PARIS - Two favourite teams for the top positions in Group B of the French team competition shared the points on Friday-evening. Morangis and Andernos played a draw in Paris (4-4). The best man of the match was Jean-Christoph Roux with a win over Jérôme Barbeillon, 40-11 in 16 innings. Colmar won the away match against Courbevoie in this group 6-2.
Jean-Christoph Roux played his best match against his French compatriot Barbeillon since 2016 and shone with 2.500 average and a run of 13. Eddy Merckx showed his good form playing for Morangis with a riant victory over Nikos Polychronopoulos: 40-16 in 19 (run 12 for Merckx). Roland Forthomme won the Belgian clash with Eddy Leppens in the final sprint 40-39 in 23. Leppens made a run of 12, Forthomme 10. The other French match between Francis Connesson and Jean Reverchon was won by Connesson 40-29 in 33. Morangis had an average of 1.626, Andernos 1.176.
Not far away from that match, Courbevoie scored the first individual points thanks to Marin Echeverry, who beat Andreas Efler 40-33 in 31 innings. That was the only victory for Courbevoie in the match against Colmar, that showed up without Murat Naci Coklu and Dion Nelin. The substitutes Dany Boutet and Frédéric Beghin won their matches in 35 and 41 innings against David Gallais (40-27) and Maxime Panaia (40-32). Jérôme Riotto took the full profit for Colmar in his match against Guillermo Murillo 40-27 in 41. Colmar finished 1.034, Courbevoie 0.845.
Andernos and Colmar lead the group with three points, Andernos has 1.290, Colmar 1.117. Morangis has two points and 1.546, Courbevoie 0 points and 0.746.