MARXUQUERA - The best of two was again Frédéric Caudron, who made 34 caroms in five innings and 51 in seven, but in a session which seemed to end in a catastrophe for Dick Jaspers, the Dutch world champion entertained the audience in the room and thousands of viewers on the internet (Kozoom) with a run of 21!
Raymond Ceulemans, the all times champion, commented: ,,I've never seen Frédéric Caudron playing so good, so fast, so furious as he did in this session.
Jean Claude Dupont, president of the world federation, said: ,,What kind of systems and formats they create for three cushion, if you have to world class players like Caudron and Jaspers at the table, it's always marvellous to watch.''
,,There is not so much tension in the match after seven sessions (Caudron leads 420-337 with only three sessions to play and is 83 points ahead), but nevertheless, what an exciting match was it in the afternoon thanks to Caudron's demonstration with high runs and Jaspers' finish with a 21.
The Belgian started the session at 367-301 even with three misses on a row, but then was unstoppable. From the 172nd to the 178th inning, he made runs of 10, 2, 5, 11, 10, 3 and 10: 51 points in 7 innings. His last four innings (11, 10, 3 and 10) were of wondrous beauty: 39 caroms in 4 innings.
The speed with which he scored, was also from another planet: for 49 caroms, Caudron needed exactly 14 minutes and 40 seconds, averaging eighteen seconds per carom.
Dick Jaspers was already desperately looking from his chair to the miraculous performance at the table, on which he couldn't get any grip at all.
On a 418-313 score (105 points behind), he asked a ten minute break with a shy smile, after only 12 points in that session against 51 for Caudron. When Jaspers returned in the room, he walked to the table for another highlight of the afternoon: the run of 21 with only one lucky shot (a kiss) in the 17th inning.
,,I know that Frédéric is the best in this long match'', he said afterwards. ,,Whoever would have been here to match with him, Blomdahl, Sánchez, Kasidokostas, Merckx: nobody would have a chance to win, he's superior. But I will do what I can and show the best that I have for the moment.''
The score in the seventh session:
Score after the sixth inning:
Caudron-Jaspers
367-301 in 168 innings.
171st inning: 367-308
172nd inning: 377-309
175th inning: 395-310
176th inning: 405-312
178th inning: 418-313
180th inning: 420-337
Averages:Caudron 2.333, Jaspers 1.883
Highest runs:Caudron 16, Jaspers 21.
Caudron lead: 83 points.