NIJKERK/GURI - The kitchen in the cafe of Therese Klompenhouwer's father was the domain of the world champion this summer. In the morning, before starting her shift, she picked up the cue for a practice, after that she started her long day of work. ,,I have practiced as much as I could, eight to ten hours per week'', says the Dutch specialist in three cushion before she leaves for the World championship for women in Guri, South Korea where she goes for new glory and is the defending title holder from 25 to 27 August.
The competition is mainly to be expected from the Asian countries with the 40-year-old Japanese triple world champion Orie Hida as her most important competitor. Namiko Hayashi, Yuko Nishimoto, the Koreans Shin Young Lee and Mee Rae Lee, the Turkish Gülsen Degener and Dutch Karina Jetten are the other players in the battle for a podium place.
Orie Hida, the player with the richest honour role, won her first world title in Turkey in 2004, where Therese Klompenhouwer, as a new kid on the block, was eighth with 0.484 and the current CEB board member Diane Wilde finished tenth. The strong Japanese Hida took two other world titles, both times not quite averaging 1.000. Klompenhouwer has broken that barrier with great regularity in recent years: the Dutch was victorious in almost all tournaments for ladies, remained unbeaten at the European championship for ten years, won the world title, the tournament in the Carom Cafe New York and the Femina Open in Belgium.
Undeniably, the Dutch gave three-cushion for ladies a new boost. Therese was the best two years ago in Guri, where she made it to the main draw in the World Cup. There she lost to Blomdahl in the first round. ,,I like playing in Korea'', Therese says on the eve of a new challenge with the world top, coming to the start with sixteen women divided into four groups of four. ,,I know the country very well, have already played five or six times there and it is the country of one of my main sponsors: Kimchi.''
,,I can't estimate how strong the Asians will be, but I'm sure Orie Hida is eager to get revenge, because she was defeated at the last two World champions. The Koreans live in a country with so many talents, they have good players to compete for the title. And with the Europeans, the opposition is known: Gülsen Degener and Karina Jetten.
It is particularly remarkable that the Turkish federation has sent only one player: Gülsen Degener. ,,Next year for the World championships in Belgium, we will probably be with two or three'', Gülsen Degener expects. ,,For now, our president decided to only send me to this tournament in Korea.'' Another notable absentee is the 34-year-old Japanese Natsumi Higashiuchi, who took the world title in Tokly three years ago.
Therese Klompenhouwer, had some rest after the World Cup in Porto, where she was eliminated in the first round by the Turk Ahmet Alp. She started working in the restaurant and café of her father in Nijkerk. ,,The summer months are always very busy. We have a big terrace where many people come to eat. And I prepare it in the kitchen, dinner, lunch and other food. I get up early to get in some practice hours at the billiard. Then I start work, from 11 am to 9 pm, usually four days a week.''
The ladies World championship and the World Cup in Korea, which overlap, are the perfect preparation for a long season. Therese Klompenhouwer will be the leading player in De Ploeg in Belgium this year, playing in the top league. ,,That means I will meet all the top players: Caudron, Blomdahl, Leppens, Forthomme Horn.''
She feels the pressure of being the big favourite in Guri. ,,But I always feel the tension when I start a tournament and I need it. I'm leaving this Monday for Korea with a stopover in China. We arrive on time to deal quickly with the jet lag. Most importantly then is to sleep well, eat well and if it all works out, I should be able to be among the top finishers. It's a better feeling for me that I'm the reigning champion now, after having hunted for eight years in vain to win my first title. That pressure has finally gone. But of course I would like to extend my world title.''
Klompenhouwer is classified in the group with Orie Hida. Two top players in each group will qualify for the quarters. The regulations of the UMB have been changed: after the preliminaries, the ranking will be made, then the first ranked player meets the number eight etcetera.
In the group stage, matches will be played to 25 points with equal innings, in the final to 30 points with equal innings and shoot-outs after equal scores.
The group format:
Group A:
Therese Klompenhouwer (Netherlands)
Marianne Mortensen (Denmark)
Orie Hida (Japan)
Irena Hambalkova (Czech Republic)
Group B:
Gülsen Degener (Turkey)
Karina Jetten (Netherlands)
Namiko Hayashi (Japan)
Ester Park (USA)
Group C:
Danielle le Bruyn (Belgium)
Shin Young Lee (Korea)
Mee Rae Lee (Korea)
Monique Wilkowski (Netherlands)
Group D:
Yuko Nishimoto (Japan)
Helga Mitterböck (Austria)
Gerrie Geelen (Netherlands)
A Min Kim (Korea)
The tournament start on Thursday, August 25th is at 11.00 am Korean time (seven hours difference CET). The final is Saturday at 16.00.
All games will be broadcast live on Kozoom.com.