. Marco Zanetti won his three matches in 12, 23 and 30 innings.
Group C:
CetSi Morangis advanced with flying colors, six match points and a 1.263 average. BK Gröndal had to sit and wait for the results in Portugal, but finally were rewarded with the runner-up spot, 4 match points and 1.382, thanks to a strong final match: Tony Carlsen won in 16 innings, Lars Dunch in 17, Dion Nelin in 23 and Brian Knudsen in 31. It turned out to be a new Danish record team average. Third in this flight was Scuola Billardo la Biglia (0.906), fourth was BC Elite Wien (1.058).
Group D:
Gaziantespor left nothing to chance and won the flight in majestic style with eight match points and the best team average of the qualification series: 1.664. Coral Colon came in second with six match points and 1.353 average. The Spaniards were drubbed 8-0 by the Turkish team, even though Sergio Jimenez had a chance against Frédéric Caudron (40-38). Sporting CP ended third with 1.035, Bergisch Gladbach was fourth with 1.224, Op de Meir fifth with 0.958. Ivan Stitschinsky shone for the Belgian team when he defeated Tayfun Tasdemir.
Group E:
The final day decided over the group win in The Hague: Andernos beat Buffalo 7-1 in the last match, to win that group. Filippos Kasidokostas was the best player in the penultimate and last rounds, with matches in 20 and 16 innings. He beat team world champion Jean van Erp 40-20 in sixteen with a high run of 12. Roland Forthomme got the better of Glenn Hofman, 40-29 in 26. Jérôme Barbeillon recovered from a poor start and defeated Jeffrey Jorissen 40-14 in 24. Francis Connesson and Herman van Daalen drew: 40-40 in 42. Forthomme and Kasidokostas remained undefeated in this flight.
The group format:
Group A:
1 Dallinga.com (Neth)
2 Madrid Escuela National (Sp)
3 Andernos (Fr)
4 FC Leca (Por)
Group B:
1 FC Porto (Por)
2 Gaziantespor (Tur)
3 CetSi Morangis (Fr)
4 BK Grøndal (Den)
The Andernos team won the group in The Hague: left to right Roland Forthomme, Francis Connesson, teamleader Bernard Baudoin, Jérôme Barbeillon and best player Filippos Ksidokostas
Gaziantespor with Tayfun Tasdemir, Gökhan Salman, Murat Naci Coklu, Can Capak and on the front Frédéric Caudron with his mother
The Madrid team, group winner in Vienna