BLANKENBERGE - The Dutch flags are draped on the stands in the Stahlpalatz in Brandenburg for the European billiards championship. The success during the first days is amazing. Raymund Swertz won his fourth European title in one of the balk-lines on Saturday evening by beating the German Sven Daske 71/2 (200-67 in 4 innings). Erik Vijverberg climbed the highest podium earlier this day after a victory in the artistic billiards. 31-year-old Raymund Swertz, who recently won the European Cup for classic teams with his French team, proved to be back as a great champion again. "I feel that I have my great form and and concentration."
The Dutch specialist in the classic disciplines, who also won three European titles as a junior, shows up in two more disciplines at this European championship. Starting tomorrow, Sunday, the 47/2 and later this week the one cushion,"I was not on my best for one year, because I preferred three cushion.'' This year, after a period of less practice, because he became a father for the first time, the focus was on the European championships in Brandenburg, "And now, I will first enjoy this title, then I start preparing myself for the next mission.''
Sven Daske played an excellent tournament as well in his own country, including a victory over the reigning champion Raul Cuenca (150-79 in 6), the Dutchman Dave Christiani (200-69 in 6) and in the semi-final over Marek Faus, 200-130 in 6. Raymund Swertz eliminated Eddy Leppens in the quarterfinals after 200-200 in 9 in the regular match and a shoot-out won by the Dutchman 20-6. Swertz won his first matches in the preliminaries both in 1 inning: 150-3 against Willy Gérimont, 150-1 against Thomas Nockemann.
Ladies free game
The now 51-year-old French Magali Declunder is dominating women's free game for many years. At this year's European championship in Brandenburg, the lady player from Narbonne won the gold medal for the twelfth time by taking the final against 69-year-old Dutch Christel Willemse. Declunder went to the finish in 1 inning, her opponent scored 7 times in the equzlizer: 150-7. Declunder won ten European titles on the match table, two on the small table.
The mother of a 20 year old daughter rarely plays other tournaments. ''The European championship is always a motivation for me to start practice again. For two months, I trained two hours per day, but playing tournaments is getting harder, because I have a serious shoulder injury. Still I want to keep playing billiards, also because I follow a course from the federation to coach young talents.''
Declunder defeated her most important competitor, Dutch Monique van Exter, in the semi-final 150-42 in 6 innings after a final run of 101. Den Exter, who won three European titles between 1999 and 2013, played one match in 1 inning before she faced Decluder. The French finished three times in 1 inning. The third and fourth place were for Susanne Stengel-Polsen from Germany and Monique van Exter.
Magali Declunder draped in the French flag, this is her 12th European title in free game
Three cushion under 17
The Greek talent Dimitrios Seleventas defeated his Turkish opponent Denizcan Akkoca 30-26 in 30 innings in the final of three cushion under 17. He opened a gap after a quick run of 9. The young champion needed 9 match balls for the champion point, but could raise his cue with a big smile. Seleventas, who is studying economics, played his last under 17 championship.
Dimitrios started his billiard career at the age of five at the Amfitrionas club in Athens, where Filippos Kasidokostas has his billiard home. ''My father, Charis, is my teacher, he played at a high level in Greece.'' Seleventas beat in the semi-finals German Jan Gaspari, Denizcan Akkoca defeated Spaniard Luis Mira. The best match of the tournament came from Seleventas, who played a 25 points-match in 9 innings (2.777). Jan Gaspari recorded a 1.578 match, Alptekin Canozkan and Luis Mira 1.470.
The young Greek Dimitrions Seleventas, showing his happiness after he won the final under 17 in three cushion.