SOISSONS – Before the kick-off of the European championship in all disciplines in Brandenburg (start at 12 April), the French Billard club de Soissons is the organizer of the European championships for club teams in the classic games this week. Six teams will start for the championship, that will be held from Friday 5 until Sunday, April 7 at the Avenue du Mail in Soissons.
The ’Haarlo’ Topteam Carom Etikon with Henri Tilleman, Patrick Niesen and Jean Paul de Bruijn defends the title, that they won in Hoogeveen last year. The team of Bennie Deegens has been superior for years and was three times in four years (two times in a row), winner of the European championship.
Bennie Deegens expects that his team is again one of the favorites, but there are some feared competitors as the German team of Bochum with Fabian Blondeel, Ludger Havlik and Thomas Nockemann and French Soissons with Pierre Soumagne, Alain Remond and Patrick Dupont.
The team manager himself will not be there. He is already in charge of the European championships in Brandenburg an der Havel, where he is ultimately responsible for the tournament.
The Dutch team of Etikon starts only on Saturday (13.00) in the preliminaries. The opponent is the winner of the French bump between Soissons and Ronchin. Thereafter, at 19.00, the defending champion plays against the loser of the first group match.
The other group consists of Bochum, Germany, the Czech Anag and the third French team, Andernos.
On Sunday the semifinals will be played at 8.30 am and 11.00 am, followed by the final at 15.00.
The matches will be broadcast live by Kozoom. The organizing club Soissons has provided a special Internet by satellite to optimize the images.
The group compositions:
Group A:
Soissons (Fr): Pierre Soumagne (47/2), Patrick Dupont (71/2), Alain Remond (one cushion).
Etikon (Neth): Henri Tilleman (47/2), Patrick Niessen (71/2), Jean-Paul de Bruijn (one cushion).
Ronchin (Fr): Brahim Djoubri (47/2), Jean-François Florent (71/2), Bernard Villiers (one cushion).
Group B:
Bochum (German): Ludger Havlik (47/2), Thomas Nockemann (71/2), Fabian Blondeel (one cushion).
Anag (Cz): Pavel Böhm (47/2), Marek Faus (71/2), Janis Ziogas (one cushion).
Andernos (Fr): Nicolas Gerassimopoulos (47/2), Peter De Backer (71/2), Bernard Baudoin (one cushion).
The groups winner and second best will be seeded for the semi-finals. The match lengths are: Balk-line 47/2: 300 points, balk-line 71/2: 250 points and 150 points one cushion.
Program:
Friday 16.00: Anag-Andernos-
Friday 19.00: Soissons-Ronchin
Saturday 10.00 winner against Bochum
Saturday 13.00: Etikon against winner
Saturday 16.00: loser against Bochum
Saturday 19.00: Etikon against loser
Sunday, 08.30: 1st Group A-second Group B.
Sunday 11.00: 1st Group B-2nd Group A.
Sunday 15.00: Final.