VIERSEN - The German billiards president, the mayor of the city and Farouk Barki, the president of the world federation UMB, were at the kickoff of the 30th World championship for national teams in the Festhalle in Viersen. It was a traditional opening ceremony with music, players and referees in the spotlights and a short review of the championship for so long in Viersen. But in the weeks following the death of Wolfgang Rittmann, there was a brief, impressive tribute to the President of the CEB, the European billards federation.
The tournament, with a total of 24 games in the preliminary rounds and seven in the knockout, already showed three of the best players in the world on the first day: Torbjörn Blomdahl, Dani Sánchez and Marco Zanetti. The Belgian champions, Eddy Merckx and Frédéric will enter the tournament tomorrow (Friday) for the first time. Jef Philipoom was the best man on the first day, Nikos Polychronopoulos started with a briljant run of seventeen, Dani Sánchez was the excellent leader of the Spaniards (win in fourteen innings), the Ecuadorians Luis Aveiga and Juan Teran defeated Portugal and the charming Ramon Rodriguez (Peru), only added tot he team one week in advance defeated with his team mate Jose Torreblanca the weak Swiss team.
Torbjörn Blomdahl, the world champion and number one in the world, suffered two losses on one day: first against Can Capak and in the last evening session against Ryuuji Umeda, who finished with three and bested Blomdahl 40-39. That means the definitive elimination of Sweden, once the many times winner in this World championship. The hegemony is over now, however Nalle Olsson won his match against Hideaki Kobayashi. The qualification for the final round is between Japan and Turkey B.
The performance of the German B-team with Christian Rudolph and Dustin Jäschke has not lasted longer than one day. Dani Sánchez sealed the fate of the team in the evening session with an easy, strong victory over Christan Rudolph (40-18 in 14). The German's second man, Dustin Jäschke, triumphed in the final rush against Ruben Legazpi: Austria (2-0 win against the Germans) and Spain compete for the group win.
The Greeks (Polychronopoulos and Kokkoris) are in the race after beating France, but are meeting South Korea for the decisive group match. And in the group B the show down is exciting with Belgium and Italy, both opponents for Denmark tomorrow.
The individual ranking after one day (players with one game):
1 Jef Philipoom 2-3.076-10
2 Dani Sánchez 2-2.857-8
3 Nikos Polychronopoulos 2-2.352-17
4 Luis Aveiga 2-1.818-8
5 Marco Zanetti 2-1.600-11
6 Kostas Kokkoris 2-1.600-7
7 Can Capak 2-1.481-4
8 Ryuuji Umeda 2-1.429-5
9 Andreas Efler 2-1.333-4
10 Hakan Incekara 2-1.290-8.
Luis Aveiga, in top five of the day ranking after his strong match
Dani Sánchez, the excellent Spanish team leader, who still needs a win over Austria to be in the knock out
Ryuuji Umeda outplayed the world's number one Torbjörn Blomdahl: the Swedish team is out
The impressive minute of silence during the tribute for Wolfgang Rittmann