DOUARNENEZ - After a great battle, the European cup for classic teams remains in the hands of Douarnenez Valdys. The two French players Pierre Soumagne (31), Grégory Le Deventec (37) and the Dutchman Raymund Swertz (30) took the golden medal in front of their own fans, some 100 spectators, by beating the other French finalist Chartres 4-2. The fans in the crowded stands in the home location Douarnenez rewarded the three players with a wonderful 'Olé champions' and a long applause. The defending champion defeated De Picardie from the Netherlands in the semi-final 4-0. DBC Bochum, the other favorite, was defeated by Chartres 4-2.
The French hegemony in the European Cup was partly due to the Dutch balk-line player Raymund Swertz from Douarnenez and the Swiss Xavier Grétillat from Chartres. The star player of the tournament was Sam van Etten, who finished two of his three matches in 47/2 over 250 caroms in one inning. Raymund Swertz showed that perfect performance in the final against Willy Gérimont: 250-19 in 1. That victory set the tone for the final, in which the tension was back when Xavier Grétillat won the match against Pierre Soumagne 200-96 in 3 after an starting run of 138.
The match in the one cushion between Grégory Le Deventec and Jacky Justice decided on the gold. Grégory Le Deventec, child of the club and the city in Brittany, scored the winning points. The two players were in balance with scores of 43-42 in 5, 66-64 in 6. Then, Le Deventec first ran out to 103-67 in the 10th, to 116-91 in the 11th inning and closed the game under high pressure in the 13th inning scoring two of the three last points over three cushions.
Raymund Swertz, the foreign star of the winning team, commented with an analysis of the tournament afterwards,
"The European Cup in the classic games lives enormously in France and especially in our club Douarnenez. It is quite a big club and all members were there to support us. The atmosphere was great in the stands and all the fans enjoyed most of all the winning points of Grégory Le Deventec. He comes from this city, his father Jacques is our president and his brother Florent our reserve player and pr man".
"I didn't play as I did in my best years. I lacked some practice, because of the birth of our daughter Yara. And also because I have focused a lot on three cushion these years. My playing at the lines is not so subtle as it was some years ago. Sam van Etten is better in it for now. You can see that he has the rhythm. I needed more fighting this tournament, like all the French players. They are huge fighters".
"The European Cup for teams is a tournament in which fighting for each point determines the winner or the loser. The game type 47/2, usually the first to finish, should help the other two players on their way. If you start with a win in 47/2, the pressure in the other two matches are on the opponent. The one cushion is the last to finish, all tension is on that match at the end. You could see it in the semi-finals and the final. And when two French players meet each other, it mostly turns into a great defensive battle".
"If you consider the level, Sam van Etten was the best in the balk-line. I could find my rhythm in the final, when it all comes to that decisive match. Pierre Soumagne is a very good balk-line player, but like me, he is focused mainly on three cushion. Xavier Grétillat has shown again that he can play 71/2 very well".
"We will have a nice party tonight and we stay here for the night. Driving home is 1100 kilometres. My wife Jorien and our daughter are here, so we take it easy. I am very happy with this title for the people who do a lot for our club".
Semi-finals:
Douarnenez-De Picardie 4-0
The match was decided after two matches. Raymund Swertz and Pierre Soumagne made the decisive gap in the balk lines. Jos Bongers led in the one cushion against Grégory Le Deventec 107-31 when the game was stopped.
Raymund Swertz seemed on his way to the finish against Micha van Bochem in 47/2 when his cue ball was frozen at 120. The Dutchman opted for a new break shot and missed. As a result, he needed two more innings and finished with 126 in the third, 250-32. Pierre Soumagne also needed three innings for the 71/2 match against Dennis Timmers after a best run of 80: 200-72.
Chartres-DBC Bochum 4-2
The match winner Jacky Justice was rewarded by a kiss from Willy Gérimont on his forehead. The little man on the team was the better of Ludger Havlik in the dying innings: 120-95 in 15. The game tied until the final phase, Jacky Justice brought his team into the final.
Sam van Etten had given the DBC Bochum team a lead in the 47/2. Willy Gérimont started with a run of 227, lost the balls at the end of the run and missed. And after a 0 from Sam van Etten and a 1 from Gérimont, the Dutchman started the final run that only stopped at 250 in that second inning (250-228). Thomas Nockemann also had a better start than Xavier Grétillat. The Swiss only found his rhythm in a run of 106 (116-107) and finished it in the fourth. The German went to the equalizer on 200-107 and missed after 89: final score 200-196 in 4.
Final Match winner Grégory Le Deventec.
The silver winners of Chartres with Willy Gérimont, Jacky Justice and Xavier Grétillat