HEESWIJK DINTHER - The last moments of glory, he will always keep in his mind. How he, Jean van Erp, from nearby in Heeswijk Dinther, won the Masters and was passionately welcomed by his own audience in a fantastic setting. How he, in the preliminaries, made a draw in the equalizer against Dick Jaspers with five and thus escaped elimination. How he defeated the Dutch number one another time in the semifinals. And finally after the final against Raimond Burgman, when he fell into the arms of his wife Samora, who had watched the Dutch final with her two lovely daughters.
Jean van Erp, the new Dutch champion, is so often reminded of this highlight in his career since that day, by supporters and other players in the competition. Winning 'The Masters' had always been the ultimate dream for him. That day when he grabbed the title, he will never forget ,,The Masters is by far the most important tournament of the year in the Netherlands'', he says now, on the eve of the 2016 Masters, where he defends his title .
,,It is a big cross in my diary, I know how many fans are looking forward to. They all have told me that they will be there again. I'm sure there will be a full house for four days in the Durpsherd in Berlicum, where we can play in an even better location than in Kaatsheuvel last year. It will be a fantastic billiards room, I already can predict everyone. I'm going to enjoy it extremely.''
He is a true child of the region, Jean van Erp: born and raised in Heeswijk Dinther, joined the ONA billiards club, which played for over twenty years in the premier league, a stronghold in Heeswijk with in his best years eighty, ninety members. ,,Unfortunately, the club has been closed at a certain time.''
Jean van Erp has always lived in Heeswijk-Dinther, is married to Samora and together they have two beautiful daughters. ,,I have given up my ambitions to join the world top and play the World Cups, a few years ago. I realized that I couldn't live as a professional and take care of my family. As I do it now, it feels a lot better: I have a full time job, do a little practice at home and have some fun times with my family. Last year, just after I won the Masters, I got my full time job at the District Court in Brabant, where I do my work in facility services at the mailroom. Forty hours per week. I go to my work by bike, every day 17 km both ways. And I do some running and fitness every day and try to practice on my billiard for an hour.''
Almost every week he plays in three league for his teams: Buffalo.nl in the Netherlands with Glenn Hoffman and Jeffrey Jorissen, BC Deurne in Belgium with Torbjörn Blomdahl and Jef Philipoom. And for Sterkrade in Germany. The failure at the World championship, where he had too much troubles with the tables in his two matches, has been forgotten. ,,I've put it out of my mind as soon as possible.''
,,The Christmas tournament was not super, but in the league, Van Erp is back on his high level. Last Monday night he won with BC Deurne (42 in 23 innings), played a 50 match in 22 innings in the Netherlands and 40 in 15 innings in Germany on Saturday.
,, I'm ready for the Masters'', he says. ,,I've always said, now I have the title that I've wanted all my life. So I can relax now for the new start. But that doesn't work, of course. I feel slowly that the tension is growing to come to the start as the titleholder. I definitely want to play well in front of my home crowd again and maybe compete for the title. But also important is that it becomes an incredibly, beautiful tournament for everyone who participates and is involved.''
Jean van Erp invites everyone to visit his website regularly, also during tournament. www.jeanvanerp.nl.
The matches of the Biljartpoint Masters are all broadcast live by kozoom.com.
Access to the matches in De Durpsherd, in Berlicum, Kerkwijk 61, is free.
For more information: www.biljartevenementen.nl
Group format:
Group A: Dick Jaspers, Glenn Hofman, Bert van Manen, Roland Uytdewillegen
Group B: Jean van Erp, Jeffrey Jorissen, Martien van der Spoel, Kay de Zwart
Group C: Raimond Burgman, Frans van Schaik, Jean Paul de Bruijn, Sander Jonen
Group D: Dave Christiani, Barry van Beers, Therese Klompenhouwer, Ad Koorevaar.
Program first day, matches to 40 caroms, Thursday, January 14th:
11.00: Dick Jaspers-Roland Uytdewillegen, Jean van Erp-Kay de Zwart
13.00: Raimond Burgman-Sander Jonen, Dave Christiani-Ad Koorevaar
15.00: Glenn Hofman-Bert van Manen, Jeffrey Jorissen-Martien van der Spoel.
17.00: Frans van Schaik-Jean-Paul de Bruijn, Barry van Beers-Therese Klompenhouwer
19.00 and 21.00 pm: Winners against winners
Friday from 11.00 am, last round at 21.00.
Saturday from 13.00: Quarter-finals, semi-finals from 19.00 to 50 points.
Sunday: 13.00: finale to 50 points.
Total prize money 15.900 euros, excluding premiums for high runs:
1st prize: 3000 euros
2nd prize: 2000 euros
3rd and 4th prize: 1250 euros
5th/8th prize: 850 euros
9th/12th price: 700 euros
13/16 price: 550 euros.
The main contender, based on the past and present, is Dick Jaspers, who won his first official Masters in 1990 in Dongen, his last in 2014 in Kaatsheuvel and played a record average in 2009 in Nijverdal with 2.395.
The winners of the Masters since 1988
1988, Amsterdam: Arie Weijenburg, 1.072
1989, Tiel: Raimond Burgman, 1.131
1990 Dongen: Dick Jaspers, 1.433
1991 Breda: Dick Jaspers, 1.145
1992, Utrecht: Jan Arnouts, 1.177
1993 Veghel: Dick Jaspers, 1.372
1994 Veghel: Dick Jaspers, 1.454
1995 Veghel: Dick Jaspers, 1.846
1996 Veghel: Raimond Burgman, 1.233
1997 Veghel: Dick Jaspers, 1.675
1998 Veghel: Dick Jaspers, 1.512
2000 Veghel: Dick Jaspers, 2.056
2001 Veghel: Dick Jaspers, 2.027
2002 Veghel: Dick Jaspers, 2.000
2003 Veghel: Raimond Burgman, 1.443
2004 Veghel: Frans van Kuyk, 1.325
2005 Veghel: Dick Jaspers, 1.972
2006 Veghel: Dick Jaspers, 1.758
2007 Goes: Jean Paul de Bruijn, 1.547
2009, Nijverdal: Dick Jaspers, 2.395
2010, Nijverdal: Dick Jaspers, 1.944
2012, Kapelle: Dick Jaspers, 2.047
2013 Zevenbergen: Jean Paul de Bruijn, 1.306
2014 Kaatsheuvel: Dick Jaspers, 2.063
2015 Kaatsheuvel: Jean van Erp, 1.197
2016 Berlicum.....
