SOISSONS – The leader in the French team competition, the Soissons team, played a draw in the match with Douarnenez in the sixth round this Friday evening. The result is that Albert, which won against Courbevoie, has drawn level in match points. The two leaders have ten match points out of six rounds. The Andernos team follows 1 point behind, and Blois 2 points behind the two leaders. The Turk Tolgohan Kiraz played the best match on Friday with Blois: 40 in 19 innings; Glenn Hofman, also from Blois, played the best run: 10. The best games on this matchday came from Kiraz (40 in 19), Merckx and Barbeillon (40 in 20), and Hofman and Bury (40 in 21).
The Soissons team, featuring Jérémy Bury and Eddy Merckx, lost its second match point in two rounds because the two French players on the team lost their match. Jérémy Bury was the better against Steven van Acker 40-21 in 21 innings, Eddy Merckx won against Francis Forton 40-32 in 20. Pierre Soumagne and Kévin Vasseur lost to Le Deventec and Lelievre.
Albert, the other leading team, won 6-2 against Courbevoie, thanks in part to Peter Ceulemans, who defeated Jean Reverchon 40-29 in 30, and Jef Philipoom, winner against Frenchman Kunt 40-38 in 28.
Andernos had a walkover against the second team from Blois, which stands at the bottom of the ranking with four French players. Roland Forthomme and Nick Polychronopoulos were winners in 38 and 27 innings, while Jérôme Barbeillon and Francis Connesson played matches with a world of difference. Barbeillon won against Barras in 20 innings, and Connesson won against Miossec in 66 innings.
Blois 1 played an impeccable match against Intermarché, with Kiraz and Hofman as standouts and Devogelaere and Panaia as winners in the French matches. Glenn Hofman was the better of the Greek Dimitrios Seleventas, winning 40-17 in 21 innings, Tolgahan Kiraz defeated Fréderic Mottet 40-27 in 19. Devogelaere and Panaia secured the win in 23 and 30 innings respectively.
In the battle for places in the sub-top, Colmar won the away match against St. Quentin 6-2. Spaniards Ruben Legazpi and Sergio Jimenez defeated Mas and Pérottin in 22 and 26 innings. Legazpi-Mas ended 40-39.
The ranking:
- Soissons 10-1,480-16
- Albert 10-1,298-16
- Andernos 9-1.286-13
- Blois 1 8-1.445-14
- St. Quentin 7-1.183-17
- Colmar 6-1.233-8
- Intermarché 5-1.101-10
- Douarnenez 3-1.014-12
- Courbevoie 1-0.909-7
- Blois 2 1-0.814-9
Peter Ceulemans, the new European champion, climbed with his team Albert to the top of French ranking.