BLANKENBERGE - For the third time in a row, once in a final against Eddy Leppens, twice against Frédéric Caudron, Eddy Merckx has won the Belgian championship three-cushion. This afternoon he defeated his rival Caudron 3-1, a hattrick with a gold medal as reward.
That was certainly not where it looked like at the start of the match, because Caudron won the first set 15-0 after a run of eleven in the first inning. The big fighter Merckx, who's never defeated before the final carom is made, gave the match another turn with a solid, tactically and technically strong performance in the next sets.
The reigning champion, who won the title for the seventh time, grabbed the second set (15-11 in 7), the third set (15-11 in 5) and the fourth 15-1 in 6 innings.
Frédéric Caudron couldn't longer anticipate to the small, destroying breakaways of his opponent.
Eddy Merckx steps on an illustrious stage after his seventh victory. Only the great Raymond Ceulemans and another figurehead, Rene Vingerhoedt, were better than Merckx with 24 and thirteen titles in the rich history of the Belgian billiards.
Frédérc Mottet won the battle for the third place against Francis Forton. The upcoming talent from Liege beat his opponent 2-1: 15-14, 12-15, 15-8.
Eddy Merckx and Frédéric Caudron will represent Belgium next year in the World championship for national teams in Vierssen.