BLANKENBERGE - Patrick Niessen's title race at the Multi Championships in Blankenberge starts on Monday (8 January) and ends six days later on the penultimate day of the Belgian billiards gala. For Eddy Merckx, the casino on the Belgian coast opens its doors on Thursday (11 January) in the preliminaries, which should set him on his way to another title in three-cushion. For the two champions, it are the first skirmishes in a marathon of matches that traditionally open the new year for Belgium's billiards elite. For eight days, from Sunday 7 to Sunday 14 January, billiard fans can watch the matches battling for 10 national titles daily live on Kozoom.
Eddy Merckx is the reigning champion in the best-known discipline, three-cushion. Patrick Niessen is last year's five-time winner in the classic disciplines.
Raymond Ceulemans, surely among the fans at the Multi’s, is the record holder national titles in three-cushion with 24 titles over the period 1961-2001. Frédéric Caudron is the record holder overall average with 2.592 in 2019. This year's contenders include Eddy Merckx, Roland Forthomme, Jef Philipoom, Kurt Ceulemans and Peter De Backer.
The tournament kicks off on the first Sunday, 7 January, from 11am, including the disciplines of 5 pins, junior three-cushion and women's three-cushion. On Monday, Patrick Niessen will play his first match in 47/2 over 250 caroms against Johan Devos. The reigning champion will meet the same opponent later in the day in 71/2. Three-cushionwill start with Group F (Roland Forthomme as group leader).
Tuesday is a day of three-cushion again (Group C and Group D), 47/1, free game and one cushion. Wednesday, groups A and G will play three-cushion and there will be plenty of cadres and one cushion. On Thursday, Eddy Merckx steps into the arena with a first game against Dirk Weeremans. Free game and the cadre games are heading towards the denouement. Thursday also sees the start of the qualification phase of the artistic, which will go to the finals on Saturday.
Friday is the final preliminary rounds in three-cushion and it's all about the podium spots in free game, 47/2 and women's three-cushion.
The penultimate day, Saturday 13 April, opens at 10.00 am with juniors' three-cushion and one cushion, followed by 47/1 and from 15.30 the first matches for the eighth finals in three-cushion. In the evening, the honoring of 47/1, 71/2, one cushion and artistic.
Sunday on the final day, the four quarter-finals in three-cushion are at 10am, the juniors play, the semi-finals in three-cushion are at 12.30pm and the final is at 3.30pm.
The disciplines and players:
Three cushion:
Poule A: Johan Loncelle - Francis Forton - Henk Blauwblomme - Eddy Jr Willems
B: Eddy Merckx - Frédéric Mottet - Danny Geysen - Dirk Weeremans
C: Peter De Backer - Mathy Monnissen - Bart Ceulemans - Stef Van Hees
D: Steven Van Acker - Martin Spoormans - Luc Salvo - Dany Boutet
E: Peter Ceulemans - Kurt Ceulemans - Wesley De Jaeger - Martin Ravestyn
F: Roland Forthomme - Maarten Janssen - Philippe Vandendriessche - Tom Persijn
G: Jef Philipoom - Andy De Bondt - Marco Janssen - Danny Wuyts
H: Ronny Brants - Davy Van Havere - Thomas Broux - Marc Celen
Three cushion ladies:
Danielle Le Bruyn - Jaimie Buelens - Marie-Rose Rouffa - Karolien Matthys
Three cushion under 25:
Nick Rosier - Nino Coeckelbergs - Kevin Van Hees - Toon Bollansee - Anthony Greffe
5-pins:
Ronny Grisolle - Peter Debaes - Ismaël Trentino - Miguel Bustos - Gianluca Memmi - Dirk Acx
Artistic:
Steve Wilms - Erik Vervliet - Erik Van Den Zegel - Patrick Vloemans - Erwin Seymus
One cushion:
Patrick Niessen - Andy De Bondt - Martin Spoormans - Maarten Janssen
Free game:
Patrick Niessen - Andy De Bondt - Peter Vendeloo - Maarten Janssen
47/1:
Patrick Niessen - Maarten Janssen - Philippe Deraes - Johan Devos
71/2:
Patrick Niessen - Maarten Janssen - Philippe Deraes - Johan Devos
47/2:
Patrick Niessen - Maarten Janssen - Philippe Deraes - Johan Devos.
Eddy Merckx, defending title holder at the Multi's
Patrick Niessen chasing titles in the classics