BLANKENBERGE - Let's see who is first at the finish, Frédéric Caudron in his 71/2 match to 250 caroms or Patrick Niessen in his 47/2 match to 300 points. That seemed to be the question in the last session of the third day at the Multi's in Blankenberge, where the Belgian cup holder Peter De Backer made a great impression as the best three cushion player.
The 'battle' was already unequal after one inning, because Niessen missed the break and Caudron seemed to be on his way to a decent run. But eventually it turned out into a nice race.
Caudron couldn't easily find his rhythm at the start for a super high run. He missed after 64 from the break against Peter Debaes, had 123 points on the score board after four innings and then ran to the finish in five innings: 250-19.
And how did Patrick Niessen on the other table against Johan Devos? He still had three hundred points to go in the second inning when he got the balls under control. in his second turn. When Caudron took his second victory in this discipline, Niessen ran slowly to two hundred and made his hundred for a 300-86 score.
Peter De Backer showed himself the best after five of eight groups in three cushion. He leads the ranking with three wins and 2.000 average (seventeen, nineteen and 23 innings). Therefor he has a better ranking than Leppens (1.818) and Caudron (1.481).
The Belgian cup winner was in a great form in his matches against Rudy de Laet, Ronny Daniels and Henk Blauwblomme and seems ready for a new stunt.
Jef Philipoom and Martin Ravestyn were the numbers one and two in the other group. The group win of Philipoom, who suffers a toe injury, was expected. He scored his 40 points in 31, 24 and 33 innings. Martin Ravestyn was the surprising second by winning the decisive match against Tom Persyn (40-35 in 38).
Tomorrow (Wednesday), Eddy Merckx and Peter Ceulemans are the main contenders in three cushion. Frédéric Caudron and Patrick Niessen meet for the first time in a balk-line match (47/1) and Peter De Backer and Eddy Leppens close the day in one cushion.