SAINT-MAUR - The French championship in the discipline one cushion mostly was the area of two players in the last fifteen years: Alain Remond and Bernard Villiers. Jean-François Florent broke with the tradition this time by defeating Remond in the final in an exciting match, in which the score was 150-150. Remond missed in the shoot-outs, thereafter Florent could claim the title.
Alain Remond led 87-26 in 6 and 91-29 in 10 in the final. Jean-François Florent returned into the match including a run of 54, after which he turned the score into 112-95 in 13 innings. Remond however reached the finish as first, but Florent, under pressure, equalized with six difficult caroms. The shoot-outs had to decide: Remond missed from the break-off, Jean-François Florent could clinch the title with one carom.
Florent earlier defeated Bernard Baudoin (120-42 in 23) and Xavier Le Roy in the double knockout. In the quarterfinals Florent scooped victory against Villiers won 120-115 in 14 and in the semifinals against Nicolas Gérassimopoulos 120-105 in 23.
Alain Remond, the number two, finished with the best statistics: the highest average 9.37, the best match average 17.14 (120 points in seventh in his first match against Nicolas Charote) and the highest run 67.
The podium was completed by Nicolas Gérassimopoulos (6.11) and Willy Gérimont (5.15), both still looking for their first title in one cushion Masters.
The two finalists Jean-Francois Florent and Alain Remond