LOMMEL - The Belgium Superprestige has turned out to be his tournament. He won three times in six years and was even the best in the last two editions. Roland Forthomme (Rolandinho for his friends and other players) is going up for the hattrick this year in a field with all top players from Belgium.
The Cuvino Superpresige, for the fourth time at the Cultural Centre De Adelberg in Lommel, starts on Monday, September 12, the final is on Saturday, September 17.
Sixteen Belgian players have seeded in the VES-tournaments, in which Frédéric Caudron and Eddy Merckx have challenged each other for the main prizes. Roland Forthomme, Eddy Merckx, Eddy Leppens and Frédéric Caudron are the group leaders in Lommel. The group stages will be played from Monday to Thursday, the quarter finals on Friday, the semifinals and final on Saturday.
The organization is in the hands of two top players again: Frédéric Caudron and Eddy Leppens. They will ensure that De Adelberg is transformed into a stylish billiard arena, where it is ideal for players to play high averages, for sponsors to meet each other in a friendly atmosphere and for the public to enjoy great matches.
Caudron and Leppens are very proud of the event: ,,What we have created as players, it is uniquely in the billiards sport,'' says Eddy Leppens. ,,We are our sponsors and our staff very grateful that we can realize this tournament.''
How strong is Roland Forthomme this year in the arena where he was invincible for two years? He won the tournament two years ago with an average of 1.888, last year with 1.734 and in 2005 with 1.846. These averages he didn't archieve most of the time in the league and in the World Cups this year, because the sympathetic player from Liege had too many ups and downs.
The Superprestige, however, makes him to the strong killer he is in his best days, as he showed there against world top players Frédéric Caudron and Eddy Merckx and referring Eddy Leppens, Jef Philipoom and Peter de Backer as well to the second row.
He shares the first place of victories now with Eddy Merckx, who won the tournament in 2002 in Sint Niklaas, in 2006 in Turnhout and in 2008 in Lommel. The record average is for Frédéric Caudron since 2003 in Ghent with 2.106.
The group format this year:
Group A: Roland Forthomme, Peter de Backer, Frédéric Mottet, Wesley de Jaeger.
Group B: Eddy Merckx, Kurt Ceulemans, Steven Van Acker, Martin Spoormans.
Group C: Eddy Leppens, Francis Forton, Davy van Havere, Johan Claessen.
Group D: Frédéric Caudron, Jef Philipoom, Ronny Brants, Peter Ceulemans.