Multi's for a long marathon: 52 players, 140 matches

BLANKENBERGE - The stands at the Multi Championships in Blankenberge are slowly filling up with spectators and fans for the matches in all disciplines of billiards. Roland Forthomme was one of the last players on Monday night to finish his match with a win on the second day and qualification for the next rounds. Eddy Merckx had already done so earlier this day of play and the classic players were already in full action. The Multi's kicked off at the Casino in Blankenberge for a long marathon of matches. All matches can be seen live on Kozoom's renewed website.Patrick Niesen and Philippe Deraes, two renowned players in the classic types of games, walked around the billiards in the evening for a mutual match in free game. Niessen won the match 400-360 in six innings. At the other table, Maarten Janssen and Johan Devos even needed 13 innings for 400 caroms in a game that ended in a draw: 400-400. In the Multi's arena, one billiard remained empty this day: Ronny Daniels had to cancel his preliminary rounds in three-cushion due to sad death of his mother. As a result, Ronny Brants, Roland Forthomme and Danny Boutet played a group of three instead of four players.

The total of 52 players, six of whom play in more than one discipline, have launched themselves for the Belgian championships with some 140 games, which started on Sunday 8th of January and will go to the climax on Sunday 15 January. Today, Tuesday, from 10.00 in the morning, Patrick Niessen, Peter De Backer, Steven van Acker, Johan Loncelle and Francis Forton, among others, enter the arena for matches in the various game types. Tomorrow, Wednesday, will include Kurt Ceulemans and Wesley de Jaeger.

Eddy Merckx qualified first in his group on Monday by victories against Leslie van Neyen (40-15 in 30), Bart Ceulemans (40-16 in 14, 2.857 on average) and Martin Spoormans (40-26 in 21), he is joined to the next round by Bart Ceulemans, who won in a special, very poor battle against Mr. 100 clubmate Leslie van Neyen (40-39 in 76, Ceulemans 6 points in the last 30 innings). He also beat Martin Spoormans 40-28 in 33 innings. Roland Forthomme first was the better of Ronny Brants 40-37 in 26 and qualified by winning against Dany Boutet 40-28 in 29. Ronny Brants accompanied Forthomme to the top sixteen by a win over Boutet 40-37 in 28.

The four ladies for the Belgian title kicked off on Sunday with their first two matches on the schedule. Danielle Le Bruyn won the best game so far against Mireille Vandaele 27-9 in 40 innings and also beat Marie-Rose Rouffa 27-18 in 46. Jaimie Buelens, the reigning champion, started the tournament with wins over Vandaele (42-11 in 50) and Rouffa (27-21 in 45).

Among the juniors, Nick Rosier was the standout player with wins against Luca Philipoom (30-12 in 29) and Nino Coeckelbergs (30-20 in 40). Tim van Hoeck won against Philipoom 25-23 in 50 and from Coeckelbergs 26-22 in 50.

The 5-pins event has a field of six participants. The first winners were Peter Debaes (2x), Charles Parent, Ismaele Trentino (2x) and Miguel Bustos.

Patrick Niesen is the leader in free game with 4 match points out of 2 and 114.28 on average ahead of Maarten Janssen with 3 points and 47.05. Niessen and Janssen are the leaders in 47/2, where only two games have been played.

Danielle Le Bruyn has 4 out of 2 and 0.627 on average in the ladies, Jaimie Buelens 4 out of 2 and 0.536. Among the juniors, Nick Rosier is leader with 4 out of 2 and 0.869, followed by Tim van Hoeck with 4 out of 2 and 0.510.

Eddy Merckx, start with three solid wins

Filled stand for the match with Eddy Merckx

Patrick Niessen in his first matches

Further schedule and participants in the various disciplines:

Tuesday 10 January (daily starting 10.00):
Three-cushion: Van Acker-Bart Leys, Geysen-Marco Janssen, Forton-Ravestyn, Loncelle-Persijn
Balk-line 47/1: Deraes-De Backer, Niessen-Janssen

Wednesday, January 11:
Three cushion: Kurt Ceulemans-Weeremans, De Jaeger-Mottet, Philipoom-De Bondt, Van Havere-Van Hees

Thursday, January 12:
Three-cushion: De Backer-Saver, Celen-Blauwblomme, Peter Ceulemans-Paul Wallerand, Vandendriessche-Wuyts
One cushion: Niessen-Janssen, Forton-Debaes

Friday, January 13:
5-Pins: Engelbos-Bustos, Debaes-Trentino, Parent-Memmi
Finals:
13.00: Balk-line 47/2
15.30: One cushion
18.30: Balk-line 47/1
21.00: eighth finals three cushion

Saturday, January 14:
Finals:
15.30: Juniors and free game
18.30: Balk-line 71/2
21.00: eighth finals three-cushion

Sunday 15 January:
10.00: Quarter-finals three-cushion
12.30: Semi-finals three-cushion ladies
12.30: Semi-finals three-cushion men
15.00: Final ladies, third and fourth place men
15.30: Final three-cushion men

The participants:
Three-cushion
Group A:
Peter Ceulemans, Marc Celen, Henk Blauwblomme, Paul Wallerand
Group B:
Steven van Acker, Danny Geysen, Marco Janssen, Bart Leys
Group C:
Kurt Ceulemans, Wesley de Jaeger, Frédéric Mottet, Dirk Weeremans
Group D:
Peter De Backer, Philippe Vandendriessche, Danny Wuyts, Koen Saver
Group E:
Eddy Merckx, Bart Ceulemans, Martin Spoormans, Leslie van Neyen
Group F:
Johan Loncelle, Francis Forton, Martin Ravestyn, Tom Persyn
Group G:
Roland Forthomme, Ronny Brants, Dany Boutet
Group H:
Jef Philipoom, Davy van Havere, Stef van Hees, Andy de Bondt

Women's three cushion:
Jaimie Buelens, Danielle le Bruyn, Marie-Rose Rouffa, Mireille Vandaele

Three-cushion under 25:
Nick Rosier, Tim van Hoeck, Nino Coeckelbergs, Luca Philipoom

Free game:
Patrick Niessen, Philippe Deraes, Maarten Janssen, Johan de Vos.

Balk-line 47/2:
Patrick Niessen, Philippe Deraes, Maarten Janssen, Johan de Vos

47/1:
Philippe Deraes, Maarten Janssen, Patrick Niessen, Peter De Backer

71/2:
Patrick Niessen, Maarten Janssen, Philippe Deraes, Peter De Backer

One cushion:
Patrick Niessen, Francis Forton, Maarten Janssen, Peter Debaes

5-pins:
Peter Debaes, Ismaele Trentino, Patrick Engelbos, Miguel Buston, Gianluca Memmi, Charles Parent

Artistic:
Erik Vervliet, Patrick Vloemans, Erik van den Zegel, Walter Bax, Steve Wilms, Eric Daelman

Thanks Dirk Acx for the pictures